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BATTLES 


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LUSTR/^TFP  BY  ALOf^ZO   CHAFPEL 


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BATTLES 


THE  USITED  STATES 


BY  SEA  AND  LAND: 


EMBRACING    THOSE    OF    THE 


REYOLUTIOI^ARY  Al^J)    I^^DIAl^   WARS. 

THE  WAR  OF  1812,  AND  THE  MEXICAN  WAR: 


WITH  r      OETANT  OFFICIAL  DOCUMEIv'TS. 


BY  HENRY  B.  DAWSON, 

MEMBER    OF    THE    NEW    YORK   HISTORICAL   SOCIETY,    ETC. 

Illwstratelj  toitl]  numerous  pgb:lg-fiiusl]£iJ  Stnl  ^ngraJjiup, 

INCLUDING  BATTLE  SCENES  AND  FULL-LENGTH  PORTRAITS —FR03I  ORIGINAL  PAINTINGS 

BY  ALONZO  CHAPPEL. 


IN  TWO  VOLUMES.— VOL.  IL 


NEW  YORK: 
JOHNSON,  FRY,  AND  COMPANY, 

37  BE  E  KM  AN  -  S  T  RE  E  T. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1858,  by 

JOHNSON,  FRY  &  COMPANY, 

In.  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the  Southern  District  of  New  York. 


TStn 


CONTENTS   OF  VOLUME  II. 


I.  Defeat  of  General  Harman 3 

II.  Defeat  of  General  St.  Clair 7 

III.  Fort  St.  Olair 16 

lY.  TheMiamis 19 

V.  Constellation  and  L'Insurgente 27 

VI.  Constellation  and  La  Vengeance 31 

VII.  Entei-prise  and  the  Tripoli 35 

VIII.  Bombardment  of  Tripoli 38 

IX.  The  second  bombardment  of  Tripoli  . .     46 

X.  The  third  bombardment  of  Tripoli  ...     49 

The  fourth  bombardment  of  Tripoli  . .     49 

XI.  The  fifth  bombardment  of  Tripoli  ....     53 

XII.  Derne 56 

XIIL  President  and  Little  Belt 63 

XIV.  Tippecanoe  73 

XV.  Michilimacinac 88 

XVL  Sackett's  Harbor 94 

XVII.  Defeat  of  Major  Van  Horn 96 

XVIIL  Maguaga 98 

XIX.  Essex  and  Alert 102 

XX.  Chicago 103 

XXL  Detroit 110 

XXII.  Constitution  and  Guerriere 119 

XXIII.  Fort  ^yayne - 125 

XXIV.  Fort  Harrison 127 

XXV.  Fort  Madison 133 

XXVI.  Gananoqui 135 

XXVII.  The  privateer  "  Nonsuch" 136 

XXVIII.  Ogdensburg 187 

XXIX.  The  Detroit  and  Caledonia 139 

XXX.  Queenstown 143 

XXXI.   Wasp  and  Frolic 168 

XXXII.  St.  Eegis 173 

XXXIII.  United  States  and  Macedonian 175 

XXXIV.  Expedition  against  the  Mississineway 

Towns 180 

XXXV.  Constitution  and  Java 183 

XXXVI.  The  privateer  "  Comet" ' 189 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

XXXVII.  Frenchtown  191 

XXXVIIL  River  Raisin 194 

XXXIX.  Expedition  against  Elizabethtown  . .   201 

XL.  Ogdensburg 203 

XLI.  Hornet  and  Peacock 206 

XLII.  Privateer  "  General  Armstrong"  ...   209 

XLIII.  Adeline  and  the  gunboats 21 2 

XLIV.  York,  H.  C 214 

XLV.  Fort  Meigs 221 

XLVI.  Havre  de  Grace 226 

XLVIL  Fort  George 231 

XL VIII.  Sackett's  Harbor 235 

XLIX.  Chesapeake  and  Shannon 240 

L.  Stony  Creek 244 

LI.  Asp  and  the  gunboats 248 

LII.  Attack  on  the  Junon 250 

LIIL  Craney  Island  251 

LIV.  Beaver  Dams 253 

LV.  Hampton,  Va 255 

LVI.  Black  Rock   259 

LVII.  Fort  Stephenson 260 

LVIII.  Decatur  and  Dominica 264 

LIX.  Argus  and  Pelican 206 

LX.  Fort  Mimms 269 

LXI.  Enterprise  and  Boxer 272 

LXII.  Lake  Erie 274 

LXIIL  The  Thames 291 

LXIV.  Cheteaugua   297 

LXV.  Tallushatches 301 

LXVI.  Talladega  303 

LXVII.  Chrystler's  Farm 305 

LXVIIL  Hillibee  Towns   309 

LXIX.  Autossee 311 

LXX.  Invasion  of  Kew  York — 

Fort  Niagara 314 

Lewiston 315 

Canjokatie's  Creek 316 

Black  Rock  and  Buffalo 317 


CONTENTS  TO  VOLUME  II. 


CHAPTER 

LXXI. 

LXXII. 
LXXill. 
LXXIV. 

LXXV. 

Lxxvr. 

LXXVII. 
LXXVIII. 

Lxxrx. 

LXXX. 
LXXXI. 

Lxxxn. 

LXXXIII. 

LXXXIV. 
LXXXV. 

LXXXVI. 

LXXXVII. 

LXXXVIII. 

LXXXIX. 


XO. 


XCI. 

XOII. 

XOIII. 


XOIV. 

XCV. 

XCVI. 

XCVII. 


XCVIII. 
XCIX. 

c. 


Eccanachaca 317 

Emuckfau 319 

Enotochopco  321 

Ohalibee 823 

Longwood 324 

Toliopaka,  or  Horseshoe  Bend 827 

Loss  of  the  Essex 330 

La  Colle  Mill 836 

Capture  of  L'Epervler 338 

Oswego 839 

Sandy  Creek 342 

Wasp  and  Reindeer 345 

Michilimacinac 846 

Chippewa 348 

Lundy's  Lane 852 

Fort  Erie 368 

Washington  City 371 

Wasp  and  Avon   377 

Second  Invasion  of  New  York  ....    378 

Beekmantown 381 

Plattsburg , 884 

Lake  Champlain 885 

Expedition  against  Baltimore 390 

North  Point  892 

Fort  McHenry 893 

Privateer  "General  Armstrong". . .   896 

Lyons'  Creek 398 

Invasion  of  Louisiana 399 

The  attack  on  the  gunboats 400 

Action  of  December  23 .    406 

Action  of  December  28 410 

Action  of  January  1 412 

Action  of  January  8 415 

Attack  on  St.  Phillips 419 

Loss  of  the  President 420 

Constitution  and  Cyane  and  Levant  422 

Hornet  and  Penguin 424 

Black  Hawk  War 426 

Battle  at  Stillman's  Run 428 

Battle  near  Kellogg's  Grove 480 

Battle  of  Pecatonica 481 

Attack  on  Apple  River  Fort  . . .  432 

Action  at  Kellogg's  Grove 432 

Action  at  Wisconsin  Heights 485 

Action  at  Bad  Axe 436 

Florida  War 439 

Capture  of  Captain  Thornton 444 

Palo  Alto 445 


CHAPTER  FACT, 

CI.  Resaca  de  la  Palma 450 

CII.  Conquest  of  New  Mexico  and  California  .  454 

cm.  Monterey 463 

CIV.  Expedition  against  Chihuahua 478 

Action  at  Brazito 479 

Action  of  the  Sacramento 481 

CV.  Insurrection  of  New  Mexico 483 

Action  of  the  Canada 483 

Action  of  Pass  of  Embudo 484 

Action  of  Pueblo  de  Taos 485 

CVI.  Buena  Vista 486 

CVII.  Campaign  under  General  Scott 498 

Vera  Cruz 498 

Puenta  del  Medio 500 

Medellin 500 

Alvarado   503 

Cerro  Gordo 502 

Perote 507 

La  Haya 507 

Tuspan  508 

Tobasco 508 

Amozoque   508 

Paso  de  Ovejas 508 

National  Bridge 508 

San  Juan  de  los  Llanos 508 

Mira  Flores 509 

Oka  Lake 511 

Contreras 512 

San  Antonio 515 

Ohurubusco 515 

Molino  del  Rey 518 

Chapultepec 520 

Mexico   523 

Paso  de  Ovejas 528 

National  Bridge 528 

Cerro  Gordo 528 

Puebla 528 

Huamantla  , 529 

Atlixco 529 

Matamoras 529 

Galaxara 529 

Orizaba 529 

Cordova 529 

Sequalteplan 529 

San  Jose 629 

La  Paz 529 

Santa  Cruz  de  Resales 529 


BATTLES 


OF 


THE    UNITED    STATES 


BOOK  11. 

THE   INDIAN,    FRENCH,    AND   ALGERINE   WARS,    THE   WAR 
OF    1812,    AND   THE   MEXICAN   WAR. 


1790-1847. 


CHAPTER    I 


September  and  October,  1790. 

THE    DEFEAT     OF     GENERAL    HARMAR. 


Among-  the  many  difficulties  whicli 
the  new  government  of  the  United 
States  had  to  encounter,  in  the  earlier 
days  of  General  Washington's  adminis- 
tration, none  was  more  annoying  than 
the  disaffection  of  the  Indian  tribes 
which  then  inhabited  the  Northwest- 
ern Territory,  which  had,  even  at  that 
early  day,  attracted  the  attention  of  the 
older  States.  While  the  Confederacy 
was  yet  governed  by  the  Congress  of 
the  United  States,  under  the  "  Articles 
of  Confederation,"  the  tide  of  emigra- 
tion had  flowed  in  that  direction ;  and 
the  foundations  had  been  laid  for  those 
mighty  Commonwealths,  which,  in  our 
day,  exercise  so  great  an  influence  over 
the  destinies  of  our  country.  Without 
stopping  to  inquire  what  causes  pro- 
duced these  troubles,  which,  from  their 
complicity,  would  require  more  space 
than  can  be  devoted  to  the  subject  in 
this  chapter,  suffice  it  to  say,  that,  at  an 
early  day,  Brevet  Brigadier-general  Jo- 
siah  Harmar  had  been  ordered  to  this 
part  of  the  country;^  and  that,  with  a 


'  It  appears  to  be  disputed  whether  or  not  Gen.  Harmar 
was  ia  the  Territory  before  the  accession  of  Gen.  Wash- 
ington to  the  Presidency.  Mr.  Atwater  (History  of  Ohio, 
first  ed.,  p.  132)  says  he  "  had  been  ordered  to  this  frontier 
by  the  old  Congress,  and  he  was  here  at  a  very  early  day  ; " 
and  Chief-justice  Marshall  {Life  of  Washington,  v.  p.  359) 
agrees  with  him ;  while  Mr.  S.  Wilkeson  {American  Pio- 


respectable  force  of  regulars,  he  had  oc- 
cupied, and  fortified,  the  sites  now  oc- 
cupied by  the  cities  of  Cincinnati^  {Fort 
WasTiingtori)  and  Marietta  {Fort  Har- 
mar')? 

The  troubles  still  continuing,  and 
the  grievances  of  the  settlers  demand- 
ing reparation,  in  December,  1789,  Gen- 
eral Harmar,  with  three  hundred  men, 
moved  down  to  Fort  Washing-ton, — 
where  Major  Doughty  and  one  hundred 
and  forty  men  were  stationed,  —  and 
preparations  were  made  to  chastise  the 
offenders.^  Notwithstanding  the  efforts 
which  were  made,  however,  it  was  not 
until  the  thirtieth  of  September,  1T90, 
that  a  movement  could  be  made,*  when 
General  Harmar, — who  had  remained 
in  camp,  on  the  southern  bank  of  the 
Ohio,  opposite  Fort  Washington,^  and 
had  been  strengthened  by  the  arrival 
of  Colonel  John  Hardin,  of  Kentucky, 
and  Major  James  Paul,  of  Pennsylvania, 
with  eleven  hundred  and  thirty-three 
volunteers    from    Kentucky,    Western 

neer,  i.  p.  20-5)  maintains  that  he  was  appointed  by  the 
new  government. 

'  Burnett's  Notes,  pp.  54,  55 ;  Atwater's  Ohio,  p.  132. 

'Burnett's  Notes,  p.  43  ;  Hildreth's  Pioneer  Hist,  of 
the  Ohio  Valley,  p.  213.—'  Burnett's  Notes,  pp.  99-101  ; 
Atwater's  Ohio,  p.  133  ;  Butler's  Kentucky,  p.  191  ;  Mar- 
shall's Kentucky,  i.  p.  362.—'  Burnett's  Notes,  p.  102  ; 
Atwater's  Ohio,  p.  133  ;  Marshall's  Ky..  1.  p.  363  ;  Mar- 
shaU's  Washington,  v.  p.  359. — '  Atwater's  Ohio,  p.  133. 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  H. 


Virginia,  and  Pennsylvania/  —  taking 
with  hini  three  hundred  and  twenty 
regulars,^  crossed  the  Ohio  River,  struck 
into  the  old  Indian  war-path,  and 
marched  to  the  villages  on  the  head- 
waters of  the  Little  Miami,^  near  where 
Fort  Wayne  now  stands.  The  march 
was  conducted  in  good  order,  and  the 
standing  corn  was  destroyed;*  after 
which  the  expedition,  striking  across  the 
woods,  marched  to  wards  the  towns  on  the 
Great  Miami,  where  Piqua  now  stands.^ 
When  the  expedition  had  reached 
the  place  where  Loramie's  Ferry  now 
is,  and  where  it  had  encamped  for  the 
night,  three  Indians  were  seen  and  pur- 
sued ;  one  of  whom  was  taken  prisoner, 
while  the  others  escaped.®  From  this 
prisoner  information  was  obtained  that 
the  inhabitants  of  the  villas^es  wei*e 
unapprised  of  the  approach  of  the  ex- 
pedition, that  no  I'einforcements  had 
come  in,  and  that  they  were  quarrelling 
among  themselves  ;  ^  and,  evidently  for- 
getting that  this  information  was  not 
to  be  depended  on,  and  that  the  two 
scouts  who  had  escaped  would  convey 
full  information  of  the  approach  and 
the  strength  of  the  expedition.  General 
Harmar  resolved  to  send  forward  a  de- 
tachment, under  Colonel  Hardin,  to  at- 
tack and  destroy  the  village.®  Accord- 
ingly six  hundred  volunteers,  includ- 
ing fifty  regulars,^  moved  forward,  by 

1  Atvvater's  Ohio,  pp.  133,  134 ;  MaishaU's  Ky.,  i.  p. 
362  ;  MarshaU's  Washington,  v.  p.  359.—'  MavshaU's 
Ky.,  i.  p.  363  ;  Marshall's  Washington,  v.  p.  359. 

'  Atwater's  Ohio,  p.  134  ;  Burnett's  Notes,  p.  102. 

*  Marshall's  Ky.,  i.  p.  363.—*  Atwater's  Ohio,  p.  134  ; 
Burnett's  Notes,  p.  102.—°  Atwater's  Ohio,  p.  134. 

'  Burnett's  Notes,  p.  103. — °  Marshall's  Washington, 
V.  p.  359  ;  Atwater's  Ohio,  p.  134  ;  Burnett's  Notes,  p.  103. 

"  Burnett's  Notes,  p.  103  ;  Marshall's  Washington,  v. 
p.  359. 


forced  marches;^  and,  on  the  second 
day  of  its  march,'^  the  detachment 
reached  the  villages.^  With  great  fore- 
thought— worthy  of  more  enlightened 
warriors  —  the  Indians  had  removed 
their  women  and  children  to  places  of 
greater  safety ;  burned  their  wigwams  ; 
and,  with  the  exception  of  a  small  party 
of  observation,  had  retired  into  the 
woods.* 

The  main  body  of  the  army  moved 
slowly  forward,  over  roads  which  were 
constructed  by  itself;^  and,  four  days 
after  the  villages  had  been  occupied 
by  Colonel  Hardin,  General  Harmar 
reached  them.®  A  week  was  spent 
among  the  ashes  of  the  settlements, 
and  the  hidden  stores  of  the  savages, 
including  not  less  than  twenty  thou- 
sand bushels  of  corn,  were  discovered 
and  destroyed;'^  while,  emulous  of  re- 
nown. General  Harmar  disgraced  him- 
self, as  General  Sullivan  had  done  in 
New  York,  by  cutting  down  or  gird- 
ling the  fine  orchards  with  which  the 
settlements  were  surrounded.^ 

Without  being  contented  with  this 
complete,  and,  almost  bloodless,  accom- 
plishment of  the  purposes  for  which 
the  expedition  had  been  organized. 
General  Harmar  appears  to  have  been 
ambitious  of  still  greater  exploits  ;  and, 
forgetful  of  the  peculiar  character  of 
his  troops,  he  sent  out  three  several  de- 
tachments in  pursuit  of  the  enemy. 

The  first,  composed  of  three  hundred 
men,®  under  Colonel  Trotter,  returned 

1  Burnett's  Notes,  p.  103  ;  Atwater's  Ohio,  p.  134. 

"  Atwater's  Ohio,  p.  134.—'  Ibid.  ;  Marshall's  Wash- 
ington, V.  p.  359  ;  Burnett's  Notes,  p.  103.—*  Marshall's 
Washington,  v.  p.  359  ;  Atwater's  Ohio,  p.  134.—'*  Bur- 
nett's Notes,  p.  103  ;  Atwater's  Ohio,  p.  134.—*  Atwater's 
Ohio,  p.  134.—'  Burnett's  Notes,  p.  103.—'  Ibid.—'  Ibid. 


Chap.  I.] 


THE  DEFEAT  OF  GENERAL  HARMAR. 


to  the  camp  on  the  same  day  on  which 
it  left  it,  after  killing  two  Indians.^ 
With  some  insinuations  against  the 
prudence  of  Colonel  Trotter,  the  same 
party  was  again  detached,  under  Col- 
onel Hardin.^  When  this  officer  had 
marched  six  miles  from  the  camp  he 
fell  into  an  ambuscade  which  had  been 
prepared  for  him;^  when  the  Kentuck- 
ians,  who  led  the  militia,  in  the  column,^ 
with  the  greatest  cowardice,  "  ran  away 
and  threw  down  their  arms,  without 
firing  scarcely  a  single  gun,"*  and  left 
the  handful  of  regulars — thirty  in  num- 
ber— to  oppose  the  enemy  single-hand- 
ed and  alone.®  Notwithstanding  the 
overpowering  force  of  the  enemy,  the 
little  party  maintained  its  ground  until 
twenty-three  of  the  number  had  fallen, 
when  the  remainder  fled,  and  reached 
the  camp  in  safety.^ 

After  remaining  at  the  villages  a  day 
or  two  longer,  and  discovering  that  the 
enemy  was  gradually  concentrating  his 
strength  around  the  encampment.  Gen- 
eral Harmar  considered  it  prudent  to 
retire  to  Fort  Washington,  without 
farther  pursuing  the  objects  which  had 
originally  led  to  the  expedition.^  But 
in  this  the  Greneral's  wonted  impru- 
dence did  not  forsake  him.  Without 
considering  the  character  and  strength 
of  his  enemy,  on  the  second  day  of  his 
march,  he  detached  Colonel  Hardin, 
with  three  hundred  volunteers*  and 
sixty   regulars,  under  Major  Wyllys,^" 


'  Burnett's  Notes,  p.  103.—'  Ibid.—'  Marshall's  Ky., 
i.  p.  363  ;  Atwater's  Ohio,  p.  134. — *  Marshall's  Washing- 
ton, V.  p.  359. — ^  Order  Book  of  G-en.  Harmar. 

'  Marshall's  Washington,  v.  p.  360.— '  Marshall's  Ky., 
i.  p.  363.—'  Ibid.,  p.  364.—'  Marshall's  Washington,  t. 
p.  360.—"  Marshall's  Ky.,  i.  p.  364. 


with  orders  to  return  to  the  villages, 
and  bring  the  enemy  to  an  action. 
When  this  detachment  reached  the 
confluence  of  the  St.  Joseph's  and  St, 
Mary's  rivers,  it  divided  into  three  col- 
umns, each  of  whom  speedily  encoun- 
tered considerable  bodies  of  Indians, 
and  a  series  of  severe,  but  unsuccessful, 
actions  ensued,  in  which  the  enemy  was 
the  victor ;  Major  Wyllys,  Lieutenant 
Frothingham,  and  fifty  of  the  regulars, 
and  nine  ofiicers  and  about  one  hun- 
dred militiamen,  being  among  the  slain.^ 

The  army  moved  by  slow  and  easy 
marches  to  Fort  Washington,  where  the 
militia  were  dismissed;  and  General  Har- 
mar, after  proceeding  to  the  seat  of  gov- 
ernment, resigned  his  command.^ 

The  loss  of  the  regulars,  in  this  afikir, 
was  seventy-three  killed,  besides  the 
wounded ;  that  of  the  militia  was  nine- 
ty-eight killed  and  ten  wounded.^ 

This  expedition,  without  any  appar- 
ent reason,  was  claimed  as  a  victory  by 
the  commanding  General,  on  the  ground 
"  that  any  battle  in  which  the  Indians 
might  lose  a  considerable  number  of 
men,  would  be  fatal  to  them,  although 
a  still  greater  loss  should  be  sustained 
by  the  Americans,  because  the  savages 
did  not  possess  a  population  from  which 
they  could  replace  the  warriors  who 
had  fallen  ;"*  yet  it  is  proper  to  remark 
that  the  Court  of  Inquiry  which  was 
appointed  to  investigate  the  matter,  ac- 
quitted the  General  with  honor.^  In 
that  inquiry  it  was  found  that  the  mi- 
litia were  very  badly  equipped  ;    that 

>  Marshall's  Washington,  v.  pp.  361,  362.—"  Burnett's 
Notes,  p.  104;  Marshall's  Ky.,  p.  365.—'  Ibid. 
*  Marshall's  Washington,  v.  pp.  362,  363. 
'  Ibid.  ;  Marshall's  Ky.,  i.  p.  366. 


6 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


their  arms  were  very  had  and  out  of 
repair ;  that  the  men  themselves  were 
unfit  for  service  and  insubordinate ; 
that  the  heavy  loss  was  occasioned  by 
the  ignorance,  imbecility,  insubordina- 
tion, and  defective  equipment  of  the 
militia,  and  not  to  any  defect  of  ca- 
pacity or  bravery,  in  the  commanding 


General,  or  in  the  ofScers  who  served 
under  him  ;^  and,  although  General 
Harmar's  name  has  come  down  to  us 
in  association  with  a  "  defeat,"  there  is 
but  little  doubt  that  the  mischief  was 
really  produced  by  causes  over  which 
the  General  had  not,  and  could  not  ex- 
ercise the  least  possible  control. 


DOCUMEIN^T. 


GENERAL    HAKMAB  S    DISPATCH    TO    THE    SECKE- 
TART   OF   WAR. 


'■\ 


Head-quarters,  Fort  Washington 
November  4,  1790. 

Sir  : — I  have  the  honor  to  inform  yon,  that 
on  the  30th  of  September  I  marched  with  three 
hundred  and  twenty  federal  troops,  and  eleven 
hundred  and  thirty-three  militia — total,  four- 
teen hundred  and  fifty-three;  after  encounter- 
ing a  few  difficulties,  we  gained  the  Miami  vil- 
lage. It  was  abandoned  before  we  entered  it, 
which  I  was  very  sorry  for.  The  villanous 
traders  would  have  been  a  principal  object  of 
attention.  I  beg  leave  to  refer  you  to  my  or- 
ders, which  are  inclosed.  The  substance  of  the 
work  is  this  :  our  loss  was  heavy,  but  the  head- 
quarters of  iniquity  were  broken  up.  At  a 
moderate  computation,  not  less  than  one  hun- 
dred, or  one  hundred  and  twenty  warriors  were 
slain,  and  three  hundred  log-houses  and  wig- 
wams burned.  Our  loss,  about  one  hundred 
and  eighty.  The  remainder  of  the  Indians  will 
be  ill  off  for  sustenance.  Twenty  thousand 
bushels  of  corn,  in  the  ears,  were  consumed, 
burned,  and  destroyed  by  the  army,  with  vege- 
tables in  abundance.  The  loss  of  Major  Wyl- 
lys  and  Lieutenant  Frothingham,  of  the  federal 
troops,  and  a  number  of  valuable  militia  officers, 
I  sincerely  lament. 

The  brave  Lieutenant  Denny  is  my  adjutant. 
It  will  afford  me  great  satisfaction  to  know  that 
some  mark  of  honor  will  be  shown  to  him — his 
long  and  faithful  services  merit  it.  There  is  a 
vast  deal  of  business  in  this  western  world.     If 


there  is  no  impropriety  in  giving  me  an  aid-de- 
camp, I  wish  him  to  be  the  person. 

In  my  next  dispatches  I  shall  enter  into  the 
minutiae  of  business,  and  give  you  a  particular 
description  of  each  day's  march,  with  all  the  oc- 
currences, observations,  &c.,  &c. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  sir,  with  perfect 
esteem,  your  most  humble  and  obedient  ser- 
vant, J.  Harmar, 

Lieut.- Col.  1st  U.  S.  Eegt. 

The  Hon.  Maj.-Gen.  Knox,  Secretary  at  War. 


Return  of  tTie  Tcilled  and  wounded  upon  the  expedition 
against  the  Miami  Towns.,  under  the  command  of 
Brigadier-general  Harmar. 

Head-Quarters,  Fort  Washington,  ) 
November  4,  1790.  i 

Killed. — Federal  Troops. — One  major,  one 
lieutenant,  seventy-three  rank  and  file.  Militia. 
— One  major,  three  captains,  two  lieutenants, 
four  ensigns,  ninety-eight  rank  and  file. 

WoinsTDED. — Federal  Troops. — Three  rank 
and  file.  Militia. — Two  lieutenants,  one  en- 
sign, twenty-five  rank  and  file. 

Killed. — Federal  Troops. — Major  Wyllys, 
Lieutenant  Frothingham.  Militia. — Major  Fon- 
taine ;  Captains  Sharp,  Scott,  and  McMurtrey  ; 
Lieutenants  Clark  and  Rogers ;  Ensigns  Brid- 
ges, Higgens,  Sweet,  and  Threlheld. 

Wounded. — Lieutenants  Sanders  and  "Wor- 

ley,  and  Ensign  Arnold. 

E.  Denny,  Lieut  and  Adjt. 
J.  Harmar. 

'  Burnett's  Notes,  pp.  104,  105. 


CHAPTER    II 


November  4,  1791. 

THE  DEFEAT  OF  GENERAL  St.  CLAIR, 


The  expedition  under  General  Har- 
mar  was  closely  followed  by  the  most 
desperate  efforts  of  the  savages  to  har- 
ass and  destroy  the  neighboring  set- 
tlements, in  which  the  enemy  felt  the 
want  of  those  provisions  which  had 
been  then  destroyed.  In  these  pred- 
atory attacks  the  enemy  received  the 
countenance  and  support  of  the  British 
authorities  ;  and  British  subjects,  more 
savage  even  than  the  Indians,  not  un- 
frequently  led  the  latter  on  their  er- 
rands of  destruction.-^ 

In  January,  1791,  the  President 
{Oeneral  Washington)  laid  before  the 
Senate  of  the  United  States  "  a  state- 
ment relative  to  the  frontiers,  which 
had  been  submitted  to  him  by  the  Sec- 
retary for  the  Department  of  War," 
"  relying  upon  its  wisdom  to  make  such 
arrangements  as  might  be  essential  for 
the  preservation  of  good  order,  and  the 
effectual  preservation  of  the  frontiers."^ 
Three  days  afterwards  he  transmitted  a 
second  message,^  with  intelligence  re- 
ceived by  him  from  General  Rufus  Put- 
nam, in  which  not  only  the  audacity  of 
the  enemy,  but  the  weakness  of  the  set- 


'  N.  Y.  Journal,  No.  2614,  Saturday,  Nov.  16,  1791 ; 

'  President's  Message,  in  the  Jour,  of  the  Senate,  Mon- 
day, Jan.  24, 1791.  I  find  no  reference  to  the  message  in 
the  House  Journal,  and  suppose,  therefore,  that  it  was 
not  sent  to  that  body. 

°  President's  Message,  in  the  Jour,  of  the  Senate  and 
the  House,  Thursday,  Jan.  27,  1791. 


tlements,  was  fully  detailed.^  The  Fed- 
eral Congress  promptly  authorized  the 
President  to  raise  a  corps  of  volunteers 
for  the  immediate  relief  of  the  settle- 
ments ;  while,  for  permanent  service,  an 
army  of  three  thousand  men,  the  num- 
ber asked  for,^  of  which  Governor  Arthur 
St.  Clair,  to  whom  the  rank  of  Major- 
general  was  assigned,  as  the  command- 
er, was  afterwards  placed  in  command. 

The  volunteers,  under  General  Scott, 
marched  on  the  twenty-third  of  May, 
and  between  that  time  and  the  four- 
teenth of  June,  they  had  destroyed  sev- 
eral villages,  with  large  quantities  of 
provisions,  peltry,  <fec. ;  killed  thirty- 
two  and  captured  fifty-seven  warriors  ; 
and  returned  to  the  settlements  without 
losing  a  single  man,  and  with  only  four 
wounded.^ 

A  second  volunteer  force,  led  by 
Colonel  Wilkinson,  was  also  similarly 
successful ;  and  it  also  had  returned  to 
Fort  Washington  without  serious  loss.* 

In  the  mean  time  General  St.  Clair, 
and  his  second  in  command.  General 
Butler,  had  been  actively  engaged  in 

'  Burnett's  Notes  on  the  Northwest,  p.  114. 

'  "An  Act  for  raising  and  adding  another  regiment  to 
the  military  establishment  of  the  United  States,  and  for 
making  further  provision  for  the  protection  of  the  fron- 
tiers."    Approved  Marcli  3,  1791. 

'Burnett's  Notes,  pp.  115-118;  N.T.  Journal,  No.  2582, 
Saturday,  Aug.  6,  1791. 

<  Burnett's  Notes,  pp.  118-121. 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


preparing  for  tlie  campaign ;  yet  the 
enlistments  proceeded  so  slowly,  and 
the  appointments  which  had  been  pro- 
vided were  so  scanty,  that,  although 
the  first  of  July  had  been  appointed 
for  the  opening  of  the  campaign,^  it 
was  several  weeks  after  that  date  be- 
fore any  of  the  new  levies  reached  Fort 
Washington,  the  appointed  place  of 
rendezvous.^  The  ammunition  for  the 
campaign  had  also  to  be  made  up ;  the 
gun-carriages  had  to  be  renewed ;  an 
armory  for  the  repair  of  arms  had  to 
be  erected ;  and  stores  had  to  be  col- 
lected for  the  forts  which  it  had  been 
designed  to  establish  in  the  enemy's 
country.  Nearly  all  the  arms  required 
repairs  ;  tools,  kegs  for  cartiidges,  box- 
es for  fixed  ammunition,  splints  for  the 
wounded,  and  bells  for  the  horses  had 
to  be  made  on  the  spot,  by  such  artif- 
icers as  could  be  selected  from  the  re- 
cruits, aftei-  they  reached  Fort  Wash- 
ington.* In  addition  to  these  difficul- 
ties, the  supplies  were  insufficient ;  and, 
in  the  latter  part  of  August,  not  more 
than  two  thirds  of  the  requisite  force 
had  come  in,  compelling  the  General  to 
seek  the  assistance  of  volunteers  from 
Kentucky,  to  complete  his  force.* 

With  these  difficulties  to  contend 
with,  about  the  first  of  September, 
1791,  Colonel  Darke  was  ordered  to 
move,  with  the  greater  part  of  the 
troops  then  at  Fort  Washington,  to  the 
Great  Miami ;  and,  on  the  site  of  Ham- 
ilton, Butler  County,  Ohio,  to  build  a 
stockade-fort,  which  would  serve  as  a 

'St.  Clair's  Narrative,  p.  ix. — ^Adj.-Gen.  Saigent's 
Diary,  pp.  6-8.—'  St.  Clair's  Narrative,  pp.  10-13. 

^  St.  Clair's  Narrative,  p.  9  ;  Adj. -Gen.  Sargent's  Diary, 
Sept.  5,  1791. 


deposit  for  provisions,  and,  at  the  same 
time,  form  the  first  link  in  the  chain  of 
works  which  General  St.  Clair  designed 
to  construct.-^ 

The  fort  having  been  so  far  com- 
pleted as  to  be  ready  to  receive  and  af- 
ford shelter  for  a  garrison,  on  the  thir- 
tieth of  September,  the  General  returned 
to  Fort  Washington  "  to  forward  the 
preparations  of  the  campaign,"  leaving 
General  Butler  in  command,  with  orders 
to  push  forward  still  farther  in  the  ene- 
my's country.^ 

On  the  fourth  of  October  the  army 
left  Fort  Hamilton  ;*  and,  on  the  thir- 
teenth of  that  month,  having  advanced 
forty-five  miles,  and  a  proper  place  pre- 
senting itself  for  another  post,  the  army 
halted  and  encamped,  and  proceeded  to 
erect  another  fort.*  This  post — which 
is  about  six  miles  south  of  the  present 
town  of  Greenville,  in  Darke  County, 
Ohio — was  called  Fort  Jefiferson,^  and 
so  vigorously  were  the  men  employed 
that  on  the  twenty-fourth  of  October  it 
was  in  such  forwardness  that  the  garri- 
son, composed  of  ninety  men,  which  was 
detached  to  occupy  it,  could  readily 
complete  it.^ 

On  that  day  (October  24:t7i)  the  army 
moved  six  miles,  when  it  halted  to 
await  the  arrival  of  provisions.'^  The 
force,  including  the  First  regiment,  was 


1  Burnett's  Notes,  p.  122;  Adj. -Gen.  Sargent's  Diary, 
Sept.  6  to  Sept.  11.—°  Adj. -Gen.  Sargent's  Diary,  Oct.  1 
to  Oct.  9.—=  Ibid.,  Oct.  4  ;  Burnett's  Notes,  pp.  122, 123  ; 
Gen.  St.  Clair's  Narrative,  p.  15. — *  Adj. -Gen.  Sargent's 
Diary,  Oct.  13,  14  ;  Gen.  St.  Clair's  Narrative,  p.  18. 
Judge  Burnett  {Notes,  p.  123)  supposes  the  army  halted  on 
the  24th  October.—''  Atwater's  Hist,  of  Ohio,  p.  137. 

°  Adj. -Gen.  Sargent's  Diary,  Oct.  24  ;  Gen.  St.  Clair's 
Narrative,  p.  18. — '  Adj. -Gen.  Sargent's  Diary,  Oct.  24, 
25  ;  Gen.  St.  Clair's  Dispatch,  Nov.  1,  1791  ;  Gen.  St. 
Clair's  Narrative,  p.  18. 


Chap.  II.] 


THE  DEFEAT  OF  GENERAL  St.  CLAIR. 


now  reduced,  by  the  withdrawal  of  the 
detachments  for  the  forts,  to  less  than 
two  thousand  effective  men ;  ^  the  coun- 
try through  which  the  expedition  had 
to  pass  was  a  dense  forest,  through 
which  roads  had  to  be  cut  for  the 
passage  of  the  artillery,  baggage,  and 
stores;^  the  provisions  had  become  so 
scarce  that  the  army  had  been  reduced 
to  short  allowance  f  and  the  enemy  had 
began  to  show  himself  and  oppose  the 
progress  of  the  army.*  Add  to  this  a 
spirit  of  insubordination  among  the  vol- 
unteers, a  large  number  of  whom  de- 
serted, with  the  expressed  determina- 
tion of  seizing  a  convoy  of  flour  which 
was  then  on  its  way  to  the  army  ;^  and 
General  St,  Clair  was  obliged  to  detach 
the  First  regiment  of  United  States 
troops,  under  Major  Hamtramck,  to 
protect  the  flour,  and,  if  possible,  to 
bring  the  deserters  back  to  their  duty.^ 
Under  these  circumstances  the  prog- 
ress of  the  army  was  necessarily  slow ; 
and  on  the  afternoon  of  the  .  third  of 
November  it  encamped  on  the  eastern 
bank  of  a  small  stream,  which  was  sup- 
posed to  have  been  the  St,  Mary's,  one 
of  the  main  branches  of  the  Maumee.^ 
It  was  afterwards  found  to  be  a  branch 
of  the  Wabash, — near  the  site  of  Fort 

'  Report  of  the  Committee  of  Cong. — ^  Adj. -Gen.  Sar- 
gent's Diary,  Oct.  26  ;  Observations  of  Gen.  St.  Clair  on 
the  Report  of  the  Committee  ;  Atwater's  Ohio,  p.  137. 

'  Adj. -Gen.  Sargent's  Diary,  Oct.  27  ;  Testimony  of 
Count  de  Malartie. — *  Adj. -Gen.  Sargent's  Diary,  Oct.  18, 
28;  Atwater's  Ohio,  p.  137;  Marshall's  Washington,  v. 
p.  389.— 'Adj. -Gen.  Sargent's  Diary,  Oct.  31  ;  Gen.  St. 
Clair's  Dispatch,  Nov.  1,  1791  ;  Gen.  St.  Clair's  Narra- 
tive, pp.  19,  27. — "Adj. -Gen.  Sargent's  Diary,  Oct.  31; 
Gen.  St.  Clair's  Dispatch,  Nov.  1,  1791  ;  Gen.  St.  Clair's 
Narrative,  pp.  27,  28. 

'  Adj. -Gen.  Sargent's  Diary,  Nov.  3;    His  "Narrative 
of  the  Unfortunate  Affair  of  Friday,"  &c.,  p.  30  ;  Gen.  St. 
Clair's  Dispatch,  Nov.  9. 
Vol  XL— 2 


Recovery,  in  Mercer  County,  Ohio,^ — 
about  ninety-seven  miles  from  Fort 
Washington,  and  about  twenty  from 
the  Miami  Towns,  which  was  the  point 
of  the  projected  attack  on  the  enemy.^ 

The  site  of  the  encampment  was  "  a 
small  rising  ground,  descending  grad- 
ually in  front  to  a  stream,"  already  re- 
ferred to,  "  of  fifty  feet  wide,  and  ford- 
able  at  this  time."^  On  this  ground,  in 
accordance  with  general  orders,  the 
army  encamped  in  two  lines — the  first, 
under  General  Butler,  composed  of  Pat- 
terson's New  Jersey  Volunteers  on  the 
right,  Clarke's  Pennsylvanians  in  the 
centre,  and  Butler's  Pennsylvanians  on 
the  left;  and  the  second,  under  Lieu- 
tenant-colonel Darke,  composed  of  Sec- 
ond United  States  regiment,  on  the 
right,  Gaither's  Maiylanders  in  the 
centre,  and  Beddinger's  Virginians  on 
the  left.  Four  pieces  of  artillery  were 
posted  between  the  centre  and  the  left 
wing  of  each  of  these  lines ;  Captain 
Truman's  troop  of  Kentucky  horse, 
and  Captain  Faulkner's  company  of 
riflemen,  guarded  the  right  flank,  and 
Captain  Snowden's  troop  of  horse  the 
left  flank ;  a  camp-guard  of  two  officers 
and'  fifty-four  men ;  a  picket  of  a  cap- 
tain and  thirty  men ;  four  guards  of  an 
officer  and  fifteen  men  each ;  and  a  pick- 
et of  a  captain  and  thirty  men,  on  the 
road  over  which  the  army  had  march- 
ed, two  hundred  and  fifty  yards  in  the 
rear  of  the  second  line ;  while,  in  front 
of  the  whole,  three  hundred  yards  in 


1  Burnett's  Notes,  p.  123. — ^  Adj.-Gen.  Sargent's  Diary, 
Nov.  3  ;  Atwater's  Ohio,  p.  137  ;  Adj.-Gen.  Sargent's  Nar- 
rative, p.  30. — '  Adj.-Gen.  Sargent's  Narrative,  p.  30,  and 
the  map  therein.  Gen.  St.  Clair  (Dispatch,  Nov.  9,  1791), 
says  it  was  "  about  twelve  yards  wide." 


10 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


advance  of  the  stream,  "  across  a  piece 
of  bottom  land,  and  possessing  a  fine 
high  flat  and  open  wood,  with  proper 
pickets,"  were  posted  the  militia  under 
Lieutenant-colonel  Oldham.^ 

On  this  spot  it  had  been  determined 
to  construct  a  slight  work  for  the  safe 
keeping  of  the  knapsacks,  and  "  every 
thing  else  that  was  not  of  absolute  ne- 
cessity," by  which  means  the  troops 
would  have  been  ti-ansformed  into  light 
troops,  and  rendered  more  efficient  in 
the  peculiar  service  in  which  they  were 
engaged.  With  this  intention,  on  the 
evening  of  the  third,  the  general-in- 
chief  had  consulted  with  Major  Fergu- 
son and  adopted  a  plan  for  the  con- 
struction of  the  work ;  and  it  was 
designed  to  engage  the  entire  force  in 
that  laboi",  until  the  First  regiment, 
which  had  been  sent  after  the  deserters, 
should  have  reached  the  camp,  with  its 
convoy  of  flour.^ 

At  a  very  early  hour  in  the  morning 
of  the  fourth  of  November,  according 
to  his  usual  practice.  General  St.  Clair 
had  paraded  his  troops  f  and,  about 
half  an  hour  before  sunrise,  had  dis- 
missed them  from  parade,*  when  the 
enemy  fell  upon  the  advanced  body  of 
militia,  under  Lieutenant-colonel  Old- 
ham, without  any  warning  and  with 
great  fury.^  The  first  evidence  of  the 
enemy's  presence  was  the  discovery,  by 

'Gen.  St.  Clair's  Dispatch,  Nov.  9,  1791;  Adj. -Gen. 
Sargent's  Narrative,  pp.  30,  31,  and  the  map  tlierein. 

'Gen.  St.  Clair's -Dispatch,  Nov.  9,  1791.  See  also 
Burnett's  Notes,  p.  123. — '  Gen.  St.  Clair's  Dispatch,  Nov. 
9,  1791 ;  Marshall's  Ky.,  i.  p.  381 ;  Adj.-Gen.  Sargent's 
Narrative,  p.  33. — *  Gen.  St.  Clair's  Dispatch,  Nov.  9, 
1791  ;  Burnett's  Notes,  p.  123  ;  Keport.  of  Com.  of  Cong.  ; 
Atwater's  Ohio,  p.  138.—^  Gen.  St.  Clair's  Dispatch,  Nov. 
9,  1791  ;  Report  of  Com.  of  Cong.  ;  Adj.-Gen.  Sargent's 
Narrative,  p.  34. 


Ensign  Pope,  of  a  party  of  about  thirty 
savages  in  pursuit  of  a  pack-horseman, 
when  the  guai'd  was  advanced  to  cover 
the  retreat  of  the  fugitive.^  At  that 
moment  a  yell,  as  from  three  hundred 
Indians,  arose  "in  the  quarter  where 
Captain  Simmons  was  stationed  ;"^  and, 
although  but  few  of  the  enemy  showed 
themselves — the  policy  of  the  Indians, 
during  the  entire  action,  having  been 
to  lay  flat  on  the  ground,  and  to  deliver 
their  fire  from  that  position  ^— the  mili- 
tia were  filled  with  alarm,  and  fled  with 
great  precipitation,  without  attempting 
to  defend  themselves.*  Rushing  over 
the  stream,  with  the  Indians  following 
in  pursuit,  close  on  their  heels,  they 
broke  through  the  first  line,  throwing 
the  battalions  of  Pennsylvanians,  under 
Majors  Clarke  and  Butler,  into  consid- 
erable disorder,  which  was  never  wholly 
remedied.^ 

When  the  character  of  the  attack  on 
the  militia,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
stream,  and  of  its  retreat,  was  fully  un- 
derstood. Major  Ferguson  prepared  to 
cover  the  retreat  of  that  body  with  his 
artillery ;  ^  and  this,  with  a  fire  which 
was  opened  by  the  first  line,  served  to 
check  the  advance  of  the  enemy,  and 
to  throw  him,  in  his  turn,  into  some 
confusion.'^  Under  the  directions  of 
"their  leader,  on  liorsebac\  dressed  in 
a  red  coat^''  however,  the  savages  soon 

'  Testimony  of  Ensign  Pope  before  the  Com.  of  Cong. 

2  Ibid.— ^  Gen.  St.  Clair's  Dispatch,  Nov.  9,  1791. 

*  Burnett's  Notes,  p.  123  ;  St.  Clair's  Narrative,  p.  54 ; 
Report  of  Com.  of  Cong. ;  Atwater's  Ohio,  p.  138  ;  Adj.- 
Gen.  Sargent's  Narrative,  p.  34. — '  Gen.  St.  Clair's  Dis- 
patch, Nov.  9,  1791  ;  Burnett's  Notes,  p.  123  ;  Gen.  St. 
Clair's  Narrative,  p.  54;  Report  of  Com.  of  Cong.  ;  Adj.- 
Gen.  Sargent's  Narrative,  p.  34. 

°  Testimony  of  Col.  Semple. 

■■  Gen,  St.  Clair's  Dispatch,  Nov.  9,  1791. 


Chap.  II.] 


THE  DEFEAT  OF  GENERAL  St.  CLAIR. 


11 


rallied/  and,  attacking  the  centre  of 
tlie  line,  where  the  artillery  was  posted, 
with  great  fury,  they  repeatedly  drove 
the  artillerists  from  their  guns  wdth 
great  slaughter.^ 

With  the  celerity  and  secrecy  of 
movement  which  characterize  the  war- 
fare of  the  Indian  tribes,  the  enemy 
quickly  turned  the  left  flank  of  the  first 
line,  and,  with  equal  fuiy,  assailed  the 
second,  directing  his  efforts  in  this,  as 
in  the  other  case,  to  the  centre,  where 
the  artillery  was  posted.^  A  large  body 
of  savages,  who  had  been  directed  to 
turn  the  right  flank  of  the  first  line, 
was  kept  in  check  by  Captain  Faulk- 
ner's riflemen ;  but  the  peculiarity  of 
the  enemy's  movements,  and  the  weight 
of  numbers,  speedily  overcame  the  gal- 
lant little  band  of  sharp-shooters  by 
whom  he  was  opposed,  and  both  flanks 
of  the  first  line  were  turned.* 

"Finding  no  great  effect  from  his 
fire,  and  confusion  beginning  to  spread, 
from  the  o^reat  number  of  men  who 
were  falling,  in  all  quarters,  it  became 
necessary  to  try  what  could  be  done 
with  the  bayonet."^  Accordingl}",  Lieu- 
tenant-colonel Darke  was  ordered  to 
make  a  charge,  with  part  of  the  second 
line,  and  turn  the  left  flank  of  the  ene- 
my ;^  while  the  general,  in  person,  "led 
up  the  troops  which  drove  them  back 
when  they  first  entered  the   camp  by 


'  Testimony  of  Col  Semple. — "  Gen.  St.  Clair's  Dispatch. 
Nov.  9,  1791  ;  Burnett's  Notes,  p.  124.—'  Burnett's  Notes, 
p.  124. — *  Gen.  St.  Clair's  "Observations  on  the  Report 
of  the  Com.  of  Cong." — '  Gen.  St.  Clair's  Dispatch,  Nov. 
9,  1791.     See  also  Atwater's  Ohio,  p.  138. 

^  Gen.  St.  Clair's  Dispatch,  Nov.  9,  1791 ;  Gen.  St. 
Clair's  Narrative,  p.  50.  Adj. -Gen.  Sargent  {Narraiive,  p. 
44-)  says  this  was  "beyond  his  (Darke's)  capacity" — evi- 
dently censuring  his  conduct. 


the  left  flank,"  or,  in  other  words,  the 
charge  which  was  made  on  the  enemy's 
right}  These  movements  were  made 
with  great  spirit,  and  as  the  troops  ap- 
proached the  crouching  and  concealed 
savages,  the  latter  instantly  gave  way 
and  were  driven  back  three  or  four 
hundred  yards  ^ — beyond  the  creek  be- 
fore referred  to.^  The  advantage  which 
had  thus  been  gained  could  not  be 
held,  in  consequence  of  the  want  of 
light  troops  to  pursue  the  fugitives* — 
the  small  corps  of  riflemen,  under  Cap- 
tain Faulkner,  being  the  only  light  in- 
fantry in  the  army,*  and  the  cavalry 
having  been  rendered  useless  by  the 
want  of  provender  for  the  horses^ — • 
and  the  enemy  speedily  rallied  and 
compelled  the  troops  to  give  way.'^ 

Pressing  forward  towards  the  camp, 
the  enemy  forced  the  left  of  the  line, 
when  the  Second  regiment  of  United 
States  troops,  supported  by  Clarke's 
and  Butler's  battalions,  made  a  second 
charge,  and  a  second  time  drove  him 
from  the  ground.^  The  same  deficiency 
of  light  troops,  which  had  destroyed 
the  effect  of  the  first  charges,  before 
I'eferred  to,  also  rendered  this  useless ; 
and  the  enemy  returned  to  the  attack 
with  greater  fury.  These  movements 
— alternate  charges  by  the  troops,  and 
successful  renewals  of  the  action  by  the 
enemy — continued   for    several    hours,' 


'  Gen  St.  Clair's  Narrative,  p.  .50.—^  Gen.  St.  Clair's 
Dispatch,  Nov.  9,  1791.—'  Burnett's  Notes,  p.  124. 

*  Gen.  St.  Clair's  Dispatch,  Nov.  9,  1791.—'  Roster  of 
the  Army,  in  Adj. -Gen.  Sargent's  Diary. — °  Gen.  St. 
Clair's  "Observations,"  &c. — ''  Gen.  St.  Clair's  Dispatch, 
Nov.  9,  1791  ;  Burnett's  Notes,  p.  124.—'  Geu.  St.  Clair's 
Dispatch,  Nov.  9,  1791  ;  Adj. -Gen.  Sargent's' Narrative, 
p.  36.—°  Gen.  St.  Clair's  Dispatch,  Nov.  9, 1791  ;  Burnett's 
Notes,  p.  124  ;  Report  of  Com.  of  Cong. 


12 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


by  which  time  the  greater  part  of  the 
officers  had  been  either  killed  or  wound- 
ed, the  artillery  silenced,  and  the  line 
of  retreat  cut  off  by  the  occupation  of 
the  road  by  the  enemy  ;^  and,  at  half- 
past  nine  o'clock^ — four  hours  after  the 
action  commenced^ — it  was  considered 
useless  to  attempt  to  hold  the  ground 
any  longer.  Accordingly,  ^  the  remains 
of  the  army  were  formed,  as  well  as 
circumstances  would  admit,  towards  the 
right  of  the  encampment,  from  which, 
by  the  way  of  the  second  line,  another 
charge  was  made  upon  the  enemy,  as  if 
with  the  design  to  turn  his  left  flank, 
but,  in  fact,  to  gain  the  road."*  Under 
the  personal  direction  of  General  St. 
Clair,^  "this  was  effected;  and,  as  soon 
as  it  was  open,  the  militia  took  along  it, 
followed  by  the  troops.  Major  Clarke, 
with  his  battalion,  covering  the  rear."  ® 

As  may  be  supposed,  the  retreat  was 
a  precipitate  one,  especially  while  the 
pursuit,  which  continued  four  miles,  was 
continued.'^  The  militia,  panic-stricken, 
not  only  hastened  from  the  field  of  bat- 
tle in  the  greatest  confusion,  but  they 
actually  threw  away  their  ai-ms  and  ac- 
coutrements, as  they  hastened  through 
the  woods, — even  after  the  enemy  had 
ceased  to  pursue  them, — in  order  that 
their  progress  might  not  be  impeded 
by  what,  in  the  time  of  their  greatest 
need,  they  had  found  so  little  use  for.® 


1  Gen.  St.  Clair's  Dispatch,  Nov.  9, 1791.—'  Ibid.  ;  Bur- 
nett's Notes,  p.  125. — '  Report  of  Com.  of  Cong. 

*  Gen.  St.  Clair's  Dispatch,  Nov.  9,  1791.—'  Gen.  St. 
Clair's  Narrative,  p.  50. — °  Gen.  St.  Clair's  Dispatch,  Nov. 
9,  1791  ;  Burnett's  Notes,  p.  124.—'  Gen.  St.  Clair's  Dis- 
patch, Nov.  9, 1791.  Adj. -Gen.  Sargent  (Narrative,  p.  38) 
says,  "  the  enemy  scarcely  pursued  beyond  a  mile  and  a 
half."— «  Gen.  St.  Clair's  Dispatch,  Nov.  9,  1791;  St. 
Clair's  Narrative,  p.  47. 


The  camp  and  the  artillery  were  aban- 
doned to  the  enemy — not  a  horse  being 
left  alive  to  draw  them  off,  had  it  been 
otherwise  practicable^ — and  the  spoils 
of  the  victors  were  exceedingly  valua- 
ble to  them.^ 

During  the  entire  day  the  shattered 
remains  of  the  army  pursued  their 
weary  way  through  the  wilderness ; 
and,  a  little  after  sunset,  they  reached 
Fort  Jefferson,  twenty-nine  miles  from 
the  field  of  battle.^  At  this  place  the 
First  regiment  was  met ;  but,  as  it 
would  not  add  sufficient  strength  to 
the  wreck  of  the  army,  it  was  deter- 
mined to  leave  the  wounded  at  Fort 
Jefferson,  and  continue  the  retreat  to 
Fort  Washington.* 

In  this  disastrous  action  the  loss  of 
the  Americans  was  very  severe — thirty- 
eight  officers,  and  five  hundred  and 
ninety-three  non-commissioned  officers 
and  privates  having  been  killed  or 
missing ;  and  twenty-one  officers,  and 
two  hundred  and  forty-two  non-com- 
missioned officers  and  privates  wound- 
ed, of  whom  many  subsequently  died.^ 
Of  the  enemy's  loss  there  is  no  reliable 
knowledge :  and  there  is  but  little  doubt 
that  it  was  small  when  compared  with 
that  of  the  Amei'icans.^ 

Of  the  relative  strength  of  the  two 
there  is,  also,  no  definite  knowledge. 
While  the  American  forces  numbered 
about  sixteen  hundred  men;^    that  of 


'  Gen.  St.  Clair's  Dispatch,  Nov.  9, 1791.—"  John  Brick- 
ell's  Narrative,  (American  Pioneer),  i.  p.  50;  Adj. -Gen. 
Sargent's  Narrative,  p.  43. — '  Gen.  St.  Clair's  Dispatch, 
Nov.  9,  1791.—*  Marshall's  Washington,  v.  p.  395  ;  Bur- 
nett's Notes,  pp.  126,  127. — '  Marshall's  Washington,  v. 
p.  395.— «  Ibid.,  p.  396.—''  Report  of  Com.  of  Cong.  ;  Mar- 
shall's Washington,  v.  p.  390  j  Adj. -Gen.  Sargent's  Nar- 
rative, p.  35. 


Chap.  II.] 


THE  DEFEAT  OF  GENERAL  St.  CLAIR. 


13 


the  enemy  is  said  to  have  been  from 
five  hundred  to  fifteen  hundred*/  and 
there  is  but  little  doubt  that  among 
the  latter  were  many  British  subjects 
or  disafi'ected  Americans  who  were  not 
less  savage  than  their  more  swarthy 
associates.  That  a  red-coated  ofiicer 
on  horseback  directed  the  enemy's 
movements  has  appeared  in  the  evi- 
dence;^ while  there  is  no  doubt  ex- 
pressed, by  the  writers  of  that  day, 
that  the  British  post  at  Detroit — one 
of  the  posts  which  had  been  retained, 
in  violation  of  the  treaty  of  1783 — sup- 
plied arms  and  ammunition  for  the  pur- 
poses of  the  war.^ 

Of  the  causes  of  this  disaster,  there 
appears  to  be  but  little  doubt.  The 
commander-in-chief  was  one  of  the  few 
genei-al  officers  who  had  passed  through 
the  War  of  the  Revolution  with  the  en- 
tire confidence  of  General  Washington. 
A  veteran  of  the  war  with  the  French, 
he  possessed  a  degree  of  professional 
skill  which  but  few  others  enjoyed ; 
while  the  honest  sincerity  of  the  man 
had  rendered  him,  as  similar  traits  of 
character  had  rendered  some  others, 
the  object  of  ridicule  and  persecution 
by  the  cliques  and  cabals  of  that  day, 
without  impairing  the  confidence  which 
his  commander  had  reposed  in  him. 
He  had  assumed  the  command  of  the 
expedition  in  question,  at  the  request  of 
the  President ;    but  the  inefficiency  of 

•  Chief-justice  Marshall  supposes  there  were  "  from  one 
thousand  to  fifteen  hundred  warriors"  {Life,  of  Washington, 
V.  p.  396).  The  Com.  of  Cong,  reported  that  the  opin- 
ions of  witnesses  varied  from  five  hundred  to  twelve  hun- 
dred. Adj. -Gen.  Sargent  (Narrative,  p.  35)  estimates  them 
at  "  upwards  of  a  thousand." 

"^  Testimony  of  Ensign  Pope  before  the  Com.  of  Cong. 

=  Adj. -Gen.  Winthrop  Sargent's  Diary,  Nov.  22,  1792. 


the  Department  of  War,^  the  favoritism 
or  the  speculation  which  attended  the 
movements  of  the  Quartermaster's  De- 
partment,* the  refuse  of  the  Eastern 
population  which  was  sent  out  as  his 
troops,*  the  discontent  or  the  heart- 
burnings which  crept  into  the  force 
from  the  improper  selection  of  officers, 
and  other  causes,*  not  less  influential, 
among  the  troops,  had  rendered  his 
skill  and  his  patriotism  entirely  un- 
availing. He  asked  for  a  court-martial, 
but  the  service  did  not  furnish  officers 
of  a  grade  to  form  a  court  for  his  trial.^ 
A  committee  of  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives, late  in  the  season,  inquired 
into  the  circumstances  which  led  to  the 
defeat,  taking  the  testimony  of  both 
officers  and  civilians,  and  in  its  report 
it  conceived  "it  but  justice  to  the  com- 
mander-in-chief to  say,  that,  in  its  opin- 
ion, the  failure  of  the  late  expedition 
can  in  no  respect  be  imputed  to  his 
conduct,  either  at  any  time  before  or 
during  the  action ;  but  that,  as  his  con- 
duct in  all  the  preparatory  arrange- 
ments was  marked  with  peculiar  ability 
and  zeal,  so  his  conduct  during  the  ac- 
tion furnished  strong  testimonies  of  his 
coolness  and  intrepidity."^  The  claims 
of  party,  however,  prevented  the  Con- 


1  Burnett's  Notes,  p.  128  ;  St.  Clair's  Narrative,  pp. 
10-13,  41-44;  Report  of  Com.  of  Cong.  ;  Adj. -Gen.  Sar- 
gent's Diary,  Oct.  10,  14. — ^  Burnett's  Notes,  p.  127  ; 
Gen.  St.  Clair's  Narrative,  pp.  20-22,  40,  41  ;  Report  of 
Com.  of  Cong.  ;  Testimony  of  Gen.  Harmar  ;  Adj. -Gen. 
Sargent's  Diary,  Oct.  10,  14,  17. 

'  Gen.  St.  Clair's  Narrative,  pp.  14,  45,  266  ;  Report  of 
Com.  of  Cong.  ;  Testimony  of  Col.  Mentgetz,  Inspector  ; 
Adj. -Gen.  Sargent's  Diary,  Oct.  10  (pp.  9,  10). 

^  Gen.  St.  Clair's  Narrative,  pp.  36,  37. 

^  Marshall's  Washington,  v.  p.  397  ;  Atwater's  Ohio, 
p.  142. 

*  Report  of  Committee  of  Congress. 


14 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


gress  from  acting  on  this  report ;  ^  and 
General  St.  Clair,  like  many  other  wor- 
thy men  in  more  recent  times,  suflPered 
the  consequences  of  persecution — al- 
though he  retained  the  confidence  of 


General  Washington — and  he  died  the 
death  of  the  needy,  without  a  recog- 
nition of  his  merits  on  the  part  of  that 
country  for  which  he  had  suffered  so 
severely. 


D  OCUME^T. 


GENERAL  ST.  CLAIR  TO  THE  SECRETARY  OF  WAR. 

Fort  Washington,  Nov.  9,  1791. 

Sir: — Yesterday  afternoon  the  remains  of 
the  army  under  my  command  got  back  to  this 
place,  and  I  have  now  the  painful  task  to  give 
you  an  account  of  as  warm  and  unfortunate  an 
action  as  almost  any  that  has  been  fought,  in 
which  every  corps  was  engaged  and  worsted, 
except  the  First  regiment— that  had  been  de- 
tached uf)on  a  service  I  had  the  honor  to  in- 
form you  of  in  my  last  dispatch,  and  had  not 
joined  me. 

On  the  3d  instant  the  army  had  reached  a 
creek  about  twelve  yards  wide,  running  to  the 
southward  of  west,  which  I  believe  to  have 
been  the  River  St.  Mary,  that  empties  itself 
into  the  Miami  of  the  lake,  at  the  Miami  vil- 
lage, about  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  hav- 
ing marched  near  nine  miles,  and  were  imme- 
diately encamped  upon  a  very  commanding 
piece  of  ground  in  two  lines,  having  the  above- 
mentioned  creek  in  front.  The  riijht  wins, 
composed  of  Butler's,  Clarke's,  and  Patterson's 
battalions,  commanded  by  Major-general  But- 
ler, formed  the  first  line ;  and  the  left  wing, 
consisting  of  Bedincrer's  and  Gaither's  bat- 
talions,  and  the  Second  regiment,  commanded 
by  Lieutenant-colonel  Darke,  formed  the  second 
line,  with  an  interval  between  them  of  about 
seventy  yards,  which  was  all  the  ground  would 
allow. 

The  right  flank  was  pretty  well  secured  by 
the  creek,  a  steep  bank,  and  Faulkner's  corps ; 
some  of  the  cavalry  and  their  pickets  covered 

'  Burnett's  Notes,  pp.  128,  129. 


the  left  flank.  The  militia  were  thrown  over 
the  creek,  and  advanced  about  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  and  encamped  in  the  same  order.  There 
were  a  few  Indians  who  appeared  on  the  oppo- 
site side  of  the  creek,  but  fled  with  the  utmost 
precipitation  on  the  advance  of  the  militia.  At 
this  place,  which  I  judged  to  be  about  fifteen 
miles  from  the  Miami  village,  I  had  determined 
to  throw  up  a  slight  work,  the  plan  of  Avhich 
was  concerted  that  evening  with  Major  Fergu- 
son, wherein  to  have  deposited  the  men's  knap- 
sacks, and  every  thing  else  that  was  not  of  ab- 
solute necessity,  and  to  have  moved  on  to  at- 
tack the  enemy  as  soon  as  the  First  regiment 
had  come  up;  but  they  did  not  permit  me  to 
execute  either  ;  for  on  the  fourth,  about  half  an 
hour  before  sunrise,  and  when  the  men  had 
been  just  dismissed  from  the  parade  (for  it  was 
a  constant  practice  to  have  them  all  under  arms 
a  considerable  time  before  daylight),  an  attack 
was  made  upon  the  militia,  those  gave  way  in 
a  very  little  time,  and  rushed  into  camp  through 
Major  Butler's  battalion,  which,  together  with 
jDart  of  Clarke's,  threw  them  into  considerable 
disorder,  which,  notwithstanding  the  exertions 
of  both,  and  those  oflicers,  was  never  altogether 
remedied,  the  Indians  following  close  at  their 
heels.  The  fire,  however,  of  the  first  line, 
checked  them,  but  almost  instantly  a  very 
heavy  attack  began  upon  that  line,  and  in  a 
few  minutes  it  was  extended  to  the  second  like- 
wise. The  great  weight  of  it  was  directed 
against  the  centre  of  each,  where  the  artillery 
was  placed,  and  from  which  the  men  were  re- 
peatedly driven  with  great  slaughter.  Finding 
no  great  effect  from  our  fire,  and  confusion  be- 
ginning to  spread  from  the  great  number  of 


Chap.  II.] 


DOCUMENT. 


15 


men  wlio  were  falling  in  all  quarters,  it  became 
necessary  to  try  what  could  be  done  by  the 
bayonet.  Lieutenant-colonel  Darke  was  ac- 
cordingly ordered  to  make  a  charge  with  part  of 
the  second  line,  and  to  turn  the  left  flank  of  the 
enemy.  This  was  executed  with  great  spirit. 
The  Indians  instantly  gave  way,  and  were 
driven  back  three  or  four  hundred  yards  ;  but 
for  want  of  a  sufiicient  number  of  riflemen  to 
pursue  this  advantage,  they  soon  returned,  and 
the  troops  were  obliged  to  give  back  in  their 
turn.  At  this  moment  they  had  entered  our 
camp  by  the  left  flank,  having  pushed  back  the 
trooi:)s  that  were  posted  there.  Another  charge 
was  made  here  by  the  Second  regiment,  But- 
ler's and  Clarke's  battalions,  with  equal  effect, 
and  it  was  repeated  several  times,  and  always 
with  success.  In  all  of  them  many  men  were 
lost,  and  particularly  the  officers,  which,  with 
so  raw  troops,  was  a  loss  altogether  irreme- 
diable. 

In  that  just  spoken  of,  made  by  the  Second 
regiment  and  Butler's  battalion,  Major  Butler 
was  dangerously  wounded,  and  every  oflScer  of 
the  Second  regiment  fell  except  three,  one  of 
whom,  Mr.  Greaton,  was  shot  through  the  body. 
Our  artillery  being  now  silenced,  and  all  the 
officers  killed,  except  Captain  Ford,  who  was 
very  badly  wounded,  and  more  than  half  the 
army  fallen,  being  cut  off"  from  the  road,  it  be- 
came necessary  to  attempt  the  regaining  it,  and 
to  make  a  retreat,  if  possible.  To  this  purpose 
the  remains  of  the  army  were  formed,  as  well 
as  circumstances  Avould  admit,  towards  the 
right  of  the  encampment,  from  which,  by  the 
way  of  the  second  line,  another  charge  was 
made  upon  the  enemy,  as  if  with  the  design  to 
turn  their  right  flank,  but,  in  fact,  to  gain  the 
road.  This  was  effected ;  and  as  soon  as  it  was 
open,  the  militia  took  along  it,  followed  by  the 
troops.  Major  Clarke,  with  his  battalion,  cover- 
ing the  rear.  The  retreat,  in  these  circum- 
stances, was,  you  may  be  sure,  a  very  precipi- 
tate one — it  was,  in  fact,  a  flight. 

The  camp  and  the  artillery  were  abandoned ; 
but  that  was  unavoidable,  for  not  a  horse  was 
left  alive  to  have  drawn  it  off",  had  it  otherwise 
been  practicable.  But  the  most  disgraceful 
part  of  the  business  is,  that  the  greatest  part  of 
the  men  threw  away  their  arms  and  accoutre- 


ments, even  after  the  jjursuit  (which  continued 
about  four  miles)  had  ceased.  I  found  the  road 
strewed  with  them  for  many  miles,  but  was  not 
able  to  remedy  it ;  for,  having  had  all  my  horses 
killed,  and  being  mounted  upon  one  that  could 
not  be  pricked  out  of  a  walk,  I  could  not  get 
forward  myself;  and  the  orders  I  sent  forward, 
either  to  halt  the  front,  or  to  prevent  the  men 
from  parting  with  their  arms,  were  unattend- 
ed to. 

The  rout  continued  quite  to  Fort  Jefferson, 
twenty-nine  miles,  which  was  reached  a  little 
after  sunsetting. 

The  action  began  about  half  an  hour  before 
sunrise,  and  the  retreat  was  attempted  at  half 
an  hour  after  nine  o'clock. 

I  have  not  yet  been  able  to  get  returns  of  the 
killed  and  wounded  ;  but  Major-general  Butler, 
Lieutenant-colonel  Oldham,  of  the  militia.  Major 
Ferguson,  Major  Heart,  and  Major  Clarke,  are 
among  the  former.  Colonel  Sai'gent,  my  Adju- 
tant-general, Lieutenant-colonels  Darke  and  Gib- 
son, Major  Butler,  and  the  Viscount  Malartie, 
who  served  me  as  an  aide-de-camp,  are  among 
the  latter ;  and  a  great  number  of  captains  and 
subalterns  in  both. 

I  have  now,  sir,  finished  my  melancholy  tale 
— a  tale  that  will  be  felt  sensibly  by  every  one 
that  has  sympathy  for  private  distress,  or  for 
public  misfortune.  I  have  nothing,  sir,  to  lay 
to  the  charge  of  the  troops  but  their  want  of 
discipline,  which,  from  the  short  time  they  had 
been  in  service,  it  was  impossible  they  should 
have  acquired,  and  which  rendered  it  very  dif- 
ficult, when  they  were  thrown  into  confusion, 
to  reduce  them  again  to  order,  and  is  one  rea- 
son why  the  loss  has  fallen  so  heavily  upon  the 
officers,  who  did  every  thing  in  their  power  to 
effect  it ;  neither  were  my  own  exertions  want- 
ing ;  but,  worn  down  with  illness,  and  suffering 
under  a  painful  disease,  unable  either  to  mount 
or  dismount  a  horse  without  assistance,  they 
were  not  so  great  as  they  otherwise  would,  or, 
perhaps,  ought  to  have  been.  We  were  over- 
powered by  numbers ;  but  it  is  no  more  than 
justice  to  observe,  that  though  composed  of  so 
many  difiierent  species  of  troops,  the  utmost 
harmony  prevailed  through  the  whole  army 
during  the  campaign. 

:{:  H:  H:  *  4:  « 


16 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


I  have  said,  sir,  in  a  former  part  of  this  let- 
ter, that  we  were  overpoAvered  by  numbers ;  of 
that,  however,  I  have  no  other  evidence  than 
the  weight  of  the  fire,  which  was  always  a  most 
deadly  one,  and  generally  delivered  from  the 
ground,  few  of  the  enemy  showing  themselves 
on  foot,  except  when  they  were  charged  ;  and 
that  in  a  few  minutes  our  whole  camp,  which 
extended  above  three  hundred  and  fifty  yards 


in  length,  was  entirely  surrounded  and  attacked 
on  all  sides. 

****** 
With  every  sentiment  of  respect  and  regard, 
I  have  the  honor  to  be,  sir, 

Your  most  obedient  servant, 

Arthur  St.  Clair. 

The  Honorable  Major-general  Knox, 
Secretary  of  War. 


CHAPTER     III 


November  6,  1T92. 


THE  ACTION  NEAR  FORT  St.  CLAIR,  OHIO. 


The  outrages  committed  by  the  sav- 
ages, on  the  Western  frontiers,  contin- 
ued without  abatement ;  and  the  sev- 
eral expeditions  which  had  moved 
against  them,  from  time  to  time,  had 
served  rather  to  exasperate  than  to 
cripple  them.  The  frontier  settlements, 
therefore,  as  well  as  the  troops  which 
had  been  ordered  to  occupy  the  ad- 
vanced posts  of  the  army,  were  made 
the  constant  objects  of  the  enemy's  as- 
saults ;  and  many  and  severe  were  the 
losses  which  were  imposed  on  the  set- 
tlers and  the  troops.^ 

One  of  these  advanced  posts — Fort 
St,  Clair,  near  the  present  site  of  Eaton, 
the  county-seat  of  Preble  County,  Ohio'^ 
— during  this  "reign  of  terror,"  to  which 
allusion  has  been  made,  became  the 
scene  of  an  animated  conflict  between 
the  troops  and  the  Indians,  from  which 
much  encouragement  was  received. 

It  appears  that  a  detachment  of 
about  one  hundred  Kentucky  mounted 

'  Burnett's  Notes,  p,  132  ;  MarshalFs  Kentucky,  ii.  pp. 
39-41.—"  Burnett's  Notes,  pp.  133,  134. 


infantry  (volunteers)  were  encamped 
near  Fort  St.  Clair,  and  that,  at  day- 
break, on  the  morning  of  the  sixth  of 
November,  1*792,  it  was  suddenly  at- 
tacked, with  great  fury,  by  a  large 
body  of  hostile  Indians.^  No  notice 
whatever  of  the  approach  of  the  enemy 
appears  to  have  been  given,  from  which 
it  is  to  be  inferred  that  no  pickets  or 
patrols  had  been  thrown  out  to  protect 
the  camp,  yet  the  troops  appear  to  have 
resisted  the  assailants,  even  until  the 
latter  reached  the  line,  and  had  en- 
gaged with  the  troops  in  a  hand-to- 
hand  conflict.^ 

Major  John  Adair,  who  commanded 
the  detachment,®  perceiving  the  des- 
perate character  of  the  assault,  ordered 
his  men  to  fall  back  to  a  stockade, 
which  had  been  erected  for  the  purpose 
of  stables, — about  eighty  yards  in  the 


'  Maj.  Adair's  Dispatch,  Nov.  6  ;  Burnett's  Notes,  p. 
134 ;  Letter  of  Gen.  Wilkinson,  dated  Nov.  6,  1792, 
copied  into  the  "Gazette  of  the  United  Slates,"  No.  381, 
Phila.,  Dec.  22,  1792.— ^  Maj.  Adair's  Dispatch,  Nov.  6. 

^  Ibid.  ;  Gren.  Wilkinson's  Dispatch  to  the  Secretary  of 
War,  Nov.  6,  1792. 


Chap.  III.] 


THE  ACTION  NEAR  FORT  St.  CLAIR,  OHIO. 


rear  of  the  line, — from  which,  it  was 
properly  supposed,  a  more  advantage- 
ous defence  could  be  made  ;  and  the 
movement  was  executed  with  skill  and 
success — the  savages  following  closely 
after  them,  through  the  camp  of  the 
detachment/ 

From  this  point  Major  Adair  ordered 
Lieutenant  Madison  to  attempt  to  turn 
the  enemy's  right  flank;  while  similar 
orders  were  sent  to  Lieutenant  Hail  to 
make  a  corresponding  movement  on 
the  left.  The  latter  having  fallen  be- 
fore the  order  reached  him.  Major 
Adair  led  the  attack  on  the  left,  in 
which  he  was  accompanied  by  Ensigns 
Flinn  and  Buchanan.  Both  these  par- 
ties "made  a  manly  push;"  and,  al- 
though Lieutenant  Madison  was  speedi- 
ly wounded,  and,  with  his  party,  re- 
treated to  the  fort,  the  enemy  fled, 
carrying  aivay  with  tJiem^  Jiowever^  al\ 
except  five  or  six^  of  the  volunteers' 
horses? 

After  pursuing  the  fugitives  through 
the  camp,  at  about  six  hundred  yards 
beyond  it  the  troops  were  again  turned 
on  by  the  Indians,  and  the  battle  was 
renewed  with  great  warmth.  Soon 
afterwards  Major  Adaii-  discovered  a 
party  of  sixty  savages  who  were  mov- 
ing against  his  light  flank,  with  the  evi- 
dent intention  of  turning  it ;  and  as  it 
was  impossible  to  extend  his  line  so  far 
as  to  prevent  that  purpose,  he  ordered 
his  men  to  fall  back,  a  second  time,  and 
take  a  position  within  the  encampment. 
This  retrograde  movement — at  all  times 

'  Maj.  Adair's  Dispatch,  Nov.  6. — ^  Ibid.  ;   Burnett's 
Notes,  p.  134. 
Vol.  n.— 3 


a  hazardous  one,  when  made  in  the  pres- 
ence of  an  enemy — was  again  made  with 
coolness,  precision,  and  success,  although 
the  Indians  followed  closely  after  them, 
and  renewed  the  action  when  the  troops 
halted.^ 

From  this,  their  first  position,  now 
re-occupied,  that  portion  of  the  troops 
which  remained  on  the  field  continued 
the  conflict ;  and,  soon  afterwards,  two 
hours  after  the  action  commenced,  the 
enemy  retired,  without  being  pursued 
by  the  volunteers,^  whose  ammunition 
was  nearly  expended,  although  a  fresh 
supply  had  been  sent  to  them  from  the 
fort  during  the  action.^ 

During  this  determined  and  compli- 
cated engagement  the  loss  of  the  troops 
was,  comparatively,  small — six  killed, 
five  wounded,  and  four  missing,  being 
the  reported  loss.  Of  the  enemy's  loss, 
no  definite  account  has  been  given.* 

The  result  of  this  skirmish,  which,  in 
itself,  amounted  to  but  little,  was  very 
beneficial,  and  the  country  resounded 
with  praises  of  Major  Adair  and  his 
party.  The  organs  of  government  con- 
veyed the  disjDatches  to  the  people,  in 
all  their  minutia,  and  there  is  but  little 
doubt  that  the  eclat  of  this  engagement 
was  greatly  beneficial  in  the  prepai-a- 
tions  which  were  then  in  progress  for 
the  campaign  under  General  Wayne, 
which,  in  the  following  year,  crushed 
the  power  of  the  savages. 


1  Maj.  Adair's  Dispatch,  Nov.  6  ;  Burnett's  Notes,  p. 
134. — ^  Ibid.  ;  Gen.  Wilkinson's  letter,  dated  Nov.  6,  in 
"  Gazelle  of  United  Slates."  Mr.  Butler  {Hist.  Kentucky,  ii. 
p.  41)  says  the  troops,  "  after  a  gallant  resistance,  -were 
compelled  to  retreat  to  the  fort." — ^  Maj.  Adair's  Dispatch, 
Nov.  6.—'' Ibid.;  Burnett's  Notes,  p.  134. 


DOCUMEJ^T. 


Fort  St.  Clair,  November  6,  1792. 

Sir  : — This  morning,  about  the  first  appear- 
ance of  day,  the  enemy  attacked  my  camp 
within  sight  of  this  post.  The  attack  was  sud- 
den, and  the  enemy  came  on  with  a  degree  of 
courage  that  bespoke  them  warriors  indeed. 
Some  of  my  men  were  hand-in-hand  wth  them 
before  we  retreated,  which  however  we  did, 
about  eighty  yards,  to  a  kind  of  stockade,  in- 
tended for  stables.  We  there  made  a  stand. 
I  then  ordered  Lieutenant  Madison  to  take  a 
party  and  gain  their  right  flank,  if  possible.  I 
called  for  Lieutenant  Hail,  to  send  to  the  left, 
but  found  he  had  been  slain.  I  then  led  for- 
ward the  men  who  stood  near  me,  which,  to- 
gether with  the  Ensigns  Buchanan  and  Flinn, 
amounted  to  about  twenty-five,  and  pressed  the 
left  of  their  centre,  thinking  it  absolutely  neces- 
sary to  assist  Madison.  We  made  a  manly 
push,  and  the  enemy  retreated,  taking  all  our 
horses,  except  five  or  six.  We  drove  them 
about  six  hundred  yards  through  our  camp, 
where  they  again  made  a  stand,  and  we  fought 
them  some  time  ;  two  of  my  men  were  here  shot 
dead. 

At  that  moment  I  received  information  that 
the  enemy  was  about  to  flank  us  on  the  right, 
and  on  turning  that  way,  I  saw  about  sixty  of 
them  running  to  that  point.  I  had  yet  heard 
nothing  of  Madison.  I  then  ordered  my  men 
to  retreat,  which  they  did  with  deliberation, 
heartily  cursing  the  Indians,  who  pursued  us 
close  to  our  camp,  where  we  again  fought  them 
until  they  gave  way ;  and  when  they  retreated 
our  ammunition  was  nearly  expended,  although 
we  had  been  supplied  from  the  gari-fson  in  the 
course  of  the  action.  I  did  not  think  proper 
to  follow  them  again,  but  ordered  my  men  into 
the  garrison  to  draw  ammunition.  I  returned, 
however,  in  a  few  minutes,  to  a  hill,  to  which 
we  had  first  driven  them,  where  I  found  two  of 
my  men  scalped,  who  were  brought  in.  Since 
I  began  to  write  this,  a  few  of  the  enemy  ap- 
peared in  sight,  and  I  pursued  them,  with  a 


party,  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  but  could  not 
overtake  them,  and  did  not  think  proper  to  go 
farther.  Madison,  whom  I  sent  to  the  right, 
was,  on  his  first  attack,  wounded,  and  obliged 
to  retreat  to  the  garrison,  leaving  a  man  or  two 
dead. 

To  this  misfortune  I  think  the  enemy  are  in- 
debted for  the  horses  they  have  got ;  had  he 
gained  their  right  flank,  I  once  had  possession 
of  their  left,  and  I  think  we  should  have  routed 
them  at  that  stage  of  the  action,  as  we  had 
them  on  the  retreat.  I  have  six  killed  and  five 
wounded ;  four  men  are  missing.  I  think  they 
went  off,  early  in  the  action,  on  horseback,  and 
are,  I  suppose,  by  this  at  Fort  Hamilton. 

My  oflicers  and  a  number  of  men  distinguish- 
ed themselves  greatly.  Poor  Hail  died  calling 
to  his  men  to  advance.  Madison's  bravery  and 
conduct  need  no  comment ;  they  are  well 
known.  Fhnn  and  Buchanan  acted  with  a 
coolness  and  courage  which  does  them  much 
honor.  Buchanan,  after  firing  his  gun,  knocked 
down  an  Indian  with  the  barrel.  They  have 
killed  and  taken  a  great  number  of  the  pack- 
horses.  I  intend  following  them  this  evening 
for  some  distance,  to  ascertain  their  route  and 
strength,  if  possible.  I  can,  with  propriety,  say 
that  about  fifty  of  my  men  fought  with  a  bra- 
very equal  to  any  men  in  the  world,  and  had 
not  the  gaiTison  been  so  nigh,  as  a  place  of  safe- 
ty for  the  bashful,  I  think  many  more  would 
have  fought  well. 

The  enemy  have,  no  doubt,  as  many  killed  as 
myself;  they  left  two  dead  on  the  ground,  and 
I  saw  two  carried  off.  Tlie  only  advantage 
they  have  gained  is  our  horses,  which  is  a  capi- 
tal one,  as  it  disables  me  from  bringing  the  in- 
terview to  a  more  serious  and  satisfactory  de- 
cision. 

I  am  sorry  I  cannot  send  you  better  news, 
and  am,  sir,  your  most  obedient  servant, 

John  Adair, 
Major  Kentucky  Mounted  Infantry. 

Brigadier-General  Wilkinson. 


CHAPTER    IV. 


Aug^ust  20,  1794. 


THE    BATTLE     ON     THE     MIA  MIS. 


The  progress  of  events  on  the  West- 
ern frontiers  has  been,  already,  alluded 
to  in  the  preceding  chapters  of  this 
book ;  and  the  depredations  of  the  sav- 
ages continued  with  the  same  severity 
as  before.  General  Wayne,  the  hero  of 
Stony  Point,  had  accepted  the  command 
which  President  Washington  had  ten- 
dered to  him,  but  in  doing  so  had  stipu- 
lated that  he  should  not  be  required  to 
march  into  the  wilderness  until  his  al- 
lotted force  was  completely  filled  up, 
and  so  far  disciplined  as  to  justify  the 
movement,^  Preparations  for  the  en- 
suing campaign  were  immediately  com- 
menced ;  recruiting  parties  were  sent 
out ;  and  the  organization  of  the  army 
progressed  as  rapidly  as  possible.^ 

Desiring,  if  possible,  to  avoid  the  ne- 
cessity of  a  hostile  movement,  while 
these  preparations  were  in  progress,  the 
President  attempted  to  reconcile  the 
difficulties  by  negotiation,  and  foi*  that 
purpose  appointed  General  Benjamin 
Lincoln,  Beverly  Randolph,  and  Timo- 
thy Pickering,  as  Commissioners,  to 
open  negotiations  with  the  Indians.  In 
July,  1*793,  these  Commissioners  were 
met  at  Niagara  by  Joseph  Brant,  with 
Colonel  Butler,  the  British  Superin- 
tendent  of  Indian  Affairs,  and   about 


I  Burnett's  Notes,  p.  133. — ''  Marshall's  Washington, 
V.  pp.  438,  439. 


fifty  Indians,  and  the  negotiations  were 
opened  with  every  appearance  of  suc- 
cess. All  parties  thence  proceeded  to 
the  mouth  of  the  Detroit  River,  where 
the  negotiations  were  continued  several 
weeks,  without  success,  and  the  Com- 
missioners returned  without  having  ef- 
fected any  thing.^ 

With  the  information  of  the  failure 
of  the  negotiations  referred  to,  prepara- 
tions for  hostilities  were  actively  re- 
newed; and,  early  in  September,  1*793, 
General  Wayne  and  his  troops  rendez- 
voused on  the  bank  of  the  Ohio,  between 
Cincinnati  and  Mill  Creek,  to  which 
the  General  gave  the  name  of  '•'■Hob- 
■soTi's  Clioice^''  it  being  the  only  place, 
in  that  vicinity,  which  was  suited  for  an 
encampment.^  The  troops,  both  those 
already  with  him  and  the  recruits  who 
came  in,  were  constantly  and  laborious- 
ly engaged  in  such  military  exercises  as 
would  be  found  useful  in  the  peculiar 
service  in  which  they  were  to  be  en- 
gaged ;  and  the  General  and  his  subor- 
dinate officers  were  actively  engaged  in 
perfecting  the  discipline  and  the  ap- 
pointments of  the  army.^ 

On  the  seventh  of  October,  1*793, 
General  Wayne   moved  the  troops  he 

I  Burnett's  Notes,  pp.  135-154  ;  Marshall's  Washing- 
ton, V.  pp.  535-537.—"  Marshall's  Washington,  v.  pp. 
644,  645  ;  Geo.  Will  to  John  S.  Williams,  May  25,  1842  ; 
Burnett's  Notes,  pp.  167,  158.—'  Burnett's  Notes,  p.  158. 


20 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  H. 


then  had  with  him  from  "  Hobson's 
Choice;"^  and,  on  the  thirteenth  of  the 
same  month,  having  arrived  at  a  fork 
of  the  southwest  branch  of  Miami,  now 
called  '■'■  Stillioater^''  six  miles  in  advance 
of  Fort  Jefferson,  he  halted  to  await 
the  arrival  of  provisions.'^  Near  this 
spot — a  short  distance  from  Greenville, 
Ohio — General  Wayne  decided  to  take 
up  his  winter  quarters,  from  which  he 
was  enabled  to  hold  the  enemy  in 
check,  and,  at  the  same  time,  be  en- 
abled to  move  with  greater  advantage 
on  the  opening  of  the  spring.^ 

The  encampment  was  called  ^'■Green- 
ville ;''''*'  and  the  spacious  log  buildings 
of  which  it  was  composed,  and  the 
works  by  which  it  was  defended,  se- 
cured, at  once,  the  comfort  and  the 
safety  of  the  army.  He  also  took  pos- 
session of  the  field  of  General  St.  Clair's 
defeat,  and  erected  thereon  a  strong 
work,  to  which  he  gave  the  name  of 
'■''Fort  ReeoveryT^  The  army  remained 
at  these  posts  until  the  latter  part  of 
July,  1794,  during  which  period  it  was 
subjected  to  a  constant  and  systematic 
course  of  instruction,  under  the  eye  of 
the  energetic  and  accomplished  com- 
mander-in-chief.® 

During  the  nine  months  which  the 
army  was  thus  occupied,  the  enemy  was 
not  unemployed.  In  June,  1794,  as- 
sisted by  the  British  at  Detroit  and 
the  Rapids  of  the  Maumee,  prepara- 
tions were  secretly  made  to  attack  the 
advance  post  at  Fort  Recovery.      On 


»  Burnett's  Notes,  p.  159. — ^  Atwater's  Ohio,  p.  147  ; 
Burnett's  Notes,  p.  159. — '  Marshall's  Washington,  v.  p. 
645. — ■*  Burnett's  Notes,  p.  160. — ^  Marshall's  Washing- 
ton, V.  p.  645  ;  Geo.  Will  to  John  S.  Williams,  May  25, 
1842.—*  Burnett's  Notes,  p.  168. 


the  morning  of  the  twenty-ninth  of 
June  a  provision-train  had  left  Green- 
ville for  the  fort,  under  an  escort  of 
ninety  riflemen  and  fifty  dragoons,  who 
were  commanded  by  Major  McMahon  ; 
and,  on  the  same  evening,  it  had  reached 
the  fort  in  safety.  On  the  next  morn- 
ing this  detachment,  as  well  as  the  fort 
itself,  was  attacked  by  a  very  large 
body  of  the  allied  enemy ;  and  a  severe 
conflict,  ext(!nding  through  the  greater 
part  of  the  day,  with  varied  success,  en- 
sued. The  detachment  and  the  garri- 
son defended  themselves  with  great 
courage ;  and  the  enemy  was  repulsed 
with  very  heavy  loss.  During  the 
night,  which  was  very  dark  and  foggy, 
the  enemy  succeeded  in  removing  the 
greater  part  of  his  dead  and  wounded ; 
and,  on  the  following  morning, — Major 
McMahon's  force  having  entered  the 
fort, — the  attack  was  renewed.  An- 
other day  was  spent  in  this  second  at- 
tempt to  seize  the  fort,  with  the  like 
result ;  and  when  the  enemy,  a  second 
time  was  compelled  to  retire  from  the 
scene  of  his  former  triumph,  he  did  so 
with  a  very  heavy  loss.  The  strength 
of  the  enemy  has  been  estimated  at 
from  fifteen  hundred  to  two  thousand 
men ;  and  many  of  the  bravest  of  the 
chiefs  and  warriors  perished  in  the  en- 
terprise. Among  the  Americans,  Major 
McMahon,  Captain  Hartshorn,  and  Lieu- 
tenant Craig,  and  nineteen  non-commis- 
sioned officers  and  privates  were  killed  ; 
and  Captain  Taylor  and  Lieutenant 
Drake,  and  twenty-eight  men  were 
wounded.^ 


'  Geo.  Will  to  John  S.  Williams,  May  25,  1842  ;  Bur- 
nett's Notes,  pp.  161-167. 


Chap.  IV.] 


THE  BATTLE  ON  THE  MIAMIS. 


21 


A  large  body  of  mounted  volunteers, 
from  Keutuck}^,  under  General  Scott, 
having  joined  the  army,^  on  the  twenty- 
eighth  of  July,  1194,  General  Wayne 
moved  from  Greenville,  and  advanced 
to  Fort  Recovery,  on  his  way  to  the  In- 
dian settlements.^  With  a  view  of  per- 
plexing the  enemy,  before  the  army 
moved  from  Greenville,  General  Wayne 
took  measures  to  deceive  him  concern- 
ing the  line  of  march  which  would  be 
taken — leading  them  to  suppose  that 
he  would  take  either  the  Miami  vil- 
lages, on  his  left,  or  the  foot  of  the 
Rapids,  on  his  right,  while  his  real  de- 
sign was  to  take  neither  of  these,  but  a 
more  central  route,  which  was  impracti- 
cable for  an  army,  except  in  a  very  dry 
season.^  Although  the  army  halted  at 
Girty's-town,  at  the  crossing  of  the  St. 
Mary's  River,  during  the  second  and 
third  of  August,  and  erected  a  fort 
there,* — in  which  Lieutenant  Underhill 
and  a  hundred  men  were  left  to  protect 
it,^ — it  is  said  the  enemy  did  not  dis- 
cover its  progress  until  it  had  come 
almost  within  sight  of  An  Glaize,  the 
great  central  post  of  the  enemy,  which 
it  entered  at  half-past  ten  o'clock  in  the 
morning  of  the  eighth  of  August.®  It 
was  afterwards  discovered  that  the  ene- 
my had  been  entirely  uninformed  of 
the  movement  of  General  Wayne,  until 
the  preceding  day,  when  a  deserter 
from  the  army  —  a  foreigner,  named 
Newman — had   given    the   information 

'  Burnett's  Notes,  p.  168. — ^  Lieut.  Boyer's  Daily  Jour- 
nal of  Gen.  Wayne's  Campaign,  July  28,  1794. 

^  Burnett's  Notes,  pp.  168, 169.—*  Marshall's  Washing- 
ton, V.  p.  648,  Note;  Lieut.  Boyer's  Daily  Jour,  of  Gen. 
Wayne's  Campaign,  Aug.  2  and  3,  1794. — '  Lieut.  Boyer's 
Daily  Jour.,  Aug.  4.^ — '  Marshall's  Washington,  v.  p.  648  ; 
Burnett's  Notes,  p.  169. 


which  enabled  the  inhabitants  to  es- 
cape.^ 

The  beauty  of  this  place,  as  well  as 
the  character  and  extent  of  the  im- 
provements around  it,  appear  to  have 
elicited  the  admiration  of  all  who  wit- 
nessed them.  An  eye-witness  says,  on 
this  subject,  "This  place  far  excels  in 
beauty  any  in  the  Western  country, 
and  is  believed  equalled  by  none  in  the 
Atlantic  States.  Here  are  vegetables 
of  every  kind  in  abundance,  and  we 
have  marched  four  or  five  miles  in  corn- 
fields down  the  An  Glaize,  and  there  is 
not  less  than  one  thousand  acres  of  corn 
around  the  town."^ 

After  erecting  a  strong  stockade  fort, 
at  this  place,  which  he  named  Fort  De- 
fiance^ on  the  fifteenth  of  August,  Gen- 
eral Wayne  resumed  his  march  ;*  be- 
fore doing  which  he  dispatched  a  flag 
to  the  enemy,  with  an  urgent  appeal 
for  peace.^  This  flag  was  returned^ — • 
and  met  by  the  army,  on  the  sixteenth 
— with  an  evasive  answer;®  and  small 
bodies  of  the  enemy  commenced  to 
show  themselves  to  observe  the  move- 
ments or  to  check  the  progress  of  the 
army.'^ 

On  the  nineteenth  of  August  the 
army  was  engaged  in  throwing  up 
works  to  secure  the  stores  and  baggage 


'  John  Brickell's  Narrative. — '  Lieut.  Boyer's  Daily 
Journal,  Aug.  8.     See  also  Burnett's  Notes,  p.  169. 

'Lieut.  Boyer's  Daily  Jour.,  Aug.  9  to  Aug.  14.  A 
plan  and  description  of  this  fort  was  published  in  the 
Ammcan  Pioneer,  ii.  pp.  386,  387. 

■*  Marshall's  Washington,  v.  p.  649  ;  Burnett's  Notes, 
p.  172  ;  Gen.  Wayne  to  Sec.  of  War,  Aug.  28. 

'  Marshall's  Washington,  v.  p.  649  ;  Atwater's  Ohio,  p. 
147;  Burnett's  Notes,  pp.  170-172. 

*  Lieut.  Boyer's  Daily  Journal,  Aug.  16  ;  Burnett's 
Notes,  p.  172. 

■■  Lieut.  Boyer's  Daily  Journal,  Aug.  17,  18. 


22 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


of  the  ai-my ; '  and  at  eight  o'clock,  on 
the  morning  of  the  twentieth,  it  re- 
sumed its  march  against  the  enemy, 
who  had  taken  a  position  about  five 
miles  in  advance  of  the  army,  and  there 
awaited  its  approach.^ 

The  order  of  march  was  that  which 
General  Wayne  had  made  in  the  open- 
ing of  the  campaign,  and  it  was  well 
adapted  for  the  peculiarities  of  the  ser- 
vice. The  regulars,  known  as  "  the  Le- 
gion^''  moved  in  a  column  on  the  right, 
its  right  being  covered  by  the  river ;  a 
brigade  of  mounted  volunteers,  under 
General  Todd,  moved  in  a  parallel  col- 
umn on  the  left ;  a  select  battalion  of 
mounted  volunteers,  under  Majoi-  Price, 
moved  so  far  in  front  of  the  Legion, 
that  timely  notice  could  be  given  in 
case  of  an  attack ;  another  advance 
guard,  under  Captain  Cook,  also  pre- 
ceded the  column ;  and  a  brigade  of 
mounted  volunteei'S,  under  General  Bar- 
ber, protected  the  rear.^ 

After  advancing  about  five  miles, 
about  eleven  o'clock,  Major  Price's  bat- 
talion was  received  with  so  severe  a  fire 
fi-om  the  enemy — who  had  posted  him- 
self in  three  lines  within  supporting  dis- 
tance of  each  other ;  and  was  sheltered 
by  the  fallen  timber  which  had  been 
prostrated  by  a  recent  tornado* — that 
it  was  compelled  to  fall  back  in  the  ut- 
most confusion,  carrying  with  it  the  ad- 
vance guard  of  the  Legion,  commanded 

'  Marshall's  Washington,  v.  p.  649 ;  Lieut.  Boyei's 
Daily  Jour.,  Aug.  19  ;  Burnett's  Notes,  p.  172.  This 
work  was  called  ''Camp  Deposile."  —  '  Lieut.  Boyer's  Daily 
Jour.,  Aug.  20  ;  Gen.  Wayne  to  Sec.  of  War,  Aug.  28. 

'  Marshall's  Washington,  v.  p.  650  ;  Atwater's  Ohio,  p. 
148  ;  Burnett's  Notes,  p.  172  ;  Gen.  Wayne  to  Sec.  of 
War,  Aug.  28.—*  Miushall's  Washington,  v.  p.  650  ;  Bur- 
nett's Notes,  p.  172. 


by  Captain  Cook.-^  Following  up  the 
advantage  which  this  sudden  panic  had 
produced,  the  enemy  pressed  forwajd 
and  endeavored  to  turn  the  right  flank 
of  the  army, — next  to  the  river, — but 
those  who  had  retreated  rallied ;  and 
having  been  joined  by  part  of  Captain 
Springer's  battalion  of  riflemen  and 
by  Captain  Lewis's  light-infantry,  they 
drove  back  the  assailants,  with  heavy 
loss.^ 

Meanwhile  the  Legion  had  formed  in 
two  lines,  and  had  pressed  forward, 
with  orders  to  chai'ge  the  savages  and 
to  drive  them  from  their  hiding-j^laces, 
behind  the  logs  and  fallen  trees,  which 
at  once  had  afibrded  shelter  to  them 
and  prevented  the  cavalry  from  ma- 
noeuvering.^  The  orders  also  directed 
that  as  soon  as  the  enemy  had  fired 
and  risen,  a  close  and  well-directed  fire 
should  be  thrown  on  his  back,  fol- 
lowed by  a  brisk  charge,  in  order  to 
prevent  him  from  reloading.*  At  the 
same  time  Captain  Campbell,  of  the  Le- 
gion cavalry,  was  commanded  to  turn 
the  left  flank  of  the  enemy, — next  to 
the  liver, — while  Major-general  Scott, 
with  a  large  body  of  mounted  men,  by 
a  circuitous  route,  was  ordered  to  turn 
the  right  flank,  which  was  extended 
nearly  two  miles  from  the  river.^ 

These  orders  were  obeyed  with  spirit 
and  alacrity ;   but  the  weight  and  ex- 


'  Marshall's  Washington,  v.  p.  650  ;  Lieut.  Boyer's 
Daily  Jour.,  Aug.  20  ;  Gen.  Wayne  to  Sec.  of  War,  Aug. 
28. — ^  Lieut.  Boyer's  Daily  Jour.,  Aug.  20. — '  Marshall's 
Washington,  v.  p.  650  ;  Atwater's  Ohio,  p.  148  ;  Gen. 
Wayne  to  Sec.  of  War,  Aug.  28.— ■*  Marshall's  Washing- 
ton, V.  p.  650  ;  Atwater's  Ohio,  p.  148  ;  Burnett's  Notes, 
p.  173  ;  Gen.  Wayne  to  Sec.  of  War,  Aug.  28. 

^  Marshall's  Washington,  v.  p.  651  ;  Burnett's  Notes, 
p.  173  ;  Gen.  Wayne  to  Sec.  of  War,  Aug.  28. 


e 


^ 

^ 


m  I 


Chap.  IY.] 


THE  BATTLE  ON"  THE  MIAMIS. 


23 


tent  of  the  enemy's  fire  soon  showed 
that  he  was  in  full  force,  and  that  his 
intention  was  to  turn  the  left  flank  of 
the  American  line.^  To  prevent  this 
the  second  line  of  the  Legion  was  or- 
dered to  cover  the  left  of  the  first 
line;^  and  both  dashed  forward  with 
the  greatest  success.^  Without  appear- 
ing to  offer  much  resistance,  where  re- 
sistance would  have  been  useless,  the 
allied  enemy  fled  before  the  bayonets 
of  the  Legion  with  so  much  precipita- 
tion that,  although  every  possible  eifort 
was  made  for  that  purpose,  the  mount- 
ed men  could  not  reach  their  proper 
positions ;  and,  within  an  hour  from 
the  first  attack,  the  enemy  was  diiven 
two  miles,  by  a  force  less  than  -one  half 
his  own.* 

Without  attempting  to  rally,  the  en- 
emy abandoned  the  field,  and  fled  in 
every  direction,  leaving  the  victors  in 
quiet  possession  of  the  field.^  The  flight 
of  the  fuo^itives  havins;  been  cut  off  from 
the  river,  by  Captain  Campbell,  the 
prairie  was  the  only  course  which  had 
been  left  open  to  them.  In  this  direc- 
tion, therefore,  they  fled ;  and  there  the 
cavaby  enjoyed  a  fine  opportunity  to 
display  their  activity  and  courage  by 
pursuing  them,  and  many  were  killed 
in  that  quarter.® 

The  number  of  the  allies — one  third 
of  whom  were  British^ — was  estimated 


'  Mai'shall's  Washington,  v.  p.  651  ;  Lieut.  Boyev's 
Daily  Journal,  Aug.  20  ;  Burnett's  Note.s,  p.  173  ;  Gen. 
Wayne  to  Sec.  of  War,  Aug.  28. — '  Marshall's  Washing- 
ton, V.  p.  651  ;  Atwater's  Ohio,  p.  148  ;  Gen.  Wayne  to 
Sec.  of  War,  Aug.  28. — °  Marshall's  Washington,  v.  p.  651. 

*  Ibid.;  Burnett's  Notes,  p.  173  ;  Gen.  Wayne  to  Sec. 
of  War,  Aug.  28.—^  Atwater's  Ohio,  p.  149  ;  Gen.  Wayne 
to  Sec.  of  War,  Aug.  28.—^  Burnett's  Notes,  p.  174. 

'  Lieut.  Boyer's  Daily  Journal,  Aug.  20. 


at  from  fifteen  hundred  to  two  thou- 
sand men;^  while,  as  before  stated,  the 
Americans  who  were  actually  engaged 
did  not  exceed  nine  hundred.^  The 
loss  of  the  latter  was.  Captain  Mis 
Campbell,  Lieutenant  Towles,  three  ser- 
geants, and  twenty-eight  men,  hilled' 
and  Captains  Slough,  Prior,  Van  Ren- 
sellaer,  and  Kawlins,  Lieutenants  Smith 
and  McKenney,  Ensign  Duncan,  four 
sergeants,  three  corporals,  two  musi- 
cians, and  eighty-four  men,  wounded? 

The  British  had  erected  a  very  strong 
post  immediately  in  the  rear  of  the  en- 
emy's position,  and  occupied  it  in  great 
force,*  yet  the  -enemy  was  completely 
routed,  and  his  force  broken  down.  An 
angry  correspondence  was  cari'ied  on  by 
General  Wayne  and  the  commander  of 
this  garrison,  in  which  the  unflinching 
courage  of  the  former  is  remarkably 
prominent  ;^  and  there  is  but  little 
doubt  that  the  least  interference  on 
the  part  of  the  latter  would  have  called 
into  immediate  requisition  the  skill  and 
courage  which  were  displayed,  j^ears  be- 
fore, at  Stony  Point. 

The  army  remained  in  front  of  the 
battle-ground  three  days  and  nights, 
during  which  time  all  the  villages  and 
cornfields,  for  several  miles,  on  both 
sides  the  river,  were  completely  de- 
stroyed.®     The    houses    and   stores    of 


'  Lieut.  Boyer's  Daily  Jour.,  Aug.  20 ;  Burnett's  Notes, 
p.  174  ;  Gen.  Wayne  to  Sec.  of  War,  Aug.  28. 

2  Gen.  Wayne  to  Sec.  of  War,  Aug.  28. — ^  Returns  of 
Killed,  &c.,  appended  to  Gen.  Wayne's  Dispatch,  Aug.  28. 

'  Gen.  Wayne  to  Sec.  of  War,  Aug.  28.—'  Lieut.  Boy- 
er's Daily  Jour.,  Aug.  21.  This  correspondence,  in  full, 
■will  be  found  in  Burnett's  Notes,  pp.  176-179. 

'  Marshall's  Washington,  v.  p.  651  ;  Lieut.  Boyer's 
Daily  Jour.,  Aug.  20  to  23  ;  Burnett's  Notes,  p.  179; 
Gen.  Wayne  to  Sec.  of  War,  Aug.  28. 


24 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


Colonel  McKee,  the  British  agent,  and 
those  of  all  other  traders  and  Canadian 
settlers,  in  that  vicinity,  shared  the 
same  fate.^ 

On  the  twenty-third  of  August  the 
army  fell  back  to  Camp  Deposit,  whence 
it  marched  on  the  morning  of  the  bat- 
tle;^ and  thence,  on  the  next  day,  to- 
ward Foi't  Defiance,  burning  and  de- 
sti'oying  all  the  villages  and  cornfields 
which  were  near  the  line  of  march.^ 
After  reaching  Fort  Defiance  and  ob- 
taining a  supply  of  provisions,  on  the 
foui'teenth  of  September  the  army  pro- 
ceeded to  the  Miami  villages,  which 
had  been  visited  by  General  Plarmar  in 
1790,  and  constructed  a  strong  work, 
which  was  called  Fort  Wayne^  and 
placed  under  the  command  of  Colonel 
Hamtramck.*  The  volunteers  were  af- 
terwards marched  to  Fort  Washington 


(^Cincinnati)  and  mustered  out  of  ser- 
vice ;  ^  while  the  Legion  returned  to 
Greenville  and  entered  into  winter 
quarters.^ 

This  victory,  so  unexpected  and  so 
complete,  is  said  to  have  broken  the 
power  of  the  enemy,  and  to  have  saved 
the  country  from  the  evil  of  a  general 
Indian  War.  In  the  South,  as  well  as 
in  the  Northwest,  the  evidences  of  un- 
easiness which  prevailed  among  the 
tribes  indicated  approaching  tiouble  ; 
while  the  machinations  of  the  British 
agents,  and  the  restless  animosity,  added 
to  the  great  abilities  and  general  influ- 
ence of  Joseph  Brant,  rendered  the 
prospects  of  peace  by  no  means  flatter- 
ing.^ A  general  treaty  of  peace  speed- 
ily followed,  and,  during  several  years, 
the  quiet  of  the  country  was  undis- 
turbed. 


DOCUMEJNTT. 


Head-quarters,  Grand  Glaizb,  August  28. 

SiK : — It  is  with  infinite  pleasure  that  I  now 
announce  to  you  the  brilUant  success  of  the 
Federal  army  under  my  command  in  a  general 
action  with  the  combined  force  of  the  hostile 
Indians,  and  a  considerable  number  of  the  vol- 
unteers and  militia  of  Detroit,  on  the  20th  inst., 
on  the  banks  of  the  Miamis,  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  British  post  and  garrison  at  the  foot  of  the 
Rapids. 

The  army  advanced  from  this  place  on  the 
15th  and  arrived  at  Roche  de  Bout  on  the  18th, 
and  the  19th  we  were  employed  in  making  a 

'  Marshall's  Washington,  v.  p.  651  ;  Gen.  Wayne  to 
Sec.  of  War,  Aug.  28. — °  Lieut.  Boyer's  Daily  Jour.,  Aug. 
23.— »  Ibid.,  Aug.  24  to  27  ;  Gen.  Wayne  to  Sec.  of  War, 
Aug.  28. — *  Lieut.  Boyer's  Daily  Jour.,  Aug.  27  to  Oct. 
22  ;  B.  Van  Cleve's  Memoranda  (with  his  plan  of  the 
fort),  Oct.  27. 


temjaorary  post  for  the  reception  of  our  stores 
and  baggage,  and  in  reconnoitering  the  position 
of  the  enemy,  who  were  encamped  behind  a 
thick  bushy  wood  and  the  British  fort. 

At  eight  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  twen- 
tieth the  army  again  advanced  in  column,  agree- 
ably to  the  standing  order  of  march,  the  Legion 
on  the  right,  its  right  flank  covered  by  the 
Miamis,  one  brigade  of  mounted  volunteers  on 
the  left,  under  Brigadier-general  Todd,  and  the 
other  in  the  rear,  under  Brigadier-general  Bar- 
ber. A  selected  battalion  of  mounted  volun- 
teers moved  in  front  of  the  Legion,  commanded 
by  Major  Price,  who  was  directed  to  keep  suf- 
ficiently advanced,  was  to  give  timely  notice  for 

1  Burnett's  Notes,  p.  181.—=  Ibid.,  pp.  181,  182. 
'  Marshall's  Washington,  v.  pp.  652,  653  ;    Atwater's 
Ohio,  p.  149. 


Chap.  IV.] 


DOCUMENT. 


25 


the  troops  to  form  in  case  of  action,  it  being  yet 
undetermined  whether  the  Indians  would  decide 
for  peace  or  war. 

After  advancing  about  five  miles,  Major 
Price's  coriDS  received  so  severe  a  fire  from  the 
enemy,  who  were  secreted  in  the  woods  and 
high  grass,  as  to  compel  them  to  retreat. 

The  Legion  was  immediately  formed  in  two 
lines,  principally  in  a  close,  thick  wood,  which 
extended  for  mUes  on  our  left,  and  for  a  very 
considerable  distance  in  front,  the  ground  being 
covered  with  old  fallen  timber,  probably  occa- 
sioned by  a  tornado,  which  rendered  it  imprac- 
ticable for  the  cavalry  to  act  with  efiect,  and 
afforded  the  enemy  the  most  favorable  covert 
for  their  mode  of  warfare.  The  savages  were 
formed  in  three  lines,  within  supporting  distances 
of  each  other,  and  extending  for  near  two  miles 
at  right  angles  with  the  river.  I  soon  discov- 
ered, from  the  weight  of  their  fire  and  extent  of 
their  fines,  that  the  enemy  were  in  full  force  in 
front,  in  possession  of  their  favorite  ground,  and 
endeavoring  to  turn  our  left  flank.  I  therefore 
gave  orders  for  the  second  line  to  advance  to 
support  the  first,  and  directed  Major-general 
Scott  to  gain  and  turn  the  right  flank  of  the 
savages,  with  the  whole  of  the  momited  volun- 
teers, by  a  circuitous  route ;  at  the  same  time  I 
ordered  the  front  line  to  advance  and  charge 
vnth.  trailed  arms,  and  rouse  the  Indians  from 
their  coverts,  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet,  and 
when  up  to  deliver  a  close  and  well-directed  fire 
on  their  backs,  followed  by  a  brisk  charge,  so 
as  not  to  give  them  time  to  load  again. 

I  also  ordered  Captain  Robert  Mis  Campbell, 
who  commanded  the  Legionary  Cavalry,  to  turn 
the  left  flank  of  the  enemy  next  the  river,  and 
which  afforded  a  favorable  field  for  that  corjas  to 
act  in.  All  those  orders  were  obeyed  with 
spirit  and  promptitude,  but  such  was  the  im- 
petuosity of  the  charge,  by  the  first  line  of  in- 
fantry, that  the  Indians  and  Canadian  militia 
and  volunteers  were  drove  from  all  their  cov- 
erts in  so  short  a  time,  that  although  every  pos- 
sible exertion  was  used  by  the  officers  of  the 
second  line  of  the  Legion,  and  by  Generals 
Scott,  Todd,  and  Barbie,  of  the  mounted  vol- 
unteers, to  gam  their  proper  position,  but  part 
uf  each  could  get  up  in  season  to  particij^ate  in 
the  action,  the  enemy  being  drove,  in  the  course 

Vol.  II  —4 


of  one  hour,  more  than  two  miles,  through  the 
thick  wood  already  mentioned,  by  less  than  one 
half  their  number. 

From  every  account,  the  enemy  amounted  to 
two  thousand  combatants,  the  troops  actually 
engaged  against  them  were  short  of  nine  hun- 
dred. This  horde  of  savages,  with  their  allies, 
abandoned  themselves  to  flight,  and  dispersed 
with  terror  and  dismay,  leaving  our  victorious 
army  in  full  and  quiet  possession  of  the  field  of 
battle,  which  terminated  under  the  infiuence  of 
the  guns  of  the  British  garrison,  as  you  will  ob- 
serve by  the  inclosed  correspondence  between 
Major  Campbell,  the  commandant,  and  myself, 
upon  the  occasion. 

The  bravery  and  conduct  of  every  officer  be- 
longing to  the  army,  from  the  Generals  down  to 
the  Ensigns,  merit  my  highest  approbation. 

There  were  some,  however,  whose  rank  and 
situation  j^laced  their  conduct  in  a  very  conspic- 
uous point  of  view,  and  which  I  observed  with 
pleasure  and  the  most  lively  gratitude ;  among 
whom  I  must  beg  leave  to  mention  Brigadier- 
general  Wilkinson  and  Colonel  Hamtramck,  the 
commandants  of  the  ria^ht  and  left  wino^s  of 
the  Legion,  whose  brave  example  inspired  the 
troops.  To  these  I  must  add  the  names  of  my 
faithful  and  gallant  aids-de-ca^np^  Captains  de 
Butts  and  Thomas  Lewis,  and  Lieutenant  Har- 
rison, who,  with  the  Adjutant-general,  Major 
Mills,  rendered  the  most  essential  service,  by 
communicating  my  orders  in  every  direction, 
and  by  their  conduct  and  bravery  exciting  the 
troops  to  jjress  for  victory. 

Lieutenant  Covington,  upon  whom  the  com- 
mand of  the  cavalry  now  devolved,  cut  down 
two  savages  with  his  own  hand ;  Lieutenant 
Webb  one  in  turning  the  left  fiank. 

The  wounds  received  by  Captains  Slough  and 
Prior,  and  Lieutenant  Campbell  Smith  (an  extra 
aid-de-camp  to  General  Wilkinson  of  the  Le- 
gionary Infantry),  and  Captain  Van  Rensselaer, 
of  the  dragoons ;  Captain  Rawlins,  Lieutenant 
McKenney,  and  Ensign  Duncan,  of  the  mounted 
volunteers,  bear  honorable  testimony  of  their 
bravery  and  conduct. 

Captains  Howell,  Lewis,  and  Brock,  with  their 
companies  of  light-infantry,  had  to  sustain  an 
unequal  fire  for  some  time,  which  they  supported 
with  fortitude ;  in  fact,  every  officer  and  soldier 


26 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


who  had  an  ojjportunity  to  come  into  action, 
displayed  that  true  bravery  which  will  always 
insure  success.  And  here  permit  me  to  declare, 
that  I  never  discovered  more  true  spirit  and 
anxiety  for  action,  than  appeared  to  pervade 
the  whole  of  the  mounted  volunteers ;  and  I  am 
well  persuaded  that  had  the  enemy  maintained 
their  favorite  ground  for  one  half  hour  longer 
they  would  have  most  severely  felt  the  prowess 
of  that  corps. 

But  whilst  I  pay  this  just  tribute  to  the  living, 
I  must  not  neglect  the  gallant  dead,  among 
whom  we  have  to  lament  the  early  death  of 
those  worthy  and  brave  officers.  Captain  Mis 
Camjjbell,  of  the  dragoons,  and  Lieutenant 
Towles,  of  the  light-iufantry  of  the  Legion,  who 
fell  in  the  first  charge. 

Inclosed  is  a  particular  return  of  the  killed 
and  wounded — the  loss  of  the  enemy  was  more 
than  double  that  of  the  Federal  army — the 
woods  were  strewed  for  a  considerable  distance 
Avith  dead  bodies  of  Indians  and  their  white 
auxiliaries,  the  latter  armed  with  British  mus- 
kets and  bayonets. 

"We  remained  three  days  and  nights  on  the 
banks  of  the  Miamis,  in  front  of  the  field  of 
battle ;  during  which  time  all  the  houses  and 
cornfields  were  consumed  and  destroyed  for  a 
considerable  distance  both  above  and  below 
Fort  Miamis,  as  well  as  within  pistol-shot  of 
that  garrison,  who  were  compelled  to  remain 
tacit  spectators  of  this  general  devastation  and 
conflagration,  among  which  were  the  houses, 
stoi-es,  and  property  of  Colonel  McKee,  the 
British  Indian  Agent,  and  principal  stimulator 
of  the  war  now  existing  between  the  United 
States  and  the  savages. 

The  army  retm-ned  to  this  place  on  the  27th, 
by  easy  marches,  laying  waste  the  villages  and 
cornfields  for  about  fifty  miles  on  each  side  of 
the  Miamis ;    there   remain    yet   a   number  of 


villages  and  a  great  quantity  of  corn  to  be  con- 
sumed or  destroyed  upon  Au  Glaize  and  the 
Miamis,  above  this  place,  which  will  be  efiected 
in  the  course  of  a  few  days. 

In  the  interim  we  shall  improve  Fort  De- 
fiance ;  and  as  soon  as  the  escort  returns  with 
the  necessary  supplies  from  Greenville  and  Fort 
Recovery  the  army  will  proceed  to  the  Miamis 
villages,  in  order  to  accomplish  the  object  of 
the  campaign. 

It  is,  however,  not  improbable  that  the  ene- 
my may  make  one  desperate  effbi't  against  the 
army,  as  it  is  said  that  a  reinforcement  was 
hourly  expected  at  Fort  Miamis  from  Niagara, 
as  well  as  numerous  tribes  of  Indians  living  on 
the  margins  and  islands  of  the  lakes. 

This  is  a  business  rather  to  be  wished  for 
than  dreaded,  whilst  the  army  remains  in  force ; 
their  numbers  will  only  tend  to  confuse  the 
savages,  and  the  victory  will  be  the  more  com- 
plete and  decisive,  and  which  may  eventually 
insure  a  permanent  and  happy  peace. 

Under  these  impressions,  I  have  the  honor  to 
be,  your  most  obedient  and  very  humble  ser- 
vant, 

Anthony  Wayne. 

The  Hon.  Maj.-Gen.  Knox, 
Secretary  of  War. 


Return  of  the  hilled^  wounded,  and  missing  of  the 
Federal  army,  commanded  ly  Maj.-  Gen.  Wayne,  in 
the  action  of  the  20th  August,  1794. 

Total. — JTilled. — One  captain,  one  lieuten- 
ant, three  sergeants,  twenty-eight  privates. 

Wounded. — Four  captains,  two  lieutenants, 
one  ensign,  four  sergeants,  three  corporals,  two 
musicians,  eighty-four  privates. 

******* 
John  Mills, 
Major  of  Infantry  and  Adj.- Gen. 


CHAPTER    Y. 


February  9,  1799. 

THE     CAPTURE    OF     L'INSURGENTE. 


While  the  relations  of  France  witli 
the  United  States,  during  the  War  of 
the  Revolution,  had  been  productive  of 
great  benefit  to  both  countries, — to  the 
latter  in  the  more  speedy  and  effectual 
establishment  of  their  independence, 
and  to  the  former  in  the  injury  which 
the  dismemberment  of  the  British  do- 
minions had  inflicted  on  the  ancient  en- 
emy of  France, — the  progress  of  events, 
after  the  establishment  of  peace,  had 
thrown  jealousy  and  ill-will  into  the 
councils  of  both  nations,  and  discord 
and  animosity  had  gradually  crept  in 
and  disturbed  theii*  peace. 

The  commerce  of  America  was  har- 
assed by  the  cruisers  of  republican 
France;  her  vessels  seized,  carried  into 
French  ports,  and  condemned,  on  the 
plea  that  they  contained  property 
which  belonged  to  British  subjects — a 
nation  with  which  Fi'ance  was  at  war ; 
obsolete  statutes  were  revived  as  pre- 
texts under  Avhich  the  seizures  could 
be  sustained ;  and  treaty  stipulations, 
which  should  have  governed  the  action 
of  both  governments,  were  disregarded 
by  the  French,  in  its  misguided  zeal, 
and  in  its  malignant  opposition  to  the 
monarchical  enemies  of  the  Republic.-^ 

Within  the  boundaries  of  the  United 
States,  also,  the  agents  of  the  French 

1  Hiklreth's  United  States,  v  pp.  50,  51,  65. 


republic  were  also  busily  engaged  in 
fostering  a  spirit  of  dissension  and  dis- 
union ;  while  the  violent  partisan  feel- 
ings of  both  the  great  political  parties 
inta  which  the  country  had  been  di- 
vided,— the  Federalists  in  opposition 
to,  and  the  Republicans  in  extenuation 
of,  the  outrages  of  the  authorities  of  re- 
publican France, — served  rather  to  en- 
courage than  to  check  the  insolence  of 
the  Directoiy,  and  the  officers  who  bore 
its  commissions,^ 

Alarmed  by  the  unfriendly  menaces 
of  France,  the  Congress  of  the  United 
States,  in  1797,  had  organized  a  mili- 
tary force  of  eighty  thousand  men ; 
taken  steps  for  strengthening  the  de- 
fences of  the  harbors ;  ordered  the 
equipment  of  three  frigates ;  prohibit- 
ed the  exportation  of  arms  and  am- 
munition ;  and  adopted  other  measures 
which  a  defensive  policy  demanded.^ 
Soon  afterwards  General  Washington 
was  called  to  the  command  of  the 
armies  of  the  United  States,  and  the 
country  prepared  for  what  appeared  to 
be  an  inevitable  war.^ 

Among  the  earlier  of  the  ships  which 
were  constructed  for  the  naval  estab- 
lishment of  the  United  States,  under 
the  Act  of  Congress  of  March  27,  1794, 


>  Hildreth,  v.  p.  57. — ^  Gibbs'  Administration  of  Wash- 
ington and  Adams,  ii.  p.  41. — '  Ibid-,  p.  59. 


28 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


was  tlie  Constellation^  a  frigate  of  thir- 
ty-eiglit  guns — twenty-eight  eigbteen- 
pounders  on  tlie  main  deck,  and  ten 
lighter  pieces  above.^  At  the  period 
in  question,  this  ship  was  commanded 
by  Captain  Thomas  Truxtun  ;  and,  with 
the  greater  part  of  the  naval  force  of 
the  republic,  was  cruising  in  the  West 
Indies  to  protect  the  commerce  of  the 
United  States.  About  noon,  on  the 
ninth  of  February,  having  left  the 
Richmond  and  Norfolk  to  convoy  some 
merchant  vessels  from  St.  Christopher's 
to  the  United  States,  while  cruising  off 
Nevis,  Captain  Truxtun  discovered  a 
large  ship  to  the  southward.^  As  the 
Constellation  was  to  the  windward,^ 
Captain  Truxtun  bore  down  towards 
the  stranger,  when  she  ran  up  the 
American  colors ;  but  being  unable  to 
answer  the  private  signals,  both  Amer- 
ican and  British,  which  Captain  Trux- 
tun displayed,  her  character  was  sus- 
pected ;  and,  by  the  usual  challenge,  of 
a  gun  fired  to  windward,*  and  by  the 
display  of  French  colors,  the  suspicions 
of  her  pursuer  were  soon  afterwards 
confirmed.^ 

The  chase  continued  three  hours,  and 
as  "  this  was  the  first  opportunity  that 
had  occurred,  since  the  close  of  the 
Revolution,  for  an  American  vessel  of 
war  to  get  alongside  of  an  enemy,  of  a 
force  likely  to  make  a  combat  certain, 
the  ofiicers  and  men  of  the  Gonstellor 
tion  displayed  the  greatest  eagerness  to 

1  Cooper's  Naval  Hist.,  i.  pp.  266,  267—'  Capt.  Trux- 
tun to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Feb.  10,  1799. — '  Cooper's  Naval 
Hist.,  i.  p.  297.—''  Capt.  Truxtun  {Letter  to  Sec.  of  Navy, 
Feb.  10,  1799)  says  this  gun  was  fired  to  "  leeward,"  while 
all  other  authorities  say  it  was  to  "  windward." 

'•  Capt.  Truxtun' s  letter  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Feb.  10,  1799  ; 
Cooper's  Naval  History,  1.  p.  297. 


engage."^  Every  sail  on  the  Constella- 
tion was  spread  to  the  breeze,  and 
preparation  for  action  was  made  with 
the  utmost  alacrity.^  About  two 
o'clock  the  enemy's  main-topmast  went 
overboard ;  but  she  was  quickly  cleared 
of  the  wreck,  and  put  before  the  wiud.^ 
At  a  quarter  past  three  o'clock,  Nevis 
bearing  w.  s.  w.,  six  leagues  distant,  the 
Constellation  ranged  alongside  the  chase, 
when  the  latter  hailed  the  former,  sev- 
eral times,  but  received  no  reply.*  The 
Constellation  ran  under  the  enemy's  lee, 
in  order  that  her  guns  might  be  worked 
with  greater  facility ;  ^  and  as  soon  as 
she  had  secured  a  position  "for  every 
shot  to  do  execution,"  she  opened  a 
close  and  well-directed  fire,  which  was 
returned  with  great  spirit.®  Captain 
Truxtun  had  previously  ordered  the 
lieutenants  who  commanded  divisions 
of  the  crew,  "  to  load  with  two  round 
shot,  and  to  fire  directly  into  the  ene- 
my's huU,"^  and  the  effects  of  this 
order,  notwithstanding  the  skill  and 
efficiency  of  the  enemy,  were  soon  visi- 
ble. After  raking  her  several  times, 
and  securing  a  position  athwart  the 
enemy's  stern,  which  threatened  very 
serious  results,®  at  about  half-j^ast  four 
o'clock,^  the  Constellation   had   so   far 


'  Cooper's  Naval  Hist.,  i.  p.  297. — °  A  St.  Christopher's 
paper,  inclosed  in  Capt.  Truxtun's  letter  to  Sec.  of  Navy, 
Feb.  16,  1799. — ^  The  St.  Christopher's  paper  says  it  oc- 
curred at  half-past  2  P.  M. ;  Lieut.  Kogers  {Letter  to  Maj.  Stod- 
dart,  Feb.  15, 1799)  says,  "  at  2  p.  m.;  "  and  Lieut.  Sterrett 
{Letter  to  his  brother)  says,  "at  3  P.  M." — ^  Capt.  Truxtun 
to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Feb.  10,  1799  ;  Lieut.  Kogers  to  Maj. 
Stoddart,  Feb.  15,  1799  ;  St.  Christopher's  paper. 

'  Lieut.  Rogers  to  Maj.  Stoddart,  Feb.  15,  1799. 

»  Capt.  Truxtun's  letter  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Feb.  10,  1799. 

'  Lieut.  Eogers  to  Maj.  Stoddart,  Feb.  15,  1799. 

«  Ibid.— »  Capt.  Truxtun  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Feb.  10, 1799. 
Lieut.  Eogers  (Letter  to  Maj.  Stoddart)  says  she  struck  "erf 
a  quarter-past  four  p.  M. " 


Chap.  V.] 


THE  CAPTURE  OF  L'INSURGENTE. 


29 


gained  the  advantage,  that  the  enemy 
struck  her  colors  and  surrendered.^ 

Lieutenant  Rogers  was  ordered  to 
take  possession  of  the  prize,  and  to 
send  her  captain  and  first  lieutenant  on 
board  of  the  Constellation;'^  when  it 
appeared  that  the  prize  was  the  French 
frigate  L^ Inaurgente^  one  of  the  fastest 
vessels  afloat,  and  the  finest  vessel  in 
the  French  navy.^  She  mounted  four 
thirty-six  pounders,  two  twenty-four 
pounders,  two  eighteen-pounders,  twen- 
ty-four twelve -pounders,  eight  six- 
pounders,  and  eight  brass  swivels — 
forty-eight  pieces  in  all* — and  was 
manned  with  four  hundred  and  nine 
men,^  of  whom  twenty-nine  were  killed, 
twenty-two  badly  wounded,  ai^d  nine- 
teen wounded.®  The  vessel  was,  also, 
badly  cut  ujd  in  her  hull,  masts,  and 
riffo-inD'-J  audit  was  with  considerable 
difiiculty  that  she  was  carried  into  port.^ 

The  Constellation  was  considerably 
injured  in  her  masts  and  rigging;^ 
while  of  her  crew  only  three — Midship- 
man McDonough,  and  John  Andi'ews 
and  Thomas  Wilson,  ordinary  seamen 
— were  wounded ;  Neal  Harvey,  an- 
other of  her  crew,  ha^^ng  been  run 
through  by  Lieutenant  Sterrett,  during 
the  action,  for  cowardice.-^** 

It  is  said^^  that  M.  Bureaut,  the  com- 
mander of  the  Insurgente^  was  impris- 

'  Capt.  Truxtim  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Feb.  10.  1799  ;  St. 
Christopher's  paper  ;  Lieut.  Rogers  to  Maj.  Stoddart,  Feb. 
15,  1799  ;  Lieut.  Sterrett  to  his  brother. — ^  Lieut.  Rogers 
to  Maj.  Stoddart,  Feb.  15,  1799.—^  Capt.  Truxtuii  to  Sec. 
of  Xavy,  Feb.  10,  1799.—*  Ibid.,  Feb.  16,  1799.—''  Ibid. 

"  Ibid.,  Feb.  14,  1799  ;  Lieut.  Sterrett  to  his  brother. 

'  St.  Christopher's  paper. — '  Capt.  Truxton  to  Sec.  of 
Navy,  Feb.  10,  14,  and  16,  1799.—'  St.  Christopher's  pa- 
per ;  Capt.  Truxtun  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Feb.  10. — "  Lieut 
Sterrett  to  his  brother. — "  Advice  from  St.  Johns,  An- 
tigua, in  Claypole's  American  Daily  Advertiser,  No.  6955, 
Philadelphia,  Friday,  Starch  29,  1799. 


oned  on  a  charge  of  cowardice,  when 
he  reached  Guadaloupe ;  but  there  ap- 
pears, from  the  record,  that  such  a 
charge  could  not  have  been  made  on 
any  just  grounds.  In  the  United  States, 
"  the  result  of  this  engagement  pro- 
duced great  exultation,  and  it  was 
deemed  a  proof  of  an  aptitude  to  nau- 
tical service,  that  was  very  grateful  to 
the  national  pride.  Without  pausing 
to  examine  details,  the  country  claimed 
it  as  a  victory  of  a  thirty-eight  over  a 
forty;  and  the  new  marine  was,  at 
once,  proclaimed  to  be  equal  to  any  in 
the  world;  a  decision  somewhat  haz- 
ardous when  made  on  a  single  experi- 
ment, and  which  was  certainly  formed 
without  a  full  understanding  of  the 
whole  subject.  It  is  due  to  a  gallant 
enemy,  to  say  that  Captain  Bureaut, 
who  defended  his  ship  as  long  as  there 
was  a  ho2:)e  of  success,  was  overcome 
by  a  superior  force ;  and  it  is  also  due 
to  Commodore  Truxtun,  and  to  those 
under  his  command,  to  add  that  they 
did  their  work  with  an  expedition  and 
efiect  every  way  proportioned  to  the 
disparity  in  their  favor.  There  is 
scarcely  an  instance  on  record  (we  are 
not  certain  there  is  one)  of  a  full- 
manned  fi'igate,  carrying  twelves,  pre- 
vailing in  a  contest  with  even  a  ship 
of  eighteens ;  and,  in  this  instance,  we 
see  that  the  Insurgents  had  twenty- 
fours  to  oppose.  Victory  was  next  to 
hopeless,  under  such  circumstances, 
though,  on  the  other  hand,  we  are  not 
to  overlook  the  readiness  with  which  a 
conflict  with  an  unknown  antagonist 
was  sought,  and  the  neatness  and  dis- 
patch with  which  the  battle  was  won."^ 

1  Cooper's  Naval  History,  i.  pp.  299,  300. 


DOCUMENT. 


EXTRACT  FROM  CAPTAIN  THOMAS  TRUXTTJN  S  DIS- 
PATCH TO  THE  SECRETARY  OF  THE  NAVY. 

On  Board  the  U.  S.  Ship  Constellation 

IN  SIGHT  OF  THE  ISLAND  OF  St.   ChRIS 

TOPHEr's,  February  10,  1799. 

Dear  Sir  : — I  wrote  to  you  the  4th  inst.,  to 
which  I  must  beg  leave  to  refer,  and  soon  after 
weighed  from  Basseterre  road,  St.  Christo- 
plier's,  and  proceeded  to  sea,  having  made  the 
necessary  arrangements  with  the  mercliants  and 
masters  of  vessels  for  a  convoy,  to  sail  this  day 
for  the  United  States,  under  charge  of  the 
Norfolk  and  Richmond^  which  vessels  I  direct- 
ed to  cruise,  in  the  mean  time,  near  St.  Bar- 
tholomew's and  St.  Martin's,  so  as  to  be  at 
hand  to  proceed  with  the  convoy  at  the  time 
appointed. 

As  soon  as  I  left  the  road  of  Basseterre 
(v/hich  I  did  with  the  Constellation^  solus)  I 
stretched  under  Montserat  and  towards  Guada- 
loupe,  by  the  wind,  and  from  thence  under  the 
lee  of  Antigua  and  Barbuda.  In  this  route  I 
only  met  two  merchant  vessels  and  a  British 
frigate.  I  therefore  thought  it  best  to  change 
my  ground,  which  I  did,  and  run  down  towards 
the  island  of  Nevis,  and  on  the  ninth  instant,  at 
noon,  that  island  bearing  vv.  s.  w.,  five  leagues 
distance,  discovered  a  large  shijD  to  southward, 
on  which  I  bore  down. 

She  hoisted  American  colors,  and  I  made  our 
private  signals  for  the  day,  as  well  as  that  of 
the  British,  but  finding  she  answered  neither,  I 
immediately  suspected  her  to  be  an  enemy, 
and,  in  a  short  time  after,  found  that  my  sus- 
picions were  well  founded,  for  she  hoisted  the 
French  national  colors,  and  fired  a  gun  to  lee- 
ward, Avhich  is  the  signal  of  an  enemy.  I  con- 
tinued bearing  down  on  her,  and  at  a  quarter 
past  three  p.  m.,  she  hailed  me  several  times ; 
and  as  soon  as  I  got  in  a  position  for  every  shot 
to  do  execution,  I  answered  by  commencing  a 
close  and  successful  engagement,  which  lasted 


until  about  half-past  four  p.  m.,  when  she  struck 
her  colors  to  the  United  States  ship  Constella- 
tion^ and  I  immediately  took  possession  of  her. 
She  proved  to  be  the  celebrated  French  nation- 
al frigate  Insurgente,  of  forty  guns  and  four 
hundred  and  seven  men,  lately  out  from  France, 
commanded  by  Monsieur  Bureaut,  and  is  es- 
teemed one  of  the  fastest  sailing  ships  in  the 
French  navy.  I  have  been  much  shattered  in 
my  rigging  and  sails,  and  my  fore-topmast  ren- 
dered, from  wounds,  useless  ;  you  may  depend 
the  enemy  is  not  less  so. 

I  intend  to  get  into  Basseterre  road,  St. 
Christopher's,  if  possible,  with  my  prize  ;  but 
the  wind  being  adverse,  and  blowing  hard,  I 
much  doubt,  in  the  crippled  state  of  both  ships, 
whether  I  shall  effect  it,  and  if  not,  I  must 
make  a  ^ovt  to  leeward.  The  high  state  of  our 
discipline,  with  the  gallant  conduct  of  my  ofii- 
cers  and  men,  would  have  enabled  me  to  have 
compelled  a  more  formidable  enemy  to  have 
yielded,  had  the  fortune  of  war  thrown  one  in 
my  way.  As  it  is,  I  hope  the  President  and 
my  country  will,  for  the  present,  be  content 
with  a  very  fine  frigate  being  added  to  our  in- 
fant navy,  and  that  too  with  the  loss  of  only 
one  man  killed  and  two  wounded,  while  the 
enemy  had  (the  French  surgeon  reports)  fifty- 
two  or  fifty-three  killed  and  wounded.  Several 
were  found  dead  in  the  tojis,  <fcc.,  and  thrown 
overboard,  eighteen  hours  after  we  had  posses- 
sion. 

I  must  not  omit,  in  this  hasty  detail,  to  do 
justice  to  Monsieur  Bureaut,  for  he  defended 
his  ship  manfully,  and  from  my  raking  him  sev- 
eral times  fore  and  aft,  and  being  athwart  his 
stern,  ready,  with  every  gun,  to  fire  when  he 
struck  his  colors,  we  may  impute  the  conflict 
not  being  more  bloody  on  our  side,  for  had  not 
these  advantages  been  taken,  the  engagement 
would  not  have  ended  so  soon,  for  the  Insur- 
gente  was  completely  ofticered  and  manned. 


CHAPTER     VI 


February  2,  ISOO. 

THE     ACTION     WITH     LA    VENGEANCE. 


The  troubles  which  had  sprung  up 
between  the  governments  of  the  United 
States  and  Revolutionary  France,  have 
been  briefly  adverted  to  in  the  last 
chapter  of  this  work.  No  accommoda- 
tion of  the  difficulties  having  been  ef- 
fected, increased  efforts  were  made  to 
continue  the  operations  which  had  been 
adopted,  and,  if  necessary,  to  extend 
the  operations  beyond  the  limits  of  a 
strictly  defensive  policy.  The  navy 
had  been  considerably  increased,  and 
new  vessels,  of  a  larger  size,  had  been 
ordered  by  Congress ;  ^  and  the  greater 
part  of  the  force,  as  before,  was  kept 
in  service  in  the  West  Indian  waters, 
under  the  command  of  Commodore  Tal- 
bot, in  the  Constitution^  and  of  Commo- 
dore Truxtun,  in  the  Constellation? 

At  half-past  seven  in  the  morning  of 
the  first  of  February,  1800,  while  the 
latter  was  cruising  off  Guadaloupe — the 
road  of  Basseterre  bearing  East,  five 
leagues  distant — a  strange  sail  was  seen 
in  the  Southeast,  standing  to  the  South- 
west. Supposing  that  she  was  an  Eng- 
lish ship  from  Martinico,  of  which  he 
had  some  knowledge,  and  wishing  to 
avoid  a  long  chase  to  leeward,  off'  his 
cruising  ground,  he  endeavored,  by 
showing  British  coloi-s,  to  induce  her 
to  run  down  and  speak  him ;   but  the 

1  Cooper's  Naval  Hist.,  i.  pp.  302,  303.— « Ibid.,  p.  303. 


signal  was  disregarded,  and  sail  was 
made  in  chase  of  the  stranger.  The 
Constellation  gained  quite  rapidly,  and 
as  she  approached  the  chase.  Commo- 
dore Truxtun  examined  her  more  mi- 
nutely, and  discovered  that  she  was  a 
heavy  French  frigate,  mounting  not  less 
than  fifty-four  guns,  when  orders  were 
given  to  haul  down  the  British  colors, 
the  yards  to  be  slung  with  chains,  top- 
sail-sheets, &"c.,  stoppered,  the  ship 
cleared,  and  every  thing  prepared  for 
action.  The  chase  continued  until  noon, 
when  the  wind  became  light,  and  the 
enemy  having  the  advantage  in  sailing, 
she  held  away  from  the  Constellation 
and  gradually  increased  the  distance 
between  the  two  vessels.^ 

Notwithstanding  the  evident  dispari- 
ty of  force,  Commodore  Truxtun  showed 
no  hesitation  in  continuing  the  pursuit, 
and  every  thread  of  canvas  which  the 
Constellation  could  carry  was  thrown 
to  the  breeze.  In  this  manner  the 
chase  continued  until  one  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon  of  the  next  day,  (^Feh.  2<5?), 
when  the  wind  freshened,  with  an  ap- 
pearance of  its  continuance,  and  the 
Constellation  again  rapidly  drew  ahead, 
when  the  prospect  of  bringing  the  ene- 
my to  action  began,  again,  to  brighten. 


1  Com.  Truxtun's  Journal,  inclosed  in  his  Dispatch  to 
Sec.  of  Navy,  Feb.  3,  1800. 


32 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


At  eight  o'clock  in  the  evening,  hav- 
insf  firot  within  hailing  distance  of  the 
enemy,  Commodore  Truxtun  ordered 
the  ensign  to  Ibe  hoisted,  the  battle- 
hinterns  to  be  lighted,  and  the  large 
trumpet  placed  in  the  lee  gangway, 
ready  to  speak  her,  and  demand  her 
surrender,  when,  "  at  that  instant,"  she 
opened  a  fire  from  her  stei*n  and  quar- 
ter guns  on  the  rigging  and  spars  of 
the  Constellation} 

No  farther  ceremony  being  necessary. 
Commodore  Truxtun  renewed  the  or- 
ders which  he  had  previously  given  to 
the  several  ofiicers  who  commanded 
divisions  of  the  main  battery — "  not  to 
throw  away  a  single  charge  of  powder, 
but  to  take  good  aim  and  fire  directly 
into  the  hull  of  the  enemy ;  to  load, 
principally,  with  two  round  shot,  and, 
now  and  then,  with  a  round  shot  and  a 
stand  of  grape ;  to  encourage  the  men 
at  their  quarters ;  to  cause  or  sufifer  no 
noise  or  confusion  whatever;  but  to 
load  and  fire  as  fast  as  possible  when  it 
could  be  done  with  certain  efifect" — and, 
a  few  minutes  afterwards,  having  gained 
an  advantageous  position  on  the  ene- 
my's weather-quarter,  the  Constellation 
opened  her  fire.^ 

Five  hours  the  two  vessels  contend- 
ed for  the  mastery,  in  the  most  despe- 
rate manner,  during  which  time  both 
appear  to  have  been  running  free,  side 
by  side.  None  of  the  details  of  this 
obstinate  conflict  have  come  down  to 
us ;  yet,  from  the  condition  of  both  ves- 
sels, at  the  close  of  the  engagement,  it 
is  perfectly  obvious  that  the  crews  of 
both  did  their  duty  manfully.     At  one 


Com.  Truxtun' s  Journal. 


Ibid. 


o'clock  in  the  morning  (^Feh.  2>d)^  the 
stranger's  fire  had  been  silenced,  and 
she  attempted  to  sheer  off.^ 

Considering  the  enemy  as  his  legiti- 
mate prize.  Commodore  Truxtun  gave 
immediate  orders  to  trim  his  shattered 
sails,  in  the  best  possible  manner,  in 
order  that  he  might  get  alongside  again, 
as  soon  as  possible,  when  it  was  found 
that  the  mainmast  was  entirely  unsup- 
ported by  rigging,  every  shroud  having 
been  shot  away,  and  that  even  stoppers 
were  useless,  and  could  not  be  applied 
with  effect.  All  hands  were  immedi- 
ately ordered  from  the  main  deck  to 
endeavor  to  secure  this  all-important 
spar,  but  every  exertion  was  fruitless, 
and  it  went  by  the  board  within  a  few 
minutes  after  the  enemy  had  sheared 
o&?  Midshipman  James  Jarvis  and  all 
the  topmen  went  over  with  the  mast ; 
and  that  gallant  young  officer — who 
had  refused  to  abandon  his  post,  al- 
though warned  of  the  danger, — and  all 
but  one  man  were  lost.^ 

Within  an  hour  the  Constellation  was 
cleared  from  the  wreck,  but  she  was  no 
longer  in  a  fit  condition  to  renew  the 
chase  or  the  action;*  and  she  bore 
away  for  Jamaica  for  repairs,  without 
knowing  the  name,  and  but  little  of  the 
character  of  her  gallant  adversary.^ 
The  latter,  also  ignorant  of  the  name 
and  exact  character  of  her  opponent, 
bore  away  for  Cura^oa — where  she  ar- 
rived on  the  sixth  of  February® — when 
it   became   known    that   she   was    the 


'  Com.  Truxtun's  Jour.— '  Ibid. — '  Eeport  of  Sec.  of 
Navy  to  Cong.,  March  20, 1800 ;  Com.  Truxtun's  Journal. 

*  Com.  Truxtun's  Jour. — '  Com.  Truxtun  to  Sec.  of 
Navy,  Feb.  12,  1800.—°  Capt.  Balier  to  Sec.  of  Navy, 
Curafoa,  Feb.  8,  1800. 


Chap.  VI.] 


THE  ACTION  WITH  LA  VENGEANCE. 


33 


Frencli  national  ship  La  Vengeance^ 
commanded  by  Captain  D.  M.  Pi- 
tot,  and  armed  with  thirty-two  long 
eighteen-pounders  on  the  gun-deck, 
twelve  thirty-six-pounder  brass  carron- 
ades  and  four  long  twelves  on  her 
quarter-deck,  and  six  long  twelve- 
pounders  on  her  forecastle.^  She  was 
manned  with  four  hundred  men,  in- 
cluding passengers  ^ — among  whom  were 
the  Governor  of  Guadaloupe  and  his 
family,^  and  two  general  officers  re- 
turning to  France* — and  carried  a  full 
cargo  of  sugar  and  coffee,^  with  a  very 
large  amount  of  specie.®  Fifty  of  her 
crew  had  been  killed,  and  one  hundred 
and  ten  wounded;^  her  bowsprit,  fore 
and  mizzen  masts,  were  the  only  spars 
she  had  standing;^  her  fore  and  mizzen 
shrouds  and  ratlines  had  been  so  much 
cut  up  "that  you  could  scarce  see  any 

'  statement  of  Mr.  James  Howe,  a  prisoner,  on  board, 
at  the  time  of  the  action. — '  Ibid. — '  Extract  from  Daily 
Advertiser,  in  Claypole's  Am.  Daily  Advertiser,  Phila.,  March 
18,  1800.—*  Capt.  Baker  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Feb.  8,  1800. 

'  Letter  from  Curajoa,  Feb.  13,  in  Claypole's  Am. 
Daily  Advertiser,  Phila.,  March  18,  1800. 

'  Capt.  Baker  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Feb.  8, 1800.  Mr.  Howe 
(Statement,  &c.)  says,  "upwards  of  a  million  dollars," 
while  different  statements  from  Curagoa  (where  the  Ven- 
geance put  in)  say  it  amounted  to  two  millions  of  dollars. 

'  Mr.  Philips  (Am.  Consul  at  Curajoa)  to  Sec.  of  State, 
Feb.  9,  1800.—*  Capt.  Baker  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Feb.  8, 
1800  ;  Letter  from  Curagoa,  in  Claypole's  Am,.  Daily  Ad- 
vertiser, Phila.,  March  18,  1800. 
Vol.  II.— 5 


of  them  for  stoppers  ; "  ^  she  had  received 
one  hundred  and  eighty-six  round  shot 
in  her  hull ;  ^  and  she  had  eight  feet  of 
water  in  her  hold.^ 

The  Constellation,  since  her  action 
with  U'Jnstirgente,  had  received  a  new 
armament  of  twenty-eight  eighteen- 
pounders  on  her  main-deck,  and  ten 
twenty-four  pound  carronades  on  her 
quarter-deck,  and  was  manned  with  a 
crew  of  three  hundred  and  ten  men.* 
She  lost  Midshipman  Jarvis  and  thir- 
teen men,  killed  and  missing,  and  seven 
officers  and  eighteen  men,  wounded.^ 

The  Congress  of  the  United  States 
voted  its  thanks  and  a  gold  medal  to 
Commodore  Truxtun  for  his  gallantry 
in  this  action  ;  and  by  a  solemn  vote  of 
the  same  body,  the  conduct  of  Midship- 
man Jarvis,  "who  gloriously  preferred 
certain  death  to  an  abandonment  of 
his  post,"  was  declared  "  deserving  the 
highest  praise,  and  that  the  loss  of  so 
promising  an  officer  is  a  subject  of 
national  regret."  ® 

'  Capt.  Baker  to  Secretary  of  Navy,  Feb.  8,  1800. 

'  statement  of  Mr.  James  Howe. 

3  Capt.  Baker  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Feb.  8,  1800 ;  Extract 
from  Daily  Advertiser,  in  Claypole's  Am.  Daily  Advertiser, 
Phila.,  March  18,  1800.—*  Cooper,  i.  p.  306. 

'Returns,  signed  "Isaac  Henry,  Surgeon,"  appended  to 
Com.  Truxtun's  Dispatch. 

'  Kesolutions  of  Congress,  approved  March  29,  1800. 


DOCUMENT. 


United  States  Ship  Constellation,  at  Sea,  j 
February  3,  1800.  I 

Sir:— On  the  30th  ult.  I  left  St.  Christo- 
pher's, with  the  Constellation,  in  excellent  trim, 
and  stood  to  windward  in  oi'der  to  gain  the 
station  for  myself  before  the  road  of  Guada- 
loupe ;  and  at  half-past  seven  in  the  morning  of 
the  day  following,  I  discovered  a  sail  to  the 
southeast,  to  which  I  gave  Chase,  and  for  the 
further  particulars  of  that  chase,  and  the  action 
after  it,  I  must  beg  to  refer  to  the  extracts  from 
my  Journal,  herewith,  as  being  the  best  mode 
of  exhibiting  a  just  and  candid  account  of  all 
our  transactions  in  the  late  business,  which  has 
ended  in  the  almost  entire  dismantlement  of 
the  Constellation,  though,  I  trust,  to  the  high 
reputation  of  the  American  flag. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  &c., 

Thos.  TKuxTuisr. 

Benjamin  Stoddeet,  Esq.,  Secretary  of  the  Navy. 


Occurrences  on  hoard  the  United  States  Ship  Constel- 
lation, of  thirty-eight  guns,  under  my  command, 
February  1,  1800. 

Throughout  these  twenty-four  hours  very 
unsettled  weather ;  kept  on  our  tacks,  beating 
up  under  Guadaloupe,  and  at  half-past  seven  in 
the  morning,  the  road  of  Basseterre  bearing- 
east,  five  leagues  distance,  saw  a  sail  in  the  south- 
east standing  to  the  southwest,  which,  from  her 
situation,  I  at  first  took  for  a  large  ship  from 
Martinico,  and  hoisted  English  colors  on  givmg 
chase,  by  way  of  inducement  for  her  to  come 
down  and  speak  me,  which  would  have  saved 
us  a  long  chase  to  leeward  off"  my  intended 
cruising-ground ;  but  finding  she  did  not  at- 
tempt to  alter  her  course,  I  examined  her  more 
minutely,  as  we  approached  her,  and  discovered 
that  she  was  a  heavy  French  frigate,  mounting 
at  least  fifty-four  guns.  I  immediately  gave 
orders  for  the  yards  to  be  slung  with  chains, 
topsail- sheets,  &c.,  stoppered,  and  the  ship 
cleared,  and  every  thing  prepared  for  action, 


and  hauled  down  the  English  colors.  At  noon 
the  wind  became  light,  and  I  observed  the 
chase  that  we  had  before  been  gaining  fast  on 
held  way  with  us,  but  I  was  determined  to  con- 
tinue the  pursuit,  though  the  running  to  lee- 
ward, I  was  convinced,  would  be  attended  with 
many  serious  disadvantages,  especially  if  the 
object  of  my  wishes  were  not  gratified. 

Passed  two  schooners  standing  to  the  north- 
ward, one  of  them  showed  American  colors,  and 
was  a  merchant  vessel ;  and  the  other  \  sup- 
posed to  be  of  the  same  description. 

February  second,  at  one  p.  m.,  the  wind  being 
somewhat  fresher  than  at  the  noon  preceding, 
and  an  appearance  of  its  continuance,  our  pros- 
pect of  bringing  the  enemy  to  action  began  to 
brighten,  as  I  perceived  we  were  coming  up 
with  the  chase  fast,  and  every  inch  of  canvas 
being  set  that  could  be  of  service,  except  the 
bog-reefs  which  I  kept  in  the  topsails,  in  case  of 
the  chase,  finding  an  escape  from  our  thunder 
impracticable,  sliould  haul  on  a  wind  and  give 
us  fair  battle.  But  this  did  not  prove  to  be  her 
commander's  intention.  I,  however,  got  within 
hail  of  him  at  8  p.  m.,  hoisted  our  ensign,  and 
had  the  candles  in  the  battle-lanterns  all  lioht- 
ed,  and  the  large  trumpet  in  the  lee-gangway 
ready  to  speak  him,  and  to  demand  the  surren- 
der of  his  ship  to  the  United  States  of  America ; 
but  he,  at  that  instant,  commenced  a  fire  from 
liis  stern  and  quarter  guns,  directed  at  our  rig- 
ging and  spars.  No  parley  being  then  neces- 
sary, I  sent  my  principal  aid-de-camp,  Mr. 
Vandyke,  to  the  different  officers  commanding 
divisions  on  the  main  battery,  to  repeat  strictly 
my  orders,  before  given,  not  to  throw  away  a 
single  charge  of  powder,  but  to  take  good  aim 
and  fire  directly  into  the  hull  of  the  enemy, 
and  load,  principally,  with  two  round-shot,  and 
now  and  then  with  a  round-shot  and  a  stand  of 
grape,  &c. ;  to  encourage  the  men  at  their 
quarters  ;  to  cause  or  suffer  no  noise  or  confu- 
sion whatever ;  but  to  load  and  fire  as  fast  as 


Chap.  VII.] 


THE  CAPTURE  OF  THE  TRIPOLI. 


35 


possible  when  it  could  be  done  with  certain 
effect.  These  orders  being  given,  in  a  few  mo- 
ments I  gained  a  position  on  his  weather-quar- 
ter that  enabled  us  to  return,  effectually,  his 
salute ;  and  thus  a  close  and  as  sharp  an  action 
as  ever  was  fought  between  two  frigates,  com- 
menced and  continued  until  within  a  few  min- 
utes of  1  A.  M.,  when  the  enemy's  fire  was  com- 
pletely silenced,  and  he  was  again  sheering  off. 
It  was  at  this  moment  that  I  considered  him 
as  my  prize,  and  was  trimming,  in  the  best 
manner  I  could,  my  much  shattered  sails ;  when 
I  found  the  mainmast  was  totally  unsupported 
by  rigging,  every  shroud  being  shot  away,  and 
some  of  them  in  several  places ;  that  even  stop- 
pers were  useless,  and  could  not  be  applied  with 
effect.  I  then  gave  orders  for  the  officers  to 
send  the  men  up  from  the  gun-deck  to  endeavor 
to  secure  it,  in  order  that  we  might  get  along- 
side of  the  enemy  again  as  soon  as  possible ; 
but  every  efibrt  was  in  vain,  for  the  mainmast 
went  over  the  side  in  a  few  minutes  after,  and 
carried  with  it  the  top-men,  among  whom  was 
an  amiable  young  gentleman,  who  commanded 
the  main-top,  Mr.  James  Jarvis,  sou  of  James 
Jarvis,  Esq.,  of  New  York.  It  seems  this 
young  gentleman  was  apprised  of  the  mast  go- 
ing in  a  few  minutes  by  an  old  seaman,  but  he 
had  already  so  much  of  the  principle  of  an  offi- 
cer ingrafted  on  his  mind,  not  to  leave  his  quar- 
ters on  any  account,  that  he  told  the  man,  if 


the  mast  went  they  must  go  with  it,  which  was 
the  case,  and  only  one  of  them  was  saved. 

I  regret  much  his  loss,  as  a  promising  young 
officer  and  amiable  young  man,  as  well  as  on 
account  of  a  long  intimacy  that  has  subsisted 
between  his  father  and  myself;  but  have  great 
satisfaction  in  finding  that  I  have  lost  no  other, 
and  only  two  or  three  slightly  wounded,  out  of 
thirty-nine  killed  and  wounded — fourteen  of  the 
former,  and  twenty-five  of  the  latter. 

As  soon  as  the  mainmast  went,  every  effort 
was  made  to  clear  the  wreck  from  the  ship  as 
soon  as  possible,  which  was  effected  in  about  an 
hour.  It  being  impossible  to  pursue  the  enemy, 
and  as  her  security  was  then  the  great  object,  I 
immediately  bore  away  for  Jamaica,  for  repairs, 
<fcc.,  finding  it  impossible  to  reach  a  friendly 
port  in  any  of  the  islands  to  windward. 

I  should  be  wanting  in  common  justice  was  I 
to  omit  here  to  journalize  the  steady  attention 
to  order,  and  the  great  exertion  and  bravery 
of  all  my  officers,  seamen,  and  marines,  in  this 
action,  many  of  whom  I  had  sufficiently  tried 
before,  on  a  similar  occasion,  and  all  their 
names  are  recorded  in  the  muster-roll  I  sent  to 
the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  dated  the  nine- 
teenth of  December  last,  signed  by  myself. 

All  hands  emjDloyed  at  repairing  the  damages 
sustained  in  the  action,  so  far  as  to  get  the  ship 
into  Jamaica  as  soon  as  possible. 

Thomas  Teuxtun. 


CHAPTER    VII. 

Aug^HSt  1,  1§01. 

THE     CAPTURE     OF    THE    TRIPOLI. 


The  Dey  of  Algiers,  as  early  as  July, 
1785,  having  discovered  that  a  new 
commercial  nation  had  sprung  into  ex- 
istence, began  to  prey  on  the  commerce 
of  the  United  States,  and  to  seize  such 
of  their  merchantmen  as  came  within 
range  of  his  piratical  cruisers.^  Grad- 
ually the  spirit  of  plunder  which  had 

'  Cooper's  Naval  Hist.,  i.  p.  263. 


thus  been  let  loose,  extended  to  other 
of  the  Barbary  states,  notwithstanding 
the  Federal  government,  in  common 
with  those  of  the  maritime  nations  of 
Europe,  had  condescended  to  pay  trib- 
ute, and  to  submit  to  other  services  of 
deofradation  which  the  rulers  of  these 
States  imposed  upon  them.^ 

'  Cooper's  Naval  Hist.,  i.  pp.  319-328. 


36 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


At  this  time  the  foundation  of  the 
Federal  navy  was  laid,  by  an  Act  of 
Congress,  which  authorized  the  con- 
struction or  purchase  of  six  frigates;^ 
and,  from  time  to  time,  in  subsequent 
years,  although  the  corsairs  had  been 
bribed  to  a  nominal  peace,  this  force 
was  gradually  increased.^ 

In  April,  1799,  the  Bashaw  of  Trip- 
oli pretended  to  have  found  cause  for 
complaint  against  the  United  States, 
and  commenced  a  series  of  outrages, 
both  by  sea  and  land,^  which  aroused 
the  government,  and  called  forth  all  its 
energies.  A  heavy  squadron,  under 
Commodore  Dale,  was  sent  into  the 
Mediterranean,  with  instructions,  how- 
ever, to  endeavor  rather  to  maintain  a 
peace,  by  presents  and  bribes,  than  to 
enforce  it  by  a  display  and  exercise  of 
his  power.* 

About  nine  o'clock,  on  the  first  of 
August,  1801,  one  of  the  smaller  ves- 
sels of  this  squadron, — the  Enterprize^ 
commanded  by  Lieutenant-commandant 
Sterrett,  while  running  for  Malta,  to 
obtain  a  supply  of  water,  fell  in  with 
a  polacre-rigged  ship,  of  fourteen  six- 
pounders,  and  carrying  the  Tripolitan 
flag.^  The  Enterprize^  at  that  time, 
bore  British  colors ;  and,  suspecting 
the  character  and  purposes  of  the  stran- 
ger, she  ran  alongside  and  hailed  her. 
Lieutenant  Sterrett  inquired  the  object 
of  the  cruise,  and  was  informed  by  the 
captain  of  the  corsair  that  "  he  came  out 


'  Act  of  Mavch  27, 1794.—"  Cooper,  i.  pp.  278,  293,  295, 
296,  303,  333,  334.—=  Clark's  Naval  Hist.,  p.  102. 

*  Cooper,  i.  p.  344. — ^  Ibid.,  p.  345  ;  Com.  Dale's  Dis- 
patch, referred  to  in  Poulson's  Am.  Daily  Advertiser,  Phila., 
Nov.  23,  1801 ;  Badger's  Naval  Temple,  p.  15 ;  Hist,  of 
War  with  Tripoli,  p.  91. 


to  cruise  after  the  Americans,  and  that 
he  lamented  that  he  had  not  come  along- 
side of  some  of  them."  ^ 

The  intentions  of  the  stranger  having 
thus  been  openly  declared,  Lieutenant 
Sterrett  immediately  lowered  the  Brit- 
ish and  raised  the  American  colors; 
giving  the  stranger,  at  the  same  time,  a 
volley  of  musketry.  She  responded 
with  a  partial  broadside,  and  a  closely- 
contested  action  commenced.  For  three 
hours,  with  but  little  intermission,  the 
battle  continued  to  rage,  within  pistol- 
shot  distance ;  during  which  time,  three 
several  attempts  were  made  to  board 
the  Enterprize^  which  were  as  often  re- 
pulsed with  great  loss.  Three  several 
times,  also,  the  enemy  struck  her  col- 
ors, and,  as  often,  renewed  the  action, 
when  the  crew  of  the  Enterjprize  had 
ceased  to  fire  and  exposed  itself  on  the 
deck  of  the  vessel.  The  last  time  this 
treacherous  act  occurred.  Lieutenant 
Sterrett  gave  orders  to  sink  the  corsair, 
"on  which  a  scene  of  furious  combat 
ensued,  until  the  enemy  cried  for  mer- 
cy," throwing  his  colors  into  the  ocean ; 
bending  his  body,  in  the  waist  of  his 
vessel,  and  supplicating  for  quarter.^ 

Listening  to  the  dictates  of  humanity, 
Lieutenant  Sterrett  ordered  a  suspen- 
sion of  the  fire,  and  directed  the  cap- 
tain either  to  come  on  board  the  Enter- 
prize  or  to  send  some  of  his  officers ; 
but  the  boats  of  the  enemy  having  been 
destroyed  the  demand  could  not  be 
complied  with,  and  a  boat  was  sent  on 


>  Com.  Dale's  Dispatch  ;  Poulson's  Am.  Daily  Advertiser, 
Phila.,  Nov.  19,  1801.—'  Ibid.  ;  Capt.  Sterrett,  in  Poul- 
son's Am.  Daily  Advertiser,  Phila.,  Nov.  18,  1801 ;  Badger's 
Naval  Temple,  pp.  15,  16  ;  History  of  War  with  Tripoli, 
pp.  91,  92. 


Chap.  VII.] 


THE  CAPTURE  OF  THE  TRIPOLI. 


37 


board,  from  the  JEnterprize^  and  the 
vessel  taken  possession  of.^ 

The  enemy  proved  to  be  the  Tripoli- 
tan  ship  Tripoli^  commanded  by  Ma- 
homet Sous,  armed  with  fourteen  six- 
pounders,  and  manned  with  eighty 
men.^  She  had  become  a  perfect 
wreck,  having  lost  her  mizzen-mast, 
and  received  eighty-one  shot  in  her 
hull,  between  wind  and  water  ;^  while 
of  her  crew,  twenty  had  been  killed 
and  thirty  wounded.* 

The  Enterprize^  which  carried  twelve 
six-pounders  and  a  crew  of  ninety  men, 
received  but  little  injury,  either  in  her 
hull  or  rigging,  and  not  a  man  of  her 
crew  was  injured.^ 

As  Lieutenant  Sterrett's  instructions 
did  not  allow  him  to  carry  the  prize 
into  port,®  he  ordered  Lieutenant  David 
Porter  to  dismantle  her ;  and,  after  ad- 
ministering to  the  relief  of  the  wound- 
ed, cutting  down  her   masts,  throwing 

'  Com.  Dale's  Dispatch  ;  Poulson's  Am.  Daily  Advertiser, 
Phila.,  Nov.  19,  1801 ;  Capt.  Sterrett,  in  Poulson's  Am. 
Daily  Advertiser,  Phila.,  Nov.  18,  1801  ;  Badger's  Naval 
Temple,  pp.  15,  16;  Hist,  of  War  in  Tripoli,  pp.  91,  92. 

'  Cooper,  i.  p.  345  ;  Com.  Dale's  Dispatch  ;  Letter  from 
an  officer  on  the  United  States,  in  Poulson's  Daily  Adver- 
tiser, Phila.,  Nov.  11,  1801  ;  Com.  Dale  to  the  American 
Consul  at  Gibraltar,  Aug.  19,  1801.  Some  accounts  say 
she  carried  eighty-five  men. 

'  Com.  Dale's  Dispatch.  Some  accounts  state  that  only 
sixteen  or  eighteen  balls  vs'ere  thus  received. 

*  Com.  Dale  to  the  American  Consul  at  Gibraltar,  Aug. 
19,  1801 ;  Com.  Dale's  Dispatch. 

'Ibid.;  Hist,  of  War  with  Tripoli,  p.  92;  Badger's 
Naval  Temple,  p.  17.—°  Cooper,  i.  p.  346  ;  Clark,  p.  103  ; 
Hist,  of  War  with  I'ripoli,  p.  92. 


her  guns  overboard,  and  raising  a  tem- 
porary spar,  on  which  a  tattered  sail 
was  hoisted,  he  dismissed  the  vessel 
and  her  piratical  crew.-^ 

It  is  said  that,  after  a  lengthy  and 
dangerous  trip,  the  Tripoli  reached  her 
port,  when  the  sorry  spectacle  which 
she  presented,  and  the  terrible  stories 
which  her  officers  and  crew  related,  ex- 
cited the  strongest  feelings  of  shame 
and  indignation  in  the  government,  and 
of  alarm  among  the  people.  The  un- 
fortunate captain,  notwithstanding  his 
wounds,  was  sentenced  to  receive  five 
hundred  bastinadoes ;  and  was  mounted 
on  a  jackass  and  paraded  through  the 
streets  of  Tripoli  as  an  object  of  pub- 
lic scorn  and  contempt.  The  cruisers 
which  were  then  in  port,  however,  suf- 
fered the  immediate  loss  of  their  crews, 
who  were  thunderstruck  at  the  result 
of  this  engagement,  and,  by  desertion, 
sought  their  own  safety.^ 

The  effect  of  this  action  on  the  action 
of  Tripoli  generally,  was  also  beneficial, 
inasmuch  as  but  very  few  cruisers  sub- 
sequently ventured  out  of  port,  or  if 
they  did  so  they  confined  their  opera- 
tions to  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the 
shore.^ 


'  Capt.  Sterrett,  in  Poulson's  Am.  Daily  Advertiser, 
Phila.,  Nov.  18,  1801  ;  Com.  Dale's  Dispatch  ;  History 
of  War  with  Tripoli,  p.  92. 

2  Com.  Dale's  Dispatch  ;  Hist,  of  War  with  Tripoli,  p. 
92  ;  Badger's  Naval  Temple,  p.  17. 

=  Cooper,  i.  346. 


CHAPTER    VIII 


Aug:ust   3,   1S04. 

THE    BOMBARDMENT    OF    TRIPOLI. 


The  troubles  with  Tripoli  having 
been  unsettled,  the  American  squadron, 
under  Commodore  Preble,  had  spent 
tlie  earlier  part  of  the  year  1804  in  a 
strict  blockade  of  that  port,  in  cruising 
in  that  vicinity,  and  in  preparing  for 
an  attack  on  the  town.-^ 

For  the  latter  purpose,  among  other 
measures,  a  loan  of  two  bomb-ketches 
and  six  gunboats,  with  their  equipments, 
had  been  asked  and  received  from  the 
King  of  Naples,  and  had  sailed  from 
Messina;^  and,  on  the  twenty-fifth  of 
July,  1804,  the  squadron  assembled 
before  Tripoli,^  when  the  Commodore 
found  himself  at  the  head  of  the  Con- 
stitution^ of  forty-four  guns  ;  the  Argus^ 
commanded  by  Lieutenant  Isaac  Hull, 
mounting  sixteen  twenty-four  pound- 
ers ;  the  Syren^  Lieutenant  Charles 
Stewart,  mounting  sixteen  twenty-four 
pounders ;  the  Scourge^  Lieutenant  Dent, 
mounting  fourteen  eighteen-pounders ; 
the  Vixen^  Lieutenant  Smith,  mounting 
twelve  eighteen-pounders ;  the  Miter- 
prize^  Lieutenant  Stephen  Decatur, 
mounting  twelve  six-pounders ;  the 
Nautilus^   Lieutenant   Somers,    mount- 

'  Clark's  Naval  Hist.,  p.  109;  Cooper,  ii.  pp.  37-40; 
Badger's  Naval  Temple,  p.  28. — "  Com.  Preble  to  Sec.  of 
Navy,  Sept.  18 ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  38. — '  Com.  Preble  to  Sec. 
of  Navy,  Sept.  18.  The  History  of  the  War  with  Tripoli  (Sa- 
lem, 1806,  p.  110)  says  he  "arrived  on  the  twenty -third." 
Mr.  Clark  (Naval  Hist.,  p.  109)  says  he  "joined  the  ves- 
sels off  Tripoli  on  the  twenty-first." 


ing  twelve  eighteen-pounders  ;  the  two 
Neapolitan  bomb-ketches ;  and  the  six 
gunboats  belonging  to  the  same  power.^ 

Opposed  to  this  little  force  was  a 
walled  city,  protected  by  heavy  bat- 
teries, on  which  were  mounted  a  hun- 
dred and  fifteen  guns ;  nineteen  gun- 
boats, each  carrying  a  long  brass  eigh- 
teen or  twenty-four  pounder  in  the  bow 
and  two  howitzers  abaft ;  a  brig  of  ten 
guns ;  two  scliooners,  each  mounting 
eight  guns ;  and  two  galleys,  each 
mounting  four  guns ;  the  whole  ot 
which  were  sheltered  by  a  long  range 
of  rocks  and  shoals,  extending  more 
than  two  miles  eastward  from  the  town, 
and  rendering  it  impossible  for  a  vessel 
of  the  Constitution'' s  draft  of  water  to 
approach  near  enough  to  co-operate 
with  the  lighter  vessels,  and  defended 
by  a  land  force  of  about  twenty-five 
thousand  men.^ 

The  weather  was  not  favorable  for 
anchoring  until  the  twenty-eighth  of 
July,  when  the  squadron  ran  in,  with 
the  wind  east-southeast  ;  and,  about 
three  in  the  afternoon,  anchored,  by 
signal,  about  two  miles  and  a  half  from 
the  town.     The  squadron  had  no  soon- 


»  Com.  Preble  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept.  18  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p. 
40.  Mr.  Clark  (Naval  Hist.,  p.  109)  gives  different  arma- 
ments to  most  of  the  vessels. — '  Com.  Preble  to  Sec.  of 
Navy,  Sept.  18  ;  Clark's  Naval  Hist.,  p.  109  ;  Badger's 
Naval  Temple,  pp.  28,  29. 


Chap.  VIH.] 


THE  BOMBARDMENT  OF  TRIPOLI. 


39 


er  aucliored  than  a  heavy  gale  arose, 
and  continued  until  the  first  of  August, 
during  whicli  the  gunboats  and  bomb- 
vessels  were  in  great  danger,  and  were 
saved  only  by  the  most  strenuous  efforts 
of  the  officers  and  crew  of  the  squad- 
ron.^ 

On  the  third  of  August,  the  weather 
being  pleasant,  the  squadron  ran  in 
again,  with  an  easterly  breeze,  and, 
about  noon,  had  come  within  two  or 
three  miles  from  the  batteries,  on  and 
around  which  the  garrisons  were  dis- 
played, either  to  intimidate  the  assail- 
ants or  to  invite  an  attack.  Several  of 
the  enemy's  gunboats  and  galleys^  had 
left  the  harbor,  and  formed,  in  two 
divisions,  outside  the  rocks  and  shoals, 
also  with  the  intention  of  inviting  an 
attack ;  and  preparations  were  made 
for  an  immediate  gratification  of  their 
wish.  At  half-past  twelve  the  Consti- 
tution wore  off  shore,  and  signalled  the 
smaller  vessels  to  come  within  hailing 
distance ;  when  Commodore  Preble  com- 
municated to  the  several  commandants 
his  intention  of  attacking  the  enemy's 
shipping  and  batteries,  with  his  orders 
for  the  disposition  of  their  several  crews. 
The  gunboats  and  bomb-ketches  were 
immediately  manned  and  prepared  to 
cast  off,  and  within  an  hour  from  their 
receipt  of  the  orders,  the  several  com- 

'  Com.  Preble  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept.  18  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p. 
41 ;  Mackenzie's  Decatur  [Sparks'  Am.  Biog.,  xxi.),  p.  87. 

'  "  Against  twenty-one  large  gun  and  several  smaller  boats 
full  of  men." — Letter  of  Com.  Preble  to  Wm.  Biggins,  Aug. 
15,  1804.  and  cited  in  the  National  Intelligencer,  Washing- 
ton, D.  C,  Dec.  3,  1804.  "  The  enemy  had  seventeen  gun- 
boats moored  in  a  line  in  front  of  their  batteries,  also  a 
brig  of  sixteen  guns  and  a  schooner  of  ten  guns,  moored 
to  cover  their  boats." — Letter  from  LiexU.-Coni.  Charles  Stew- 
art, "  Off  Tripoli.  Aug.  9.  1804,"  in  the  Xalional  Ijitelligencer, 
Washington,  Dec.  5,  1804. 


mandants  were  ready  to  j)erform  their 
respective  parts  of  the  service  to  which 
the}^  had  been  assigned.-^ 

These  small  vessels  were  divided 
into  two  di\nsions  of  three  gunboats 
and  a  ketch  each.  The  first  was  com- 
manded by  Lieutenant  Dent,  in  the 
ketch ;  by  Lieutenant  Somers,  in  gun- 
boat jSf'innljer  One'  by  Lieutenant 
James  Decatur,  in  gunboat  JSfvmher 
Two  j  and  by  Lieutenant  Blake,  in 
gunboat  JSfuwher  Three.  The  second 
division  was  commanded  by  Lieutenant 
Robinson,  in  the  ketch ;  by  Lieutenant 
Stephen  Decatur,  in  gunboat  JSmnher 
Four ;  by  Lieutenant  Joseph  Bain- 
bridge,  in  gunboat  Number  Five  ;  and 
by  Lieutenant  Trippe,  in  gunboat  JSfum- 
her  Six? 

At  half-past  one  o'clock,  the  arrange- 
ments having  been,  meanwhile,  perfect- 
ed, the  squadron  wore  again,  and  stood 
towards  the  town.  At  two  o'clock  the 
gunboats — which  had  been  towed  by 
the  several  vessels — were  cast  off;  at  a 
quarter-past  two  the  signal  for  them  to 
advance  and  attack  the  enemy  was  dis- 
played ;  at  half-past  two  the  genei'al 
sio'nal  for  battle  was  made :  and,  at  a 
quarter  before  three,  the  action  com- 
menced by  the  ketches  opening  their 
fire  on  the  town.  The  batteries  and 
shipping  immediately  returned  the  fire 
with  great  spirit,  and  the  American 
squadron  responded,  within  grape-shot 
distance.^ 

In  the  mean  time  the  two  divisions 


'  Com.  Preble  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept.  18  ;  Mackenzie's 
Decatur,  p.  88 ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  42. — '  Com.  Preble  to  Sec. 
of  Navy,  Sept.  18  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  42  ;  Clark,  p.  110  ;  Wal- 
do's Life  of  Preble,  p.  19-5. — ^  Com.  Preble  to  Sec.  of  Navy, 
Sept.  18  ;  Clark,  p.  110  ;  Waldo's  Preble,  pp.  197,  198. 


40 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


of  gunboats,  covered  by  the  brigs  and 
schooners,  advanced  against  the  ene- 
my's light  vessels  which  had  advanced 
from  the  harbor.  In  this,  however,  in 
consequence  of  the  dull  sailing  qualities 
of  the  boats,  the  progress  was  not  sat- 
isfactory to  the  ardent  spirits  by  whom 
they  were  commanded;  and  their  sweeps 
were  thrown  out,  and  worked  with  a 
will,  to  secure  the  positions  which  had 
been  assigned  to  them  by  the  Commo- 
dore.^ 

The  first  division  was  separated,  and 
accomplished  but  little.  Number  One^ 
commanded  by  Lieutenant  Somers,  bore 
down  with  great  spirit,  and  attacked 
five  of  the  gunboats,  which  formed,  in 
part,  the  enemy's  western  division,  de- 
feating, and  driving  them  within  the 
rocks,  in  a  shattered  condition,  and 
with  the  loss  of  a  great  number  of  men.^ 
Number  Two^  under  Lieutenant  James 
Decatur,  joined  the  second  division,  as 
will  be  seen  hereafter,  and  lost  his  life 
through  the  treachery  of  his  oppo- 
nent.^ Number  TJiree^  under  Lieuten- 
ant Blake,  was  misled  by  an  erroneous 
signal  of  recall,  which  was  displayed 
by  the  Commodore,  and  accomplished 
nothing  beyond  opening  a  fire  on  the 
shipping  within  the  harbor.* 

The  second  division  of  gunboats  was 
more  successful,  although  the  officers 
on  this,  too,  were  sadly  annoyed  by 
the  bad  sailing  qualities  of  the  vessels. 
Numler  Four^  under  Lieutenant  Ste- 
phen Decatur,  after  pouring  showers  of 
grape  and  musket-balls  on  the  enemy, 

'  Com.  Preble  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept.  18  ;  Cooper,  11.  p. 
43.—'  Com.  Preble  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept.  18  ;  Clark,  pp. 
110,  111 ;  Mackenzie's  Decatur,  p.  89  ;  Waldo's  Preble, 
p.  202.—'  Vide  p.  42.—*  Cooper,  ii.  43. 


as  he  approached,  bore  down  on  and 
attacked  one  of  the  largest  of  the  ene- 
my's squadron.  Laying  his  boat  along- 
side. Lieutenant  Decatur  boarded  the 
enemy,  followed  by  Lieutenant  Thorne, 
Midshipman  McDonough,  and  the  Amer- 
ican portion  of  his  crew ;  and  between 
them  and  the  crew  of  the  enemy — 
ranged  on  either  side  of  a  long,  open 
hatchway,  which  divided  the  deck  into 
two  parts — a  close  contest,  for  the  pos- 
session of  the  vessel,  ensued.  After  a 
short  struggle,  at  this  distance,  the 
Americans  charged  round  each  end  of 
the  hatchway,  and  either  destroyed  the 
crew  or  compelled  it  to  surrender.^ 
After  securing  his  prize.  Lieutenant 
Decatur  took  her  in  tow,  and  bore 
down  to  the  next  of  the  enemy's  line.^ 
Running  his  own  vessel  aboard,  he 
boarded  this  as  he  had  boarded  the 
other,  and  was,  immediately,  engaged 
in  a  close  and  desperate  struggle  with 
the  captain  of  the  Tripolitan,  whom 
Lieutenant  Decatur  attacked  with  a 
pike.  The  Turk  was  a  large  and  ex- 
ceedingly powerful  man,  and  as  his  as- 
sailant approached  he  seized  the  pike, 
wrested  it  from  his  hand,  and  turned 
it  against  its  owner.  Parrying  the 
thrust,  Lieutenant  Decatur  drew  his 
cutlass  and  attempted  to  cut  off  the 
head  of  the  pike,  but  the  weapon  broke 


'  Com.  Preble  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept.  18  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p. 
44;  Mackenzie's  Decatur,  p.  90. 

'^  Com.  Preble  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept.  18  ;  Clark,  p.  Ill ; 
Cooper,  ii.  pp.  44,  45  ;  Hist,  of  War  with  Tripoli,  p.  111. 
Lieut.  Mackenzie  (Life  of  Decatur,  p.  91)  says  that  "taking 
his  prize  in  tow,  Decatur  was  proceeding  out  of  the  harbor, 
when  the  boat,  which  had  been  commanded  by  his 
brother,  came  under  his  stern  and  informed  him ' '  of  the 
murder  of  his  brother,  on  Number  Two,  when  he  returned  to 
the  enemy's  line  and  attacked  this  second  boat.  No  other 
authority,  which  I  have  seen,  refers  to  such  a  movement. 


irli<[l.UrtWUlKMdM(WllMi(JH1ltO<ffiMffiMalO«lMUIMm«IMHMi[SffiM01l(Mfl#^^ 


^/^jz.^A^^^-i.'^< 


J'/vm  ikg  an^maJ.  p/mr/iny  jMtMptisses-swny  flf!h/.  Fa 


Chap.  VIII.] 


THE  BOMBARDMENT  OF  TRIPOLI. 


41 


at  the  hilt,  leaving  the  American,  ap- 
parently, at  the  mercy  of  the  Turk. 
A  second  thrust  was  parried  with  his 
arm,  and  Lieutenant  Decatur  sprang 
upon  and  grappled  his  opponent.  The 
ti'ial  of  strength  which  followed  this 
resolute  adventure  speedily  terminated 
in  favor  of  the  Turk,  although,  in  fall- 
ing. Lieutenant  Decatur  so  far  released 
himself  that  he  laid,  on  the  deck,  side 
by  side  with  his  enemy.  The  latter 
immediately  attempted  to  reach  a  small 
poniard  which  he  carried  in  his  sash, 
but  Lieutenant  Decatur,  perceiving  his 
object,  grasped  his  hand,  and  at  the 
same  time  drew  from  his  own  pocket  a 
small  pistol,  which  he  passed  around 
the  body  of  the  prostrate  Turk,  pointed 
inward,  and  lii-ed.  The  ball  passed  en- 
tirely through  the  body  of  the  Turk, 
killing  him  instantly,  and  Lieutenant 
Decatur,  released  from  his  grasp,  sprang 
to  his  feet.^  It  was  while  the  two  com- 
manders were  thus  strus^o'lino'  for  the 
mastery,  that  the  well-known  act  of 
Keuben  James  occurred.  One  of  the 
crew  of  the  Tripolitan,  perceiving  the 
desperate  encounter  in  which  his  cap- 
tain was  engaged,  ran  to  the  rescue, 
and  raised  his  sabre  to  cleave  the  skull 
of  Lieutenant  Decatur ;  when  Reuben 
James,  a  quarter-gunner  on  the  Eider- 
prize^  who  had  lost  the  use  of  both  his 
arms  by  wounds,  rushed  in,  and  re- 
ceived, on  the  back  of  his  head,  with- 
out fjital  effect,  the  blow  which  was 
intended  for  his   gallant    commander.^ 


'  Cooper,  ii.  p.  45.  Lieut.  Mackenzie  (Life  of  Decatur,  pp. 
91-93)  and  Mr.  Clark  (Naval  Hist.,  pp.  110,  111)  give  en- 
tirely different  narratives  of  this  adventure. — °  Macken- 
zie's Decatur,  pp.  92,861-363.  Mr.Cooper(iVayaZ  ffis<.,ii.p. 
45)  supposes  the  blow  was  received  on  the  young  man's  arm. 
Vol.  II.— 6 


While  this  struggle  was  going  on,  the 
assailants  were  not  idle ;  and  the  re- 
lease of  Lieutenant  Decatur  from  the 
grasp  of  the  Turk  was  speedily  followed 
by  the  surrender  of  the  vessel.^  Gun- 
boat Number  JFive^  commanded  by 
Lieutenant  Bainbridge,  had  her  lateen- 
sail  shot  away  early  in  the  action,  which 
prevented  her  getting  into  the  position 
which  had  been  assigned  to  her ;  but 
she  opened  a  steady  and  well-directed 
fire  on  the  enemy,  from  musket-shot 
distance,  which  caused  considerable 
trouble  among  the  Tripolitans,  and  in- 
duced her  to  pursue  a  portion  of  the 
enemy  until  she  grounded,  under  the 
batteries,  and  was  saved  only  with  con- 
siderable difficulty.^  Number  Six,  com- 
manded by  Lieutenant  Trippe,  ran 
alongside  one  of  the  largest  of  the  op- 
posing squadron ;  and  her  commander, 
with  Midshipman  John  Henley  and 
nine  men,  immediately  boarded  her. 
Number  Six  falling  off  before  any  more 
of  her  men  could  get  on  board  the  ene- 
my to  assist  those  who  were  already  on 
board,  the  struggle  for  the  mastery  was 
against  great  odds — eleven  against  thir- 
ty-six— -and  it  was  carried  on  with  un- 
usual desperation.  After  killing  four- 
teen of  the  enemy,  and  wounding  seven 
others,  the  Americans  succeeded  in  cap- 
turing the  vessel,  with  the  loss  of  only 
four  wounded  —  one  of  whom.  Lieu- 
tenant Trippe,  received  eleven  sabre 
wounds,  some  of  which  were   very  se- 


'  Com.  Preble  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept.  18  ;  Clark,  pp. 
110,  111  ;  Cooper,  ii.  pp.  44^6  ;  Hist,  of  War  with  Trip- 
oli, p.  Ill  ;  Mackenzie's  Decatur,  pp.  90-93. 

"  Com.  Preble  to  Secretary  of  Navy,  Sept.  18  ;  Clark, 
p.  Ill  ;  Mackenzie's  Decatur,  p.  90  ;  Waldo's  Preble, 
p.  202. 


42 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


vere.^  Number  Two^  to  wliicTi  allusion 
has  already  been  made,  was  command- 
ed by  Lieutenant  James  Decatur — Ste- 
phen's brothel* — and  joined  the  second 
division  eai'ly  in  the  action.  Like  his 
brother,  the  commander  of  this  vessel 
ran  alongside  and  engaged  a  large 
gunboat  in  the  eastern  division  of  the 
enemy's  force,  which  he  compelled  to 
surrender,  after  a  close  and  very  severe 
contest.  As  he  was  about  to  take  pos- 
session of  his  prize  he  was  treacherously 
shot  through  the  head  by  her  command- 
er,^ who,  taking  advantage  of  this  cir- 
cumstance, and.  receiving  the  assistance 
of  other  boats  of  the  enemy's  squadron, 
secured  his  escape.^  The  bomb-ketches 
kept  their  stations,  although  covered 
with  the  spray  of  the  sea,  occasioned 
by  the  enemy's  shot ;  and  they  \e^t  up 
a  constant  and  destructive  fire  on  the 
town  during  the  action  between  the 
gunboats.* 

A  division  of  the  enemy's  fleet,  com- 

'  Com.  Preble  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept.  18  ;  Cooper,  ii.  pp. 
46,  47  ;  Clark,  p.  Ill  ;  Mackenzie's  Decatur,  pp.  94,  95  ; 
Waldo's  Preble,  p.  202;  Lieut. -Com.  Stewart's  Letter, 
Aug.  9,  1804.— ^  Com.  Preble  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept.  18; 
Clark,  p.  112;  Mackenzie,  pp.  90,  91.  Mr.  Cooper  {Na- 
val Hist.,  ii.  p.  46),  while  he  concurs  in  the  general  state- 
ment, appears  to  discredit  the  idea  that  the  enemy  had 
surrendered  and  afterwards  renewed  the  action. 

'  Com.  Preble  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept.  18  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p. 
46  ;  Clark,  p.  112.  Lieut.  Mackenzie  {Life  of  Decatur,  p.  91) 
says  Lieut.  Stephen  Decatur — James'  brother — pursued 
this  boat,  singled  out  the  person  who  shot  his  brother, 
and  after  a  desperate  personal  encounter,  already  referred 
to,  killed  him  and  captui'ed  the  boat  which  he  command- 
ed. As  Com.  Preble  says  that,  "with  the  assistance 
he  received  from  other  boats,"  "the  poltroon"  "was 
enabled  to  escape;"  as  Messrs.  Clark  and  Cooper,  after 
carefully  examining  the  subject,  concur  in  this  state- 
ment ;  and  as  the  latter  gentleman  has  even  disputed 
the  statement  that  the  boat  had  struck  her  colors, — 
which  would  remove  all  appearance,  even,  of  treachery, — 
I  have  not  felt  warranted  in  differing  from  the  official 
narrative. 

*  Cum.  Preble  to  Secretary  of  Navy,  Sept.  18. 


posed  of  five  gunboats  and  two  galleys, 
which  had  remained  within  the  harbor, 
protected  by  the  reefs  before  referred 
to,  having  been  joined  by  those  por- 
tions of  the  gunboats  which  had  been 
driven  into  the  harbor  by  the  Ameri- 
can squadron,  two  attempts  were  made 
to  row  out  of  the  harbor  for  the  pur- 
pose of  surrounding  the  American  gun- 
boats and  their  prizes,  but  the  fire 
which  was  opened  on  them  by  the 
brigs  and  schooners  and  by  the  Consti- 
tution^ kept  them  in  check,  and  pre- 
vented them  from  succeeding  in  this 
design.^ 

At  half-past  four,  the  winc^  inclining 
to  the  northward,  signal  was  made  for 
the  bomb-ketches  and  gunboats  to  re- 
tire from  action ;  which  was  followed, 
immediately  afterwards,  by  another,  for 
the  brigs  and  schooners  and  their  boats 
to  tow  off  the  gunboats  and  their  prizes, 
which  was  done  under  a  heavy  cover- 
ing fire  from  the  Constitution.  At  a 
quarter  before  five  o'clock  the  ketches 
were  towed  off,  and  the  action  closed.^ 

During  the  two  hours  in  which  the 
squadron  was  thus  engaged,  the  grape- 
shot  made  great  havoc  among  the  ene- 
my's forces,  both  those  on  board  the 
vessels  and  those  on  sh.ore ;  and  the 
batteries  were  frequently  silenced  by 
the  fire  of  the  Constitution.^  although 
they  were  immediately  re-occupied 
when  the  guns  of  that  vessel  could  not 
be  brouofht  to  bear  on  them.  Three  of 
the  enemy's  gunboats  were  sunk  in  the 
harbor,  several  had  their  decks  cleared 
of  men  by  the  shot  from  the  squadron, 

'  Com.  Preble  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept.  18  ;  Clark,  p.  112  ; 
Cooper,  ii.  p.  48  — '  Com.  Preble  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept. 
18 ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  48 ;  Mackenzie,  pp.  95,  96. 


Chap.  VIIL] 


DOCIBIEXT. 


43 


and  a  very  heavy  loss  of  life  and  prop- 
erty has  been  said  to  have  befallen  the 
town  from  the  explosion  of  the  shells/ 

The  American  sqnadron  suffered  but 
little  damao'e.  The  Co n-stitut (oil's  main- 
mast  was  wounded,  and  her  main-royal 
yard  and  sail  were  shot  away.  Her 
sails  and  running  rigging  were  also  con- 
siderably cut;  and  one  of  her  quarter- 
deck guns  was  damaged  by  a  thirty- 
two  pound  shot.  Gunboat  Number 
Flue  lost  her  main-yard  ;  and  the  brigs' 
and  schooners'  sails  and  rio^OTna  were 
considerably  cut.     The  loss,  among  the 


crews,  was  confined  to  Lieutenant  James 
Decatur,  IciUed  •  Lieutenants  Stephen 
Decatur  and  Trippe,  and  eleven  men, 
wounded} 

The  squadron  anchored  about  two 
leagues  from  Tripoli  to  repair  its  dama- 
ges, and  to  prepare  for  a  renewal  of  the 
attack.^ 

The  officers,  seamen,  and  marines  of 
the  squadron  are  said  to  have  behaved 
in  the  most  gallant  manner;  and  re- 
ceived the  commendation  of  the  com- 
mander in  his  dispatches  to  the  govern- 
ment.^ 


D  0  CUMEIN'T. 


extract  from  comiiodore  preble  s  dispatch 
to  the  secretary  of  the  navy. 

Sir:— 


* 


* 


The  weather  was  not  favorable  for  anchoring 
until  the  twenty-eighth,  when,  with  the  wind 
E.  s.  E.,  the  sqnadron  stood  in  for  the  coast,  and, 
at  three  in  the  afternoon,  anchored,  per  signal, 
Tripoli  bearing  south,  two  and  a  half  miles  dis- 
tant. At  this  moment  the  wind  shifted  sudden- 
ly from  E.  s.  E.  to  N.  >".  Av.,  and  from  thence  to 
X.  X.  E.  At  five  o'clock  it  blew  strong,  with  a 
heavy  sea,  setting  directly  on  shore.  I  made 
the  signal  to  prepare  to  -weigh.  At  six,  the 
wind  and  sea  having  considerably  increased,  the 
signal  was  made  for  the  sqnadron  to  weigh  and 
gain  an  ofEng.  The  wind  continued  veering  to 
the  eastward,  which  favored  our  gaining  sea- 
room,  without  being  obliged  to  carry  so  great  a 
press  of  sail  as  to  lose  any  of  our  gunboats,  al- 
though they  were  in  great  danger.  The  gale 
continued,  varpng  from  northeast  to  east-south- 
east, without  increasing  much,  until  the  thirty- 

'  Com.  Preble  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept.  18  :  Cooper,  ii. 
pp.  48,  49  ;  Hist,  of  War  ia  Tripoli,  p.  Ill  ;  Lieut.  Stew- 
art's letter,  Aug.  9,  1804. 


first,  when  it  blew  away  our  reefed  foresail  and 
close-reefed  maiutopsail.  Fortunately  the  sea 
did  not  rise  in  proportion  to  the  strength  of  the 
gale,  or  we  must  have  lost  all  our  boats. 

August  the  first,  the  gale  subsided,  and  we 
stood  towards  the  coast ;  every  preparation  was 
made  for  an  attack  on  the  town  and  harbor. 

August  the  third,  pleasant  weather,  wind 
east,  stood  in  with  the  squadron  towards  Tripo- 
li ;  at  noon  we  were  between  two  and  three 
miles  from  the  batteries,  which  were  all  manned, 
and  observing  several  of  their  gunboats  and  gal- 
leys had  advanced  in  two  divisions,  without  the 
rocks,  I  determined  to  take  advantage  of  their 
temerity.  At  halfpast  twelve  o'clock  I  wore 
off  shore,  and  made  the  signal  to  come  within 
hail,  when  I  communicated  to  each  of  the  com- 
manders my  intention  of  attacking  the  enemy's 
shijDping  and  batteries.  The  gun  and  mortar 
boats  were  immediately  manned  and  prepared 
to  cast  otf;  the  gunboats,  in  two  divisions  of 
three  each,  the  first  division  commanded  by 
Cajjtain  Somers  in  Xo.  1,  Lieutenant  Decatur 

1  Com.  Preble  to  Sec.  of  Navy.  Sept.  18  :  Clark,  pp. 
112,  113.—=  Cooper,  ii.  p.  50.—=  Com.  Preble  to  Sec.  of 
Navy,  Sept.  18. 


44 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


in  No.  2,  and  Lieutenant  Blake  in  No.  3.  The 
second  division  commanded  by  Captain  Decatur 
in  No.  4,  Lieutenant  Bainbridge  in  No.  5,  and 
Lieutenant  Trippe  in  No.  6.  The  two  bombards 
were  commanded  by  Lieutenant-commandant 
Dent  and  Mr.  Robinson,  first  lieutenant  of  this 
ship.  At  half-past  one  o'clock,  having  made 
the  necessary  arrangements  for  the  attack,  wore 
ship  and  stood  towards  the  batteries ;  at  two, 
signal  made  to  cast  off  the  boats  ;  at  a  quarter- 
past  two,  signal  for  bombs  and  gunboats  to  ad- 
vance and  attack  the  enemy ;  at  half-past  two, 
general  signal  for  battle  ;  at  three-quarters  past 
two,  the  bombs  commenced  the  action  by 
throwing  shells  into  the  town.  In  an  instant 
the  enemy's  shipping  and  batteries  opened  a 
tremendous  fire,  which  was  promptly  returned 
by  the  whole  squadron  within  grape-shot  dis- 
tance ;  while,  at  the  same  time,  the  second 
division,  of  three  gunboats,  led  by  the  gallant 
Ca^jtain  Decatur,  was  advancing,  with  sails  and 
oars,  to  board  the  eastern  division  of  the  enemy, 
consisting  of  nine  boats.  Our  boats  gave  the 
enemy  showers  of  grape  and  musket  balls  as 
they  advanced ;  they,  however,  soon  closed, 
when  the  pistol,  sabre,  pike,  and  tomahawk, 
were  made  good  use  of  by  our  brave  tars. 
Captain  Somers,  being  in  a  dull  sailer,  made  the 
best  use  of  his  sweeps,  but  was  not  able  to  fetch 
far  enough  to  windward  to  engage  the  same 
division  of  the  enemy's  boats  which  Captain 
Decatur  fell  in  with.  He,  however,  gallantly 
bore  down  with  his  single  boat  on  five  of  the 
enemy's  western  division,  and  engaged  within 
pistol-shot,  defeated,  and  drove  them  within  the 
rocks,  in  a  shattei-ed  condition,  and  with  the 
loss  of  a  great  number  of  men.  Lieutenant 
Decatur,  in  No.  2,  was  closely  engaged  with 
one  of  the  enemy's  largest  boats,  of  the  eastern 
division,  which  struck  to  him,  after  having  lost 
a  large  proportion  of  men ;  and  at  the  instant 
that  brave  officer  was  boarding  her,  to  take  pos- 
session, he  was  treacherously  shot  through  the 
head  by  the  captain  of  the  boat  that  had  sur- 
rendered, which  base  conduct  enabled  the  pol- 
troon (Avith  the  assistance  he  received  from 
other  boats)  to  escape.  The  third  boat  of  Cap- 
tain Somers'  division  kept  to  windward,  firing 
at  the  boats  and  shipping  in  the  harbor.  Had 
she  gone  down  to  his  assistance,  it  is  probable 


several  of  the  enemy's  boats  would  have  been 
captured  in  tliat  quarter.  Captain  Decatur,  in 
No.  4,  after  having,  with  distinguished  bravery, 
boarded  and  carried  one  of  the  enemy,  of  supe- 
rior force,  took  his  prize  in  tow  and  gallantly 
bore  down  to  engage  a  second,  which,  after  a 
severe  and  bloody  conflict,  he  also  took  posses- 
sion of  These  two  prizes  had  thirty-three  offi- 
cers and  men  killed,  and  twenty-seven  made 
prisoners.  Lieutenant  Trippe  of  the  Vixen,  in 
No.  6,  ran  alongside  of  one  of  the  enemy's 
large  boats,  which  he  boarded,  with  only  Mid- 
shipman John  Henley  and  nine  men.  His  boat 
falUng  off  before  any  more  could  get  on  board, 
thus  was  he  left,  compelled  to  conquer  or  per- 
ish, with  the  odds  of  thirty-six  to  eleven.  The 
Turks  could  not  withstand  the  ardor  of  this 
brave  officer  and  his  assistants ;  in  a  few  min- 
utes the  decks  were  cleared,  and  her  colors 
hauled  down.  On  board  of  this  boat  fourteen 
of  the  enemy  were  killed  and  twenty-two  made 
prisoners,  seven  of  which  were  badly  wounded, 
the  rest  of  their  boats  retreated  within  the 
rocks.  Lieutenant  Trippe  received  eleven  sabre 
wounds,  some  of  which  were  severe ;  he  speaks 
in  the  highest  terms  of  Mr.  Henley  and  those 
who  followed  him.  Lieutenant  Bainbridge,  in 
No.  5,  had  his  lateen-yard  shot  away  early  in 
the  action,  which  prevented  his  getting  along- 
side of  the  enemy's  boats ;  but  he  galled  them 
by  a  steady  and  well-directed  fire  within  mus- 
ket-shot, indeed,  he  pursued  the  enemy  until 
his  boat  grounded  under  the  batteries,  but  she 
was  fortunately  soon  got  off.  The  bomb-ves- 
sels kept  their  stations,  although  covered  with 
the  spray  of  the  sea,  occasioned  by  the  enemy's 
shot,  and  were  well  conducted  by  Lieutenants 
Dent  and  Robinson,  who  kept  up  a  constant  fire 
from  the  mortars,  and  threw  a  great  number  of 
shells  into  the  town.  Five  of  the  enemy's  gun- 
boats and  two  galleys,  composing  the  centre 
division,  and  stationed  within  the  rocks  as  a  re- 
serve, joined  by  the  boats  that  had  been  driven  in, 
and  supplied  by  fresh  men  from  the  shore  to  re- 
place those  they  had  lost,  twice  attempted  to  row 
out  to  endeavor  to  surround  our  gunboats  and 
their  prizes  ;  I  as  often  made  the  signal  to  cover 
them,  which  was  promptly  attended  to  by  the 
brigs  and  schooners,  all  of  which  were  gallantly 
conducted,  and  annoyed  the  enemy  exceeding- 


Chap.  VIII.] 


DOCUMENT. 


45 


ly ;  but  the  fire  from  this  ship  kept  their  flotilla 
completely  in  check.  Our  grape-shot  made 
great  havoc  among  their  men,  not  only  on 
board  their  shipping,  but  on  shore.  We  were 
several  times  within  two  cables'  length  of  the 
rocks,  and  within  three  of  their  batteries ;  every 
one  of  which,  in  succession,  were  silenced  so 
long  as  we  could  bring  our  broadsides  to  bear 
upon  them.  But  the  moment  we  passed  a  bat- 
tery it  was  reanimated,  and  a  constant  heavy 
fire  kept  up,  from  all  that  we  could  not  point 
our  guns  at.  We  sufliered  most  when  wearing 
or  tacking ;  it  was  then  I  most  sensibly  felt  the 
want  of  another  frigate.  At  half-past  four,  the 
wind  inclining  to  the  northward,  I  made  the 
signal  for  the  bombs  and  gunboats  to  retire 
from  action,  and,  immediately  after,  the  signal 
to  tow  off"  the  gunboats  and  prizes,  which  was 
handsomely  executed  by  the  brigs,  schooners, 
and  boats  of  the  squadron,  covered  by  a  heavy 
fire  from  the  Constitution.  At  three-quarters 
past  four  p.  M.,  the  light  vessels,  gunboats,  and 
prizes,  being  out  of  reach  of  the  enemy's  shot, 
I  hauled  off"  to  take  the  bomb-vessels  in  tow. 

We  were  two  hours  under  the  fire  of  the 
enemy's  batteries,  and  the  only  damage  received 
on  this  ship  is  a  twenty-four  pound  shot  nearly 
through  the  centre  of  the  mainmast,  thirty  feet 
from  the  deck ;  mainroyal  yard  and  sail  shot 
away  ;  one  of  our  quarter-deck  guns  damaged 
by  a  thirty-two  pound  shot,  which  at  the  same 
time  shattered  a  marine's  arm.  Two  lower 
shrouds  and  two  back-stays  were  shot  away, 
and  our  sails  and  running  rigging  considerably 
cut.  We  must  impute  our  getting  off"  thus  well 
to  our  keeping  so  near  that  they  overshot  us, 
and  to  the  annoyance  our  grape-shot  gave  them. 
They  are,  however,  but  wretched  gunners.  Gun- 
boat No.  5  had  the  main-yard  shot  away,  and 
the  rigging  and  sails  of  the  brigs  and  schooners 
were  considerably  cut. 

Lieutenant  Decatur  was  the  only  ofiicer  killed, 
but  in  him  the  service  has  lost  a  valuable  ofiicer. 
He  was  a  young  man  who  gave  strong  promise 
of  being  an  ornament  to  his  profession ;  his  con- 


duct in  the  action  was  highly  honorable,  and  he 
died  nohly. 

The  enemy  must  have  suffered  very  much  in 
killed  and  wounded,  both  among  their  shipjjing 
and  on  shore.  Three  of  their  gunboats  were 
sunk  in  the  harbor ;  several  of  them  had  their 
decks  nearly  cleared  of  men  by  our  shot,  and  a 
number  of  shells  burst  in  the  town  and  bat- 
teries, which  must  have  done  great  execution. 

The  officers,  -  seamen,  and  marines  of  the 
squadron,  behaved  in  the  most  gallant  manner. 
The  Neapolitans,  in  emulating  the  ardor  of 
oiu-  seamen,  answered  my  highest  exjDectations. 
I  cannot  but  notice  the  active  exertions  and 
officer-like  conduct  of  Lieutenant  Gordon,  and 
the  other  lieutenants  of  the  Constitution.  Mr. 
Harriden,  the  master,  gave  me  full  satisfaction, 
as  did  all  the  officers  and  ship's  company.  I 
was  much  gratified  by  the  conduct  of  Captain 
Hall  and  Lieutenant  Greenleaf,  and  the  marines 
belonging  to  his  company,  in  the  management 
of  six  long  twenty-six  pounders  on  the  spar- 
deck,  which  I  placed  under  his  direction.  Cap- 
tain Decatur  speaks  in  the  highest  terms  of  the 
conduct  of  Lieutenant  Thorn  and  Midshipman 
McDonough  of  No.  4,  as  does  Captain  Somers 
of  Midshipman  Ridgely  and  Miller  attached  to 
No.  1.  Annexed  is  a  list  of  killed  and  wound- 
ed ;  and  inclosed,  a  copy  of  my  general  orders 
on  this  occasion. 

Killed. —  Gunboat  N'o.  2,  Lieutenant  James 
Decatur. 

WoinsrDED. —  Constitution,  one  marine. 
Gunboat  N'o.  4,  Captain  Decatur,  slight,  one 
sergeant  of  marines,  and  two  seamen. 

Gunboat  N'o.  6,  Lieutenant  Trippe,  severely, 
one  boatswain's-mate,  and  two  marines. 

Gunboat  No.  1,  two  seamen. 

Gunboat  No.  2,  two  seamen. 

Total. — One  killed  and  thirteen  wounded. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  &c., 

Edward  Feeble. 

United  States  Ship  Constitution, 
Malta  Habbob,  Sept.  18, 1804. 


CHAPTER    IX. 


Aug^ust  7,  1§04. 

THE    SECOND    BOMBARDMENT    OF    TRIPOLI. 


The  first  attack  on  Tripoli,  the  cap- 
ture of  three  of  her  gunboats,  and  the 
subsequent  withdrawal  of  the  fleet,  for 
repairs,  have  been  already  alluded  to 
in  a  former  chapter  of  this  work.^  From 
the  third  to  the  eleventh  of  August  all 
hands  were  busily  employed  in  altering 
the  rig  of  the  three  prizes,  and  in  pre- 
paring for  a  second  attack  on  the  town.^ 

At  nine  in  the  morning  of  the  sev- 
enth, siofnal  was  made  to  the  light  ves- 
sels  of  the  squadron  to  weigh,  and  the 
gunboats  and  bomb-ketches  to  cast  oif, 
and  stand  in  shore  towards  the  western 
batteries  of  the  town,  in  doing  which 
both  sails  and  oars  were  called  into 
requisition.  The  breeze  was  a  light 
one  from  the  eastward,  which,  with  a 
strong  current  which  set  in  shore,  ren- 
dered it  prudent  for  the  Constitution 
to  remain  at  anchor ;  yet  the  squadron 
moved  to  the  positions  to  which  it  had 
been  assigned  with  great  spirit.^ 

The  bomb-ketches,  under  Lieutenants 
Dent  and  Robinson,  and  the  several 
gunboats,  formed  into  two  divisions, 
under  Lieutenants  Somers  and  Decatur, 
were  supported  by  the  Syren  and  Vixen , 
while  the  Constitution^  JSfmitiliis^  and 
Enterprize^  stood  to  windward,  ready 
to  cut  off  any  of  the  enemy's  gunboats 


'  Vide  Chap,  VIII.— «  Preble's  letter  to  Sec.  of  Navy, 
Sept.  18 ;  Cooper's  Naval  Hist.,  ii.  p.  50. 
'  Com.  Preble  to  Secretary  of  Navy,  Sept.  18. 


or  galleys  which  might  appear  on  the 
outside  of  the  harbor.^ 

At  half-past  two,  the  bomb-ketches 
and  gunboats  having  gained  their  po- 
sitions, the  signal  to  begin  the  ac- 
tion was  made  by  the  Commodore,  and 
the  engagement  commenced.^  The  fire 
opened  at  point-blank  distance;^  and, 
although  the  bombs  which  were  thrown, 
with  but  one  exce])tion,  were  bad,  and 
failed  to  explode,*  the  town  and  its  de- 
fences suffered  severely.^ 

At  half-past  three  a  hot  shot  struck 
Number  Nine — one  of  the  prizes  which 
had  been  captured  on  the  third  of  Au- 
gust, and  placed  under  the  command  of 
Lieutenant  James  R.  Caldwell  of  the 
Syren — and  passed  through  her  maga- 
zine; when  that  ill-fated  vessel,  with  her 
crew,  was  blown  up,  with  the  loss  of 
her  commander.  Midshipman  John  S. 
Dorsey,  and  eight  men  killed,  and  six 
men  wounded.  When  the  smoke  had 
cleared  away  from  the  wreck,  the  only 
part  above  water  was  the  forward  part 
of  the  boat,  on  which  were   clustered 


1  Com.  Preble  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept.  18. —=  Ibid. ;  Clark's 
Naval  History,  p.  114;  Cooper's  Naval  History,  ii.  p. 
50.  The  Hifilory  of  War  with  Tripoli,  p.  112,  and  Lieut. 
Charles  Stewart  (Letter  of  Aug.  9)  say  it  was  "  half-past 
twelve." — ^  Com.  Preble  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept.  18;  Letter 
from  Lieut.  Charles  Stewart,  Aug.  9,  in  the  National  In- 
telligencer, Washington,  D.  C,  Dec.  5,  1804. 

^  Cooper's  Naval  History,  ii.  p.  53,  7iote. 

'  Com.  Preble  to  Secretary  of  Navy,  Sept.  18. 


Chap.  IX.] 


DOCUMENT. 


47 


Midshipmau  Robert  T.  Spence  and 
eleven  men,  who  were  busily  engaged 
in  loading  the  long  twenty-four-pound- 
er, which  had  formed  the  armament  of 
the  boat.  They  completed  their  task, 
and  as,  with  three  hearty  cheers,  they 
discharged  it  at  the  enemy,  the  wreck 
sank  from  under  their  feet,  and  they 
were  picked  up  by  the  boats  which  had 
been  sent  to  tlieir  assistance  from  the 
other  vessels  of  tlie  squadron.-^ 

While  the  action  with  the  gunboats 
continued,  the  enemy's  galleys  and  gun- 
boats^fifteen  in  number — got  in  mo- 
tion, with  an  evident  intention  of  leav- 
ing the  harbor  to  attack  the  Americans 
at  closer  quarters,  but  the  Constitution^ 
the  Nautilus^  and  the  JEnterprize^  were 
to  windward,  ready  to  cut  them  off 
from  the  harbor,  if  they  made  the  at- 
tempt, and  they  "  thought  it  most  pru- 
dent to  retire  to  their  snug^  retreat  be- 


hind the  rocks,  after  filing  a  few 
shot."^ 

At  half-past  five  o'clock  the  wind  be- 
gan to  freshen  from  the  north-northeast, 
when,  on  signal,  the  fire  was  suspended 
and  the  ketches  and  gunboats  taken  in 
tow ;  and  at  nine  o'clock  the  entire 
squadron  anchored  about  five  miles 
southeast  from  Tripoli.^ 

In  this  affair  the  vessels  suffered  con- 
siderably. Nmnber  Four  received  a 
twenty-four  pound  shot  through  her 
hull ;  NiCmher  Six  had  her  lateen-yard 
shot  away ;  Number  Eight  also  received 
a  twenty-four  pound  shot  through  her 
hull  and  lost  two  of  her  crew  ;  Number 
Nine^  with  her  commander  and  nine  of 
her  crew,  was  lost,  as  before  related,  and 
some  others  were  injured  in  their  sails 
and  rigging.^  It  is  not  known  what  in- 
jury was  done  to  the  town  or  the  ves- 
sels of  the  enemy. 


D  0  C  U  M  E  ]^r  T. 


EXTRACT   FROM   COJEMODORE   PREBLE  S  DISPATCH. 
*  *  *  *  *  * 

August  5th. — We  were  at  anchor  with  the 
squadron,  about  two  leagues  north  from  the 
city  of  Tripoli ;  the  Argus  in  chase  of  a  small 
vessel  to  tlie  westward,  which  she  soon  came 
up  with,  and  brought  within  hail.  She  proved 
to  be  a  French  privateer   of  four  guns,  which 


1  Cooper's  Naval  Hist.,  ii.  p.  51 ;  Mackenzie's  Decatur, 
p.  103  ;  Clarli's  Naval  Hist.,  p.  114.  In  the  letter  of 
Lieut.  Stewart,  Aug.  9,  he  saj's,  "They  had  just  time  to 
load,  and  were  going  to  fire  their  gun,  when  she  sunk  to  the 
bottom;"  and  Cora.  Preble  {Letter  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept. 
18)  saj'S,  "  Mr.  Spence  was  superintending  the  loading  of 
the  gun  at  this  moment ;  and  notwithstanding  the  boat 
was  sinking,  he  and  the  brave  fellows  surviving,  finished 
charging,  gave  three  cheers  as  the  boat  went  from  under 
them,  and  swam  to  the  nearest  boats,"  &c.,  which  appear 
to  indicate  that  the  gun  was  not  discharged. 


jiut  into  Tripoli  a  few  days  since  for  water,  and 
left  it  this  morning.  I  pi-evailed  on  the  cap- 
tain, for  a  consideration,  to  I'eturn  to  Tripoli, 
for  the  purpose  of  landing  fourteen  very  badly 
wounded  Tripolitans,  which  I  put  on  board  his 
vessel  with  a  letter  to  the  prime  minister,  leav- 
ing it  at  the  option  of  the  Bashaw  to  recipro- 
cate this  generous  mode  of  conducting  the  war. 
The  sending  these  unfortunate  men  on  shore,  to 
be  taken  care  of  by  their  friends,  was  an  act  of 
humanity  on  our  part,  which  I  hope  will  make 
a  proper  impression  on  the  minds  of  the  Barba- 
rians ;  but  1  doubt  it. 

All  hands  were  busily  employed  altering  the 
rig  of  the  three  prizes  from  lateen  vessels  to 
sloops,  and  preparing  for  a  second  attack.     Ob- 

1  Com.  Preble  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept.  18.—^  Ibid.—'  Ibid. 


48 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


served  one  of  the  enemy's  schooners  and  the 
brig  (two  corsairs)  in  the  harbor  to  be  dismast- 
ed ;  was  informed  by  the  French  captain,  that 
the  damage  these  vessels  received  in  the  action 
of  the  third,  had  occasioned  their  masts  being 
taken  out. 

The  seventh,  the  French  privateer  came  out 
and  brought  me  a  letter  from  the  French  con- 
sul, in  which  he  observes,  that  our  attack  of  the 
third  instant  had  disposed  the  Bashaw  to  accept 
of  reasonable  terms ;  and  invited  me  to  send  a 
boat  to  the  rocks  with  a  flag  of  truce,  which 
was  declined,  as  the  white  flag  was  not  hoisted 
at  the  Bashaw's  castle.  At  nine  a.  m.,  with  a 
very  light  breeze  from  the  eastward,  and  a 
strong  current,  which  obliged  the  Constitution 
to  remain  at  anchor,  I  made  the  signal  for  the 
light  vessels  to  weigh,  and  the  gun  and  bomb 
boats  to  cast  ofi"  and  stand  in  shore  towards  the 
western  batteries — the  prize  boats  having  been 
completely  fitted  for  service,  and  the  command 
of  them  given  to  Lieutenants  Crane  of  the  Vix- 
etr,  Thorn  of  the  Enterprize^  and  Caldwell  of 
the  Syren — the  whole  advanced  with  saUs  and 
oars.  The  orders  were  for  the  bombs  to  take  a 
position  in  a  small  bay  to  the  westward  of  the 
city,  where  but  few  of  the  enemy's  guns  could 
be  brought  to  bear  on  them,  but  from  whence 
they  could  annoy  the  town  with  shells ;  the 
gunboats  to  silence  a  battery  of  seven  heavy 
guns,  which  guarded  the  approach  to  that  posi- 
tion ;  and  the  brigs  and  schooners  to  support 
them,  in  case  the  enemy's  flotilla  should  venture 
out. 

At  half-past  one  p.  m.,  with  a  breeze  from 
N.  N.  E.,  I  weighed  with  the  Constitution,  and 
stood  in  for  tlie  toMm  ;  but  the  wind  being  on 
shore  made  it  imprudent  to  engage  the  batteries 
with  the  ship,  as  in  case  of  a  mast  being  shot 
away,  the  loss  of  the  vessel  would  probably  en- 
sue, unless  a  change  of  wind  should  favor  our 
getting  off". 

At  half-past  two  p.  m.,  the  bomb  and  gun- 
boats having  gained  their  stations,  the  signal 
was  made  for  them  to  attack  the  town  and  bat- 
teries. Our  bombs  immediately  commenced 
throwing  shells,  and  the  gunboats  opened  a 
sharp  and  well-directed  fire  on  the  town  and 
batteries,  within  point-blank  shot,  which  was 
warmly  returned  by  the   enemy.     The  seven- 


gun  battery,  in  less  than  two  hours,  was  si- 
lenced except  one  gun.  I  presume  the  others 
were  dismounted  by  our  shot,  as  the  walls  were 
almost  totally  destroyed. 

At  a  quarter-past  three  p.  m.  a  ship  hove  in 
sight  to  the  northward,  standing  for  the  town. 
Made  the  A^^gus  signal  to  chase. 

At  half-past  three  one  of  our  prize  gunboats 
was  blown  up  by  a  hot-shot  from  the  enemy, 
which  passed  through  her  magazine.  She  had 
on  board  twenty-eight  oflRcers,  seamen,  and  ma- 
rines ;  ten  of  whom  were  killed  and  six  wounded. 
Among  the  killed  were  James  R.  Caldwell,  first 
lieutenant  of  the  Syren,  and  Midshipman  John 
S.  Dorsey,  both  excellent  ofiicers.  Midshipman 
Spence  and  eleven  men  were  taken  up  unhurt. 
Captain  Decatur,  whose  division  this  boat  be- 
longed to,  and  who  was  near  her  at  the  time 
she  blew  up,  reports  to  me  that  Mr.  Spence 
was  superintending  the  loading  of  the  gun  at 
that  moment,  and,  notwithstanding  the  boat 
was  sinking,  he  and  the  brave  fellows  surviving, 
finished  charging,  gave  three  cheers  as  the  boat 
went  from  under  them,  and  swam  to  the  near- 
est boats,  where  they  assisted  during  the  re- 
mainder of  the  action. 

The  enemy's  gunboats  and  galleys  (fifl^een  in 
number)  were  all  in  motion  close  under  the  bat- 
teries, and  appeared  to  meditate  an  attack  on 
our  boats.  The  Constitution,  Nautilus,  and 
Enterprize  were  to  windward,  ready  at  every 
hazard  to  cut  them  ofi"  from  the  harbor,  if  they 
should  venture  down ;  while  the  Syren  and 
Vixen  were  near  our  boats,  to  support  and 
cover  any  of  them  tliat  might  be  disabled.  The 
enemy  thought  it  most  prudent,  however,  to  re- 
tire to  their  snug  retreat  behind  the  rocks,  after 
firing  a  few  shot. 

Our  boats,  in  two  divisions,  under  Captains 
Somers  and  Decatur,  were  well  conducted,  as 
were  our  bomb-vessels  by  Lieutenants  Dent  and 
Robinson. 

The  town  must  have  suffered  much  from  this 
attack ;  and  their  batteries,  particularly  the 
seven-gun  battery,  must  have  lost  many  men. 

At  half-past  five  p.  m.,  the  -s^ind  beginning  to 
freshen  from  the  N.  N.  e.,  I  made  the  signal  for 
the  gun  and  bomb  boats  to  retire  from  action, 
and  for  the  vessels  to  which  they  were  attached 
to  take  them  in  tow. 


Chap.  X.] 


THE  FOURTH  BOMBARDMENT  OF  TRIPOLI. 


49 


The  Argus  made  signal  that  the  strange  sail 
was  a  friend. 

In  this  day's  action  No.  4  had  a  twenty-four 
pound  shot  through  her  hull ;  No.  6  had  her 
lateen-yard  shot  away;  No.  8  a  twenty-four 
pound  shot  through  her  hull,  which  killed  two 
men.  Some  of  the  other  boats  had  their  rig- 
ging and  sails  considerably  cut.  We  threw 
forty-eight  shells,  and  about  five  hundred  twen- 
ty-four pound  shot  into  the  town  and  batteries. 
All  the  officers  and  men  engaged  in  the  action 
behaved  with  the  utmost  intrepidity. 

At  half-past  six  all  the  boats  were  in  tow,  and 
the  squadron  standing  to  the  n.  w. 

At  eight  the  John  Adams,  Captain  Chaun- 
cey,  from  the  United  States,  joined  in  company. 

At  nine  the  squadron  anchored,  Tripoli  bear- 
ing s.  E.,  five  miles  distant. 


Gunboat  No.  3  was  this  day  commanded  by 
Mr.  Brooks,  master  of  the  Argus  ;  and  No.  6 
by  Lieutenant  Wadsworth  of  the  Constitu- 
tion. 

Annexed  is  a  return  of  our  loss  in  this  at- 
tack. 

Killed. —  Ghinhoat  No.  9.  One  lieutenant, 
one  midshipman,  one  boatswain's-mate,  one 
quarter-gunner,  one  sergeant  of  marines,  and 
five  seamen. 

Ounboat  No.  8. — Two  seamen. 

"Wounded. — Gunboat  No.  9. — Six  seamen, 
two  of  them  mortally. 

*  *  *  ij:  :ic  Hi 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  &c., 

Edwaed  Preble. 

United  States  Ship  Constitution, 
Malta  Harbor,  Sept.  18,  1804. 


CHAPTER     X. 

Aug^ust  29,  1§04. 

THE    FOURTH    BOMBARDMENT    OF    TRIPOLI. 


In  tlie  night  of  tlie  twenty-fourth  of 
August  a  third  attack  had  been  made 
on  the  town,  "but  with  what  effect  is 
uncertain;"  and  preparations  were  im- 
mediately made  to  renew  it.-^ 

At  three  in  the  afternoon  of  the 
twenty-eighth  of  August,  the  squadron 
weighed,  and,  with  a  pleasant  breeze 
from  the  eastward,  stood  in  for  Tripoli ; 
and  at  five  the  Constitution  anchored 
about  two  miles,  north  by  east,  from 
Fort  English,  and  two  and  a  half  from 
the  Bashaw's  castle — the  gunboats  keep- 
ing under  weigh  .^ 

Many  of  the  officers  and  crew  of  the 

=  Com.  Preble  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept.  18, 1804  ;  Cooper's 
Naval  Hist.,  ii.  p.  55. — ''Com.  Preble  to  Sec.  of  Navy, 
Sept.  18,  1804.  Mr.  Clark  i^Naval  Hist,  p.  115),  Mr. 
Badger  (Naval  Teviple,  p.  38),  and  Mr.  Waldo  (Zi/e  of 
Preble,  p.  210),  suppose  the  squadron  moved  on  the 
twenty-seventh. 
Vol..  II.— 7 


Constitution  having  been  detailed  to 
the  bomb-ketches,  gunboats,  and  boats 
of  the  ships,  Captain  Chauncey,  of  the 
(John  Adams,  with  several  of  liis  offi- 
cers and  about  seventy  of  his  men — • 
seamen  and  marines — volunteered  to 
take  their  places  on  th§  frigate ;  while 
the  (Tohn  Adams,  the  Scourge,  the 
transports,  and  '  the  bomb-ketches  — 
which  could  not  be  brought  into  ac- 
tion— remained  at  anchor  about  seven 
miles  north  from  the  town.  All  the 
boats  of  the  squadron  were  officered, 
manned,  and  attached  to  the  several 
gunboats ;  and  the  crews  were  busily 
engaged,  until  eight  in  the  evening,  in 
making  the  preparations  necessary  for 
the  attack.-^ 

'  Com.  Preble  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept.  18,  1804;  Cooper, 
ii.  p.  55  ;  Badger's  Naval  Temple,  p.  38. 


50 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  H. 


At  half-past  one  in  the  morning  of 
the  twenty-ninth,  the  gunboats,  in  two 
divisions,  .led  by  Lieutenants  Somers 
and  Decatur,  and  accompanied  by  the 
Syren.,  Lieutenant  Stewart ;  the  Argus; 
Lieutenant  Hull ;  the  Vixen^  Lieutenant 
Smith  ;  the  Nautilus^  Lieutenant  Reed ; 
the  Enterprize^  Lieutenant  Robinson, 
and  the  boats  of  the  squadron,  were 
ordered  to  advance  and  take  their  sta- 
tions close  to  the  rocks,  at  the  entrance 
of  the  harbor,  within  grape-shot  dis- 
tance of  the  Bashaw's  castle.-* 

At  three  o'clock  the  gunboats  an- 
chored, with  springs  on  their  cables, 
and  opened  a  heavy  fire  on  the  town, 
shipping,  and  batteries,  which  was  re- 
turned with  equal  spirit,  but  was  not 
properly  directed.  The  ships'  boats  re- 
mained near  the  gunboats  to  protect 
them  from  the  attacks  of  the  enemy, 
should  he  venture  to  leave  the  harbor ; 
while  the  larger  vessels  kept  under 
weigh,  ready  for  the  same  service  or 
any  other  duty  which  might  be  found 
necessary.'^ 

The  engagement  continued  until  day- 
light, with  unabated  fury,  when  the 
Constitution  weighed  and  stood  in  to- 
wards the  harbor,  under  a  heavy  fire 
from  Fort  English,  the  Bashaw's  castle, 
and  the  batteries.  Supposing  the  gun- 
boats had  consumed  the  greater  part  of 
their  ammunition,  at  half-past  five,  sig- 
nal was  made  for  them  to  withdraw 
from  the  action,  and  for  the  light  ves- 


'  Com,  Preble  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept.  18,  1804  ;  Cooper, 
ii.  p.  56  ;  Clark's  Naval  Hist.,  p.  115  ;  Badger's  Naval 
Terople,  p.  38. 

^  Com.  Preble  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept.  18,  1804  ;  Cooper, 
ii.  p,  56  ;  Clark,  p.  115  ;  Mackenzie's  Life  of  Decatur 
(Sparks'  Am.  Biog.,  xxi.),  p.  110. 


sels  to  take  them  in  tow ;  while  the 
Constitution  covered  the  movement  by 
a  heavy  fire  of  round  and  grape  shot,  at 
two  cables'  length,  which  proved  ex- 
ceeding destructive  to  the  enemy.  One 
of  his  gunboats  was  sunk,  two  others 
were  run  ashore  to  prevent  them  from 
sinking,  and  the  ten  which  were  least 
injured  sought  safety  in  an  immediate 
retreat.^ 

Encouraged  with  this  favorable  open- 
ing, the  Commodore  continued  to  run 
in  until  the  ship  came  within  musket- 
shot  of  the  batteries,  when  she  was 
brought  to,  and  opened  a  heavy  fire  on 
the  town,  batteries,  and  castle.  Three- 
quarters  of  an  hour  afterwards,  having 
silenced  the  castle  and  two  of  the  bat- 
teries, sunk  a  Tunisian  galliot  in  the 
mole,  greatly  damaged  a  Spanish  ship 
in  the  harbor,  and  greatly  cut  up  the 
enemy's  galleys  and  gunboats — the 
American  gunboats  and  smaller  vessels 
having,  meanwhile,  retired  beyond  gun- 
shot distance  from  the  town — the  Con- 
stitution was  hauled  off,  and,  with  the 
squadron,  returned  to  the  anchorage, 
about  five  miles  from  the  town.^ 

In  this  attack  upwards  of  seven  hun- 
dred round-shot,  besides  grape  and  can- 
ister, were  thrown  into  the  town  and 
batteries,  with  very  good  efifect— the 
enemy  having  suffered  more  severely 
than  in  any  of  the  attacks  which  pre- 
ceded it.^ 


'  Com.  Preble  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept.  18,  1804 ;  Clark, 
pp.  115,  116  ;  Mackenzie's  Decatur,  pp.  110,  111. 

'  Com.  Preble  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept.  18,  1804  ;  Cooper, 
ii.  p.  56  ;  Mackenzie's  Decatur,  p.  Ill  ;  Badger's  Naval 
Temple,  p.  39. 

=  Com.  Preble  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept.  18,  1804  ;  Mac- 
kenzie's Decatur,  p.  111. 


Chap.  X.] 


DOCUMENT. 


51 


The  light  vessels  of  the  American 
squadron  suffered  considerably  in  their 
sails  and  rigging ;  the  Constitution  had 
three  of  her  lower  shrouds,  two  spring- 
stays,  two  topmast-backstays  and  the 
trusses,  chains,  and  lifts  of  her  main- 
yard  shot  away,  and  her  sails  and  run- 
ning rigging  were  also  considerably  cut. 
The  gunboats  were  also  considerably 
cut  in  their  sails  and  rigging;  and  a 
boat  belonging  to  the  John  Adams  was 
sunk  while  in  tow  of  the  Nautilus^  by 


a  double-headed  shot  from  one  of  the 
batteries.^ 

The  details  of  the  loss  of  the  enemy, 
although  it  was  heavy,  are  not  known. 
The  Constitution  had  not  a  man  hurt, 
and  no  loss  among  the  crews  of  the 
gunboats  has  been  recorded.  The  only 
loss  which  is  mentioned,  is  that  of  the 
crew  of  the  boat  belonging  to  the  John 
Adams^  already  referred  to,  of  whom 
three  were  killed,  and  one  badly 
wouuded.*^ 


DOCUMENT. 


extract  from  commodore  preble  s  dispatch 
to  the  secretary  of  the  navy. 

Sir:— 

August  28.— We  were  favored  with  a  pleas- 
ant breeze  from  the  eastward.  At  three  p.  m. 
we  weighed,  and  stood  in  for  TripoH.  At  five, 
anchored  the  Constitution  two  miles  isr.  by  e. 
from  Fort  English,  and  two  and  a  half  miles 
from  the  Bashaw's  castle ;  the  hght  vessels  or- 
dered to  keep  under  weigh. 

We  were  employed  until  eight  p.  m.  in  mak- 
ing arrangements  for  attacking  the  town.  A 
number  of  the  officers  and  many  of  the  seamen 
of  the  Constitution  being  attached  to  the  bomb, 
gun,  and  ship's  boats,  Captain  Chauncey,  with 
several  of  his  officers,  and  about  seventy  of  his 
seamen  and  marines,  volunteered  their  services 
on  board  the  Constitution.  AH  the  boats  in 
the  squadron  were  officered  and  manned,  and 
attached  to  the  several  gunboats.  The  two 
bomb-vessels  could  not  be  brought  into  action, 
as  one  was  leaky  and  the  mortar-bed  of  the 
other  had  given  way.  The  John  Adams., 
Scoicrge,  transports,  and  bombs,  were  anchored 
seven  miles  to  the  northward  of  the  town. 
Lieutenant-commandant  Dent,  of  the  Scourge, 
came   on   boai'd    the    Constitution,    and    took 


charge  on  the  gun-deck.  Lieutenant  Izard,  of 
the  Scourge,  also  joined  me.  Lieutenant  Gor- 
don commands  gunboat  No.  2  ;  and  Lieutenant 
Lawrence,  of  the  Enterpi^ize,  No.  5.  These  are 
the  only  changes. 

At  half-past  one  a.  m.  the  gunboats,  in  two 
divisions,  led  by  Cajjtains  Decatur  and  Somers, 
were  ordered  to  advance,  and  take  their  sta- 
tions close  to  the  rocks,  at  the  entrance  of  the 
harbor,  within  grape-shot  distance  of  the  Ba- 
shaw's castle.  The  Syren,  Argus,  Vixen,  Nau- 
tilus, Enterprize,  and  boats  of  the  squadron  ac- 
companied them.  At  three  a.  ar.  the  boats 
anchored,  with  spiings  on,  within  pistol-shot  of 
the  rocks,  and  commenced  a  brisk  fire  on  the 
shipping,  town,  batteries,  and  Bashaw's  castle, 
which  was  warmly  returned,  but  not  as  well 
directed.  The  ships'  boats  remained  with  the 
gunboats,  to  assist  in  boarding  the  enemy's  flo- 
tilla, if  it  should  venture  out ;  while  the  brigs 
and  schooners  kept  under  weigh,  ready  for  the 
same  service,  or  for  annoying  the  enemy,  as  oc- 
casion might  present. 

At  daylight,  presuming  that  the  gunboats 
had   nearly   expended    their    ammunition,    we 

'  Com.  Preble  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept.  18,  180i ;  Cooper, 
ii.  pp.  56,  57  ;  Clark,  p.  116. 

=  Com.  Preble  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept.  18,  1804. 


52 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


weighed  with  the  Constitution,  and  stood  in 
for  the  harbor.  Fort  English,  the  Bashaw's, 
castle,  CrowTi,  and  Mole  batteries,  kept  up  a 
heavy  fire  on  us  as  we  advanced.  At  half-past 
five  I  made  the  signal  for  the  gunboats  to  retire 
from  action ;  and  for  the  brigs  and  schooners 
to  take  them  in  tow.  We  were  then  within 
two  cables'  length  of  the  rocks,  and  commenced 
a  heavy  fire  of  round  and  grape  on  thirteen  of 
the  enemy's  gunboats  and  galleys,  which  were 
in  pretty  close  action  with  our  boats.  We  sunk 
one  of  the  enemy's  boats  ;  at  the  same  time  two 
more,  disabled,  ran  on  shore  to  avoid  sinking ; 
the  remainder  immediately  retreated.  We  con- 
tinued running  in  until  we  were  within  musket- 
shot  of  the  Crown  and  Mole  batteries,  when  we 
brought  to,  and  fired  upwards  of  three  hundred 
round-shot,  besides  grape  and  canister,  into 
the  town.  Bashaw's  castle,  and  batteries.  We 
silenced  the  castle  and  two  of  the  batteries  for 
some  time. 

At  a  quarter-past  six,  the  gunboats  being  all 
out  of  shot  and  in  tow,  I  hauled  off,  after  hav- 
ing been  three-quarters  of  an  hour  in  close 
action. 

The  gunboats  fired  upwards  of  four  hundred 
round-shot,  besides  grape  and  canister,  with 
good  effect.  A  large  Tunisian  galliot  was  sunk 
in  the  Mole ;  a  Spanish  ship,  which  had  entered 
with  an  ambassador  from  the  Grand  Seignior, 
received  considerable  damage.  The  Tripolitan 
galleys  and  gunboats  lost  many  men  and  were 
much  cut.  The  Bashaw's  castle  and  town  have 
suffered  very  much ;  as  have  their  Crown  and 
Mole  batteries. 

Captains  Decatur  and  Somers  conducted  their 
divisions  of  gunboats  with  their  usual  firmness 
and  address ;  and  were  well  supported  by  the 
ofiicers  and  men  attached  to  them.     The  brigs 


and  schooners  were  also  well  conducted  during 
the  action,  and  fired  a  number  of  shot  at  the 
enemy ;  but  their  guns  are  too  light  to  do  much 
execution.  They  sufi:ered  considerably  in  their 
sails  and  rigging. 

The  officers  and  crew  of  the  Constitution  be- 
haved well.  I  cannot,  in  justice  to  Captain 
Chauncey,  omit  noticing  the  very  able  assist- 
ance I  received  from  him,  on  the  quarter-deck 
of  the  Constitution,  during  the  whole  of  the  ac- 
tion. The  damage  which  we  have  received  is 
principally  above  the  hull — three  lower  shrouds, 
two  spring-stays,  two  topmast-back-stays,  truss- 
es, chains,  and  lifts  of  the  main-yard  shot  away. 
Our  sails  had  several  cannon-shot  through  them, 
and  were,  besides,  considerably  cut  by  grajje. 
Much  of  our  running  rigging  cut  to  pieces  ;  one 
of  our  anchor-stocks  and  our  larboard  cable  shot 
away  ;  and  a  number  of  grape-shot  were  stick- 
ing in  different  parts  of  the  hull — but  not  a  man 
hurt ! 

A  boat  belonging  to  the  John  Adams,  with 
a  master's-mate  (Mr.  Creighton)  and  eight  men, 
was  sunk  by  a  double-headed  shot  from  the  bat- 
teries, while  in  tow  of  the  Nautilus,  which  killed 
three  men  and  badly  woimded  one,  who,  with 
Mr.  Creighton,  and  the  other  foui',  were  picked 
up  by  one  of  our  boats.  The  only  damage  our 
gunboats  sustained,  was  in  their  rigging  and 
sails,  which  were  considerably  cut  with  the  ene- 
my's round  and  grape  shot. 

At  eleven  a.  m.  we  anchored  with  the  squad- 
ron, five  miles  n.  e.  by  n.  from  Tripoli,  and  re- 
paired the  damage  received  in  the  action. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  «S;c., 

Edward  Preble. 

United  States  Ship  Constitution, 
Malta  Hakbok,  Sept.  18,  1804. 


CHAPTER    XI. 


September  3,  1§04. 

THE    FIFTH    BOMBARDMENT    OF    TRIPOLI. 


After  the  squadron  had  returned  to 
its  anchorage,  the  several  vessels  were 
repah'ed,  and  preparations  for  a  final 
attack  on  the  town  were  made,^ 

At  four  in  the  afternoon  of  the  sec- 
ond of  September,  all  things  having 
been  made  ready,  the  squadron  weighed 
anchor,  and  kept  under  sail  all  night.*^ 

At  half-past  two  in  the  afternoon  of 
the  third,  the  gunboats  were  ordered 
to  cast  off,  and  to  advance  and  attack 
the  enemy .^ 

It  appears  that  the  enemy  had  profit- 
ed from  his  experience,  and  had  now 
adopted  a  new  system  of  operations. 
Instead  of  posting  his  galleys  and  gun- 
boats behind  the  rocks,  in  positions  to 
fire  over  them,  or  at  the  openings  be- 
tween them — bringing  them  to  leeward 
of  the  American  squadron — he  had  now 
put  them  in  motion,  and  had  worked 
them  up  to  windward  until  they  had 
gained  the  weather  side  of  the  harbor, 
directly  under  the  fire  of  Fort  English, 
and  of  a  new  battery  which  had  been 
erected  in  that  neighborhood.*  This 
movement  was  an  exceedingly  judicious 
one,  inasmuch  as  it  prevented  the 
American  gunboats  from  attacking  the 


1  Com.  Preble  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept.  18,  1804  ;  Cooper's 
Naval  Hist.,  ii.  p.  57. — '  Com.  Preble  to  Sec.  of  Nav)', 
Sept.  18,  1804. — ^Ibid.;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  57;  Mackenzie's 
Decatur  {Sparks'  Am.  Biog.,  xxi.),  p.  112. — *  Com.  Preble 
to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept.  18,  1804 ;  Cooper,  ii.  pp.  67,  58. 


town,  without  leaving  the  enemy's  flo- 
tilla in  their  rear  and  directly  to  wind- 
ward— an  advantage  in  favor  of  the 
enemy  which  no  prudent  ofiicer  would 
allow. 

This  new  plan  of  operations  com- 
pelled a  change  in  the  plan  which  Com- 
modore Preble  had  adopted  ;  and  there- 
fore the  bomb-ketches  were  sent  to  lee- 
ward to  bombard  the  town ;  while,  at 
the  same  time,  the  gunboats  were  kept 
to  windward,  to  engage  the  enemy's 
galleys  and  boats.^ 

At  half-past  three  in  the  afternoon, 
the  bomb-ketches  having  gained  the 
stations  to  which  they  had  been  order- 
ed, the  engagement  commenced — the 
ketches,  at  one  extremity  of  the  harbor, 
throwing  shells  into  the  town ;  while 
the  boats,  on  either  side,  and  the  Amer- 
ican small  vessels  and  the  forts,  at  the 
other  extremity,  were  also  disputing  for 
the  mastery.^ 

The  bomb-ketches  were  vigorously 
opposed  by  the  garrisons  of  the  Ba- 
shaw's, the  Crown,  the  Mole,  and  several 
other  batteries,  and  they  were  so  much 
exposed  that  they  were  in  great  clanger 
of  being  sunk.  To  cover  these  vessels, 
and  to  draw  off  the  enemy's  fire,  the 

1  Com.  Preble  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept.  18,  1804  ;  Cooper, 
ii.  p.  58  ;  Mackenzie's  Decatur,  p.  112. — ^  Com.  Preble  to 
Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept.  18,  1804;  Badger's  Naval  Temple,  p. 
40  ;  Clark's  Naval  History,  p.  116. 


54 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


Constitution  ran  down  to  the  rocks, 
near  which  the  ketches  were  stationed, 
and  opened  a  heavy  fire,  at  grape-shot 
distance.  Eleven  broadsides  were  pour- 
ed in  upon  the  castle,  the  town,  and  the 
batteries,  by  the  frigate ;  while  the 
ketches  played  upon  the  town  with 
great  effect.^ 

Meanwhile,  the  gunboats  and  small 
vessels,  at  the  opposite  extremity  of  the 
harbor,  were  also  busily  engaged.  The 
gunboats,  led  by  the  commanders  who 
had  before  led  them  to  action— Cap- 
tains Somers  and  Decatur — had  ad- 
vanced as'ainst  the  flotilla  and  driven  it 

O 

from  its  position ;  while  the  small  ves- 
sels cannonaded  Fort  English.^ 

During  an  hour  and  a  quarter  this 
general  contest  continued ;  when,  in 
consequence  of  the  increase  of  the  wind, 
which  was  also  inclining  to  the  north- 
ward, the  Commodore  considered  it 
prudent  to  withdraw  from  the  town. 

Accordingly,  signals  were  made  for 


the  small  vessels  to  take  the  gunboats 
in  tow,  and  soon  afterwards  the  squad- 
ron withdrew.-^ 

The  sails  and  rigging  of  all  the  ves- 
sels suffered  severely,  and  the  Argus 
received  a  thirty-two  pound  shot  in  her 
hull,  which  cut  off  a  bower  cable  as  it 
entered,  beyond  which  but  little  loss 
was  experienced  by  the  squadron.^ 

The  damage  to  the  town  appeared 
to  be  considerable ;  but,  as  none  of  the 
particulars  have  come  down  to  us,  a 
more  minute  account  cannot  be  given.^ 

With  this  engagement  the  naval 
"battles"  connected  with  the  Tripoli- 
tan  troubles  ended.  Other  exploits, 
requiring  great  courage  and  skill,  were 
performed  on  shore,  by  those  who  rep- 
resented the  United  States,  in  connec- 
tion with  a  brother  of  the  Bashaw,  but 
a  peace  was  soon  afterwards  effected, 
and  the  attention  of  the  country  was 
directed  to  another  and  more  important 
opponent. 


DOCUMElSrT. 


extract  fkom  commodore  preble  s  dispatch 
to  the  secretary  of  the  navy. 

Sir:— 

29th  and  30th  {August)  preparing  the  bomb- 
vessels  for  service  ;  supplying  the  gunboats  with 
ammunition,  &c. 

31st. — ^A  vessel  arrived  from  Malta  with  pro- 
visions and  stores ;  brought  no  news  of  Oom- 

•  Com.  Preble  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept.  18,  1804  ;  Cooper, 
ii.  p.  58  ;  Badger's  Naval  Temple,  p.  40  ;  Mackenzie's 
Decatur,  p.  113. — "  Com.  Preble  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept. 
18,  1804  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  59  ;  Clark,  p.  116  ;  Mackenzie's 
Decatur,  pp.  112,  113. 


modore  Barron,  or  the  frigates.    We  discharged 
this  vessel's  cargo  and  ordered  her  to  return. 

September  the  2d. — The  bomb-vessels  having 
been  repaired  and  ready  for  service,  Lieutenants 
Dent  and  Robinson  resumed  the  command  of 
them.  Lieutenant  Moi-ris,  of  the  Argus,  took 
command  of  No.  3 ;  and  Lieutenant  Trippe, 
having  nearly  recovered  from  his  wounds,  re- 
sumed the  command  of  JSFo.  6,  which  he  so  gal- 
lantly conducted  the  3d  ultimo.    Captain  Chaun- 

'  Com.  Preble  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept.  18, 1804  ;  Badger's 
Naval  Temple,  pp.  40,  41  ;  Mackenzie's  Decatur,  p.  113. 

«  Cora.  Preble  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept.  18,  1804  ;  Cooper, 
ii.  p.  59  ;  Badger's  Naval  Temple,  pp.  40,  41. 

'  Com.  Preble  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept.  18,  1804. 


Chap.  XI.] 


DOCUMENT. 


55 


cey,  with  several  young  gentlemen,  and  sixty 
men  from  the  John  Adams,  volunteered  on 
board  the  Constitution. 

At  four  p.  M.  made  the  signal  to  weigh ;  kept 
under  sail  all  night.  At  eleven  p.  m.  a  general 
signal  to  prepare  for  battle ;  a  Spanish  polacre, 
in  ballast,  came  out  of  Tripoli,  with  an  ambas- 
sador of  the  Grand  Seignior  on  board,  who  had 
been  sent  from  Constantinople  to  Tripoli  to  con- 
firm the  Bashaw  in  his  title.  This  ceremony 
takes  place  in  all  the  Barbary  regencies  every 
five  years.  The  captain  of  this  vessel  informed 
us,  that  our  shot  and  shells  had  made  great 
havoc  and  destruction  in  the  city  and  among 
the  shipping ;  and  that  a  vast  number  of  people 
have  been  killed.  He  also  informs  us  that  three 
boats,  which  were  sunk  by  our  shot,  in  the  ac- 
tions of  the  3d  and  28th  ult.,  had  been  got  up, 
repaired,  and  fitted  for  service, 

3d. — At  2  p.  M.  Tripoli  bore  s.  s.  w.,  two  miles 
and  a  half  distant,  wind  e.  by  n.  At  half-past 
two  the  signals  were  made  for  the  gunboats  to 
cast  off",  advance,  and  attack  the  enemy's  gun- 
boats and  galleys,  which  were  all  under  weigh 
in  the  eastern  part  of  the  harbor,  whither  they 
had,  for  some  time  past,  been  working  up 
against  the  wind.  This  was  ceitainly  a  judi- 
cious movement  of  theirs,  as  it  precluded  tlie 
possibility  of  our  boats  going  down  to  attack 
the  to^vn,  without  leaving  the  enemy's  flotilla 
in  their  rear,  and  directly  to  windward.  I  ac- 
cordingly ordered  the  bomb-vessels  to  run  down 
within  proper  distance  of  the  town  and  bom- 
bard it,  while  our  gunboats  were  to  engage  the 
enemy's  galleys  and  boats  to  windward. 

At  half-past  three  p.  m.,  our  bombs  having 
gained  the  station  to  which  they  were  directed, 
anchored  and  commenced  throwing  shells  into 
the  city.  At  the  same  time  our  gunboats  open- 
ed a  brisk  fire  on  the  galleys,  and  within  point- 
blank  shot,  which  was  warmly  returned  by  them 
and  Fort  English,  and  by  a  new  battery  a  little 
to  the  westward ;  but  as  soon  as  our  boats  ar- 
rived within  good  musket-shot  of  their  galleys 
and  boats,  they  gave  way  and  retreated  to  the 
shore,  within  the  rocks,  and  under  cover  of 
musketry  from  Fort  English.  They  were  fol- 
lowed by  our  boats,  and  by  the  Syreji,  Argus, 
Vixen,  Nautilus,  and  JEhterprize,  as  far  as  the 
reefs  would  permit  them  to  go  with  prudence. 


The  action  was  then  divided.  One  division  of 
our  boats,  with  the  brigs  and  schooners,  at- 
tacked Fort  English,  while  the  other  was  en- 
gaged with  the  enemy's  galleys  and  boats. 

The  Bashaw's  castle,  the  Mole,  Crown,  and 
several  other  batteries,  kept  up  a  constant  fire 
on  our  bomb-vessels,  which  were  well  conduct- 
ed, and  threw  shells  briskly  into  the  town ;  but 
from  their  situation  they  were  very  much  ex- 
posed, and  in  great  danger  of  being  sunk.  I 
accordingly  ran  within  them  with  the  Constitu- 
tion, to  draw  ofi"  the  enemy's  attention  and 
amuse  them  while  the  bombardment  was  kept 
up.  We  brought  to  within  reach  of  grape,  and 
fired  eleven  broadsides  into  the  Bashaw's  cas- 
tle, town,  and  batteries,  in  a  situation  where 
more  than  seventy  guns  could  bear  upon  us. 
One  of  their  batteries  was  silenced.  The 
town,  castle,  and  other  batteries  considerably 
damaged. 

By  this  time  it  was  half-past  four  o'clock. 
The  wind  was  increasing  and  inclining  rapidly 
to  the  northward.  I  made  the  signal  for  the 
boats  to  retu'e  from  action,  and  for  the  brigs 
and  schooners  to  take  them  in  tow,  and  soon 
after  hauled  oif  with  the  Constitution  to  repair 
damages.  Our  main-topsail  was  totally  disabled 
by  a  shell  from  the  batteries,  which  cut  away 
the  leech-rope  and  several  cloths  of  the  saU. 
Another  shell  went  through  the  fore-topsail, 
and  one  through  the  jib.  All  our  sails  consid- 
erably cut,  two  top-mast  back-stays  shot  away, 
main-mast,  fore-tacks,  lifts,  braces,  bowlines,  and 
the  running  rigging  generally  very  much  cut, 
but  no  shot  in  our  hull,  excepting  a  few  grape. 

Our  gunboats  were  an  hour  and  fifteen  min- 
utes in  action.  They  disabled  several  of  the 
enemy's  galleys  and  boats,  and  considerably 
damaged  Fort  English.  Most  of  our  boats  re- 
ceived damage  in  their  rigging  and  sails.  The 
bomb-vessel  No.  1,  commanded  by  Lieutenant 
Robinson,  was  disabled,  every  shroud  shot  away, 
the  bed  of  the  mortar  rendered  useless,  and  the 
vessel  near  sinking.  She  was,  however,  towed 
ofl^.  About  fifty  shells  were  thrown  into  the 
town ;  and  our  boats  fired  four  hundred  round- 
shot,  besides  grape  and  canister.  They  were 
led  into  action  by  Captains  Decatur  and  Som- 
ers,  with  their  usual  gallantry.  The  brigs  and 
schooners  were  handsomely  conducted,  and  fired 


56 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


many  shot  with  effect  at  Fort  English,  which 
they  were  near  enough  to  reach  with  their  car- 
ronades.  They  suffered  considerably  in  their 
rigging,  and  the  Argus  received  a  thirty-two 
pound  shot  in  tlie  hull  forward,  which  cut  off  a 
bower-cable  as  it  entered.  We  kept  under 
weigh  until  eleven  p.  m.,  when  we  anchored, 
Tripoli  bearing  s.  s.  w.  three  leagues.  I  again, 
with  pleasure,  acknowledge  the  services  of  an 
able  and  active  officer  in  Captain  Chauncey, 
serving  on  the  quarter-deck  of  the  Constitution. 


[Book  H. 

At  sunrise  I  made  the  signal  for  the  squadron 

to   prepare    for  action.     The   carpenters  were 

sent   on  board  the  bombs  to  repair  damages 

and  our  boats  employed  in  supplying  the  bombs 

and  gunboats  with  ammunition,  and  to  replace 

the  expenditures. 

****** 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  &g., 

Edward  Peeble. 

United  States  Ship  Constitution, 
Malta  Harbor,  Sept.  18, 1804. 


CHAPTER    XII. 

April  27,  1§05. 

THE     CAPTURE     OF     DERNE. 


The  services  of  Commodore  Preble, 
before  Tripoli,  have  been  referred  to 
in  several  preceding  chapters  of  this 
work ;  ^  and  the  successive  attacks  which 
he  made  on  that  city  have  been  fully  de- 
scribed in  the  pages  of  those  who  have 
recorded  the  annals  of  the  Navy  of  the 
Republic.^  Soon  afterwards  he  was  su- 
perseded in  the  command  of  the  squad- 
ron before  Tripoli  f  and  Commodore 
Barron  assumed  the  command  of  the 
station.* 

It  appears,  however,  that  before  the 
departure  of  Commodore  Preble,  and, 
probably  with  his  approval,  another 
and  more  singular  course  was  adopted 
to  chastise  and  cripple  Tripoli.  The 
reigning  Bashaw  of  that  country,  some 
years  before,  had  usurped  the  throne, 
and  driven  his  brother,  Hamet  Cara- 

•  Vide  Chapters  VIII.,  IX.,  X.,  XI. 

"  Cooper,  ii.  pp.  6-74  ;  Clark,  pp.  104-119  ;  Naval 
Temple,  pp.  20-43  ;  Waldo's  Preble,  pp.  162-217  ;  Hist, 
of  War  with  Tripoli,  pp.  107-114  ;  Sabine's  Life  of  Preble 
(Sparks'  Am.  Biog.,  xxii.),  pp.  79-104. 

'  Hist,  of  War  with  Tripoli,  p.  114.— *  Cooper,  ii.  p.  74.  j 


melli,  to  whom  it  belonged,  into  exile. 
At  the  suggestion  of  Mr.  Cathcart,  the 
American  Consul  at  Tripoli,  and  of  Mr. 
Eaton,  the  American  Consul  at  Tunis,  it 
was  resolved  to  take  advantage  of  these 
difficulties ;  and,  by  uniting  the  forces 
and  resources  of  America  with  those  of 
the  exiled  Bashaw,  to  restore  the  latter 
to  his  throne,  and  to  remove  the  author 
of  the  existing  troubles  beyond  the 
power  of  doing  mischief.  The  fugitive 
prince  was  immediately  sought  by  Mr. 
Eaton,  and  the  bold  undertaking  was 
not  only  proposed,  but  accepted,  and 
arranged.^ 

The  plan  adopted  provided  for  the 
movement  of  a  body  of  troops,  by  land  ; 
while  the  American  squadron,  by  water, 
should  co-operate  with  it,  against  the 
usurper ;  and  as  it  was  known  that  the 
people  were  much  discontented  with  the 
existing  government,  there  apjjeared  to 

'  Felton's  Life  of  Eaton  (Sparks'  Am.  Biog.,  ix.),  pp.  257, 
258;  Noah's  Travels,  p.  346  ;  Consul  Eaton  to  Gen.  S. 
Smith,  "Tunis,  Aug.  19,  1802." 


Chap.  XII.] 


THE  CAPTURE  OF  DERNE. 


57 


be  but  little  doubt  of  the  successful  ter- 
mination of  the  enterprise.'' 

In  consequence  of  this  arrangement, 
and  to  be  convenient  of  access  to  the 
commander  of  the  squadron,  the  exiled 
Hamet  repaired  to  Malta  ;^  while  the 
intelligence  of  his  movements,  which 
had  reached  Tripoli,  had  filled  the  gov- 
ernment with  alarm,  and  the  people 
with  joy.  In  fact,  so  great  was  the 
popular  pleasure  that  it  was  considered 
a  special  interposition  of  Divine  favor ; 
and  so  imminent  was  the  danger,  that 
the  chiefs  of  several  of  the  principal 
villao^es  were  seized  and  confined  to 
prevent  an  insurrection.^ 

Singular  as  it  may  appear,  at  that 
time  the  commanders  of  the  Ameri- 
can squadron — Commodore  Morris,  and 
Captains  Barron,  Bainbridge,  and  Mur- 
ray—  had  disapproved  the  proposed 
junction  of  the  American  force  with 
that  of  the  exiled  Bashaw ;  and,  through 
their  influence,  the  projected  expedition 
had  been  defeated,*  while  Mr.  Eaton  re- 
turned to  the  United  States.^ 

In  June,  1804,  Mr.  Eaton  returned  to 
the  Mediterranean,  having  learned  that 
the  exiled  Bashaw,  after  the  failure  of 
the  American  squadron  to  co-operate 
with  him,  had  returned  to  Derne — a 
provincial  town  in  the  regency  of  Trip- 
oli, and,  at  the  head  of  an  armed  force 
of  Arabs,  had  boldly  opened  the  cam- 
paign, with  strong  appearances  of  ulti- 
mate success.     He  had  proposed  such 

'  Consul  Eaton  to  Mr.  Madison,  Sec.  of  State,  "Tunis, 
Sept.  5, 1801  ;"  Fel ton's  Eaton,  p.  258.— "Felton's  Eaton, 
pp.  2G6,  274 ;  Consul  Eaton  to  Gen.  S.  Smith,  Aug.  19, 
1802.—'  Consul  Eaton  to  Mr.  Madison,  Aug.  5,  1802. 

*  Consul  Eaton  to  Mr.  Madison,  June  8  and  Aug.  9, 1802. 

'  Felton's  Eaton,  pp.  288,  289  ;  Life  of  Gen.  Eaton  {M. 
Drouhfidd,  1813),  p.  242. 
Vol.  II.  -8 


terms  to  the  government  of  the  United 
States  as  had  induced  it  to  promise  as- 
sistance ;  and  Mr.  Eaton,  who  had  vol- 
unteered to  lead  the  force  against  the 
enemy,  was  charged  with  authority  to 
carry  it  into  effect.^ 

On  the  twenty-fifth  of  Novenil)er, 
1804,  Mr.  Eaton  reached  Alexandria^ — 
to  which  place  the  exiled  Bashaw  had 
retired^ — when  the  negotiations  were 
renewed  and  carried  into  effect,  with 
the  approval  of  the  Viceroy  of  Egypt.'* 
A  series  of  difiiculties  now  presented 
themselves,  in  which  Mr.  Eaton  and  his 
eighteen  associates,  in  a  strange  country, 
were  exposed  to  all  the  jealous  animosi- 
ties of  Mussulmen,  and  endured  great 
hardships.^  At  length  the  junction  of 
the  two  parties  was  effected ;  a  few 
Greek  Christians  were  enlisted ;  and,  on 
the  sixth  of  March,  1805,  at  the  head 
of  nine  Americans — Lieutenant  O'Ban- 
non,  Mr.  Peck,  a  non-commissioned  ofifi- 
cer,  and  six  privates ;  a  company  of 
twenty-four  cannoniers,  under  Selim 
Comb,  and  Lieutenants  Connant  and 
Rocco  ;  a  company  of  thirty  -  eight 
Greeks,  under  Caj)tain  Lucca  Ulovix  and 
Lieutenant  Constantine ;  the  Bashaw's 
suite  of  about  ninety  men ;  and  a  party 
of  about  two  hundred  mounted  Arabs 
—less  than  four  hundred  in  the  aggre- 
gate^— with  one  hundred  and  five  cam- 

'  Cooper,  ii.  p.  79  ;  Noah's  Travels,  p.  348  ;  Life  of 
Eaton,  p.  256. — '  Gen.  Eaton's  Journal,  Nov.  25. 

'  Hist,  of  War  with  Tripoli,  p.  115  ;  Consul  Eaton  to 
Secretary  of  Navy,  Sept.  6,  1804. 

'  Felton's  Eaton,  p.  295  ;  Hist,  of  War  with  Tripoli,  pp. 
116-118  ;  Gen.  Eaton's  Journal,  Dec.  17,  1804. 

'  Hist,  of  War  with  Tripoli,  pp.  117-120  ;  Gen.  Eaton 
to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Dec.  13,  1804  ;  Same  to  Com.  Preble, 
Jan.  25,  1805  ;  Same  to  Secretary  of  Navy,  Feb.  13,  1805. 

'  Gen.  Eaton's  Journal,  March  6, 1805  ;  Felton's  Eaton, 
pp.  300,  301. 


58 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


els,  laden  with  provisions  and  baggage, 
the  army  moved  from  the  rendezvous, 
near  Alexandria.^  From  that  time  to 
the  seventeenth  of  April — -forty -two 
days — the  army,  if  an  irregular  and  un- 
governable horde  of  savage  Arabs  can  be 
so  called,  was  in  the  wilderness,  slowly 
marching,  like  the  Israelites  of  old,  from 
Egypt  to  the  "  promised  land."  The 
marches  were  by  irregular  stages,  and 
the  army  halted  where  water  was  to  be 
procured,  frequently  suffering  for  the 
want  of  it.  The  only  provisions  it  pos- 
sessed were  a  handful  of  rice  and  two 
biscuits  per  day ;  while  the  wandering 
tribes  of  Arabs,  by  whom  the  party 
was  constantly  surrounded,  were  ex- 
ceedingly troublesome.  After  endur- 
ing untold  hardships — having  for  three 
days  had  no  food  whatever,  except  a 
little  sorrel  and  the  roots  which  were 
dug  from  the  sands — the  army,  on  the 
sixteenth  of  April,  reached  Bomba,  and 
on  the  next  day  the  Argus  came  into 
port  and  relieved  its  distress.  The  nar- 
rative of  this  journey,  as  related  by 
General  Eaton,^  exhibits  one  of  the 
most  perilous  marches  on  record ;  and 
it  is  said  that,  on  the  appearance  of  the 
Argus^  "language  was  too  poor  to  paint 
the  joy  and  exultation  which  this  mes- 
senger of  life  excited  in  every  breast." 

At  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  of 
the  twenty-fifth  of  April,  the  motley 
army  encamped  on  an  eminence  which 
overlooks  Derne,  reconnoitred  the  town 
and  prepared  for  hostilities.^ 


'  Gen.  Eaton's  Jour.,  March  6  ;  Hist,  of  War  with 
Tripoli,  p.  121. — '  Gen.  Eaton's  Jour.,  March  6  to  April 
16.  See  also  Hist,  of  War  with  Tripoli,  pp.  121-123  ; 
Felton's  Eaton,  pp.  301-319 ;  Noah's  Travels,  pp.  349-351. 

°  Gen.  Eaton's  Journal,  April  25. 


Derne,  the  scene  of  the  proposed  op- 
erations, is  the  second  port  of  conse- 
quence in  the  regency.  It  was  the 
Darnis  of  the  ancients,  and  is  pleasant- 
ly situated,  within  view  of  the  sea.  Its 
port,  in  former  times,  possessed  consid- 
erable importance ;  and  at  the  time  of 
the  siege  it  contained,  probably,  five 
thousand  inhabitants,  who  were  govern- 
ed by  a  Bey.-^ 

The  town  had  been  strengthened 
with  considerable  good  judgment  by 
the  commander  of  the  garrison,  who 
appeared  to  be  prepared  for  a  vigorous 
defence.  A  water-battery,  on  which 
eight  nine-pounders  had  been  mounted, 
protected  the  northeastern  part  of  the 
town,  and  from  thence  to  the  southern 
extremity — where  the  walls  of  an  old 
castle  and  some  temporary  breastworks 
had  been  occupied — the  whole  front  of 
the  city  on  the  bay  was  occupied  and 
defended  by  troops  who  had  been  sta- 
tioned on  the  terraces  and  within  the 
houses.  The  governor's  palace  had  also 
been  strengthened  by  the  addition  of 
a  ten-inch  howitzer,  which  had  been 
mounted  in  battery  on  the  terrace  of 
his  palace.^ 

In  the  evening  several  chieks,  or 
chiefs,  came  out  of  the  town,  and  as- 
sured the  exiled  Bashaw  of  their  sym- 
pathy, and  that  of  the  inhabitants  of 
two  of  the  three  departments  of  which 
the  city  was  composed,  although  they 
appeared  to  have  but  little  confidence 
in  the  success  of  the  siege,^  especially 
since  a  heavy  force,  which  the  reigning 

1  Kees'  Cyclopaedia,  Art.  "Derne;"  Noah's  Travels,  p. 
351 . — 2  Gen.  Eaton's  Jour. ,  April  25  ;  Gen.  Eaton  to  Com. 
Barron,  April  29  ;  Noah's  Travels,  p.  341. 

'  Gen.  Eaton's  Journal,  April  25,  1805. 


Chap.  XII.] 


THE  CAPTURE  OF  DERNE. 


59 


Bashaw  liad  sent  to  the  relief  of  the 
town,  was  within  four  days'  march  of 
the  city,  and  was  rapidly  approaching.^ 

On  the  twenty-sixth,  the  Nautilus 
hove  in  sight,  and  exchanged  signals ; 
and  on  the  next  day  the  force  was  in- 
creased by  the  arrival  of  the  Hornet 
and  the  A-vgus?"  Preparations  were 
made  for  an  immediate  assault,  agree- 
ably to  the  plan  of  operations  which 
have  been  alluded  to  already — the  Bey, 
or  governor  of  the  town,  having  return- 
ed a  flag  of  truce,  which  had  been  sent 
to  proffer  terms  of  peace,  with  the  em- 
phatic answer,  "  My  head  or  yours  !"^. 
Agreeably  to  the  orders  of  General 
Eaton  two  field-pieces  were  landed  from 
the  Argus^  one  of  which  was  hauled  up 
the  precipice,  and  the  other  returned  to 
the  ship,  for  want  of  time  to  raise  it 
from  the  shore.* 

A  favorable  breeze  enabled  the  ves- 
sels to  run  in  as  near  to  the  shore  as 
they  were  required — the  Hornet^  with 
springs  on  her  cables,  anchoring  within 
one  hundred  yards  from  the  battery, 
on  which  it  opened  a  well-directed  fire  ; 
the  Nautilus^  half  a  mile  distant ;  and  the 
Argus,  a  short  distance  to  the  eastward 
from  her — and  at  two  in  the  afternoon 
they  opened  their  fire  on  the  town  and 
batteries.^  At  the  same  time  the  main 
body  of  the  army,  led  by  Hamet,  moved 
against  the  rear  of  the  town ;  while  a 
party  of  six  American  marines,  with  a 
company  of  twenty-four  cannoniers  with 


'  Gen.  Eaton  to  Com.  Barron,  April  29,  1805. 

'  Gen.  Eaton's  Jour.,  April  26  and  27  ;  Capt.  Hull  to 
Com.  Barron,  April  28,  1805. — "  Gen.  Eaton  to  Com. 
Barron,  April  29, 1805.—''  Ibid.;  Capt.  Hull  to  Com.  Bar- 
ron, April  23. — '  Capt.  Hull  to  Com.  Barron,  April  28  ; 
Cooper,  ii.  p.  81. 


the  field-piece,  one  of  twenty-six  Greeks, 
and  a  few  Arabs,  on  foot,  the  whole 
under  Lieutenant  O'Bannon,  took  a 
position  on  an  eminence  and  in  a  ra- 
vine on  the  southeast  quarter  of  the 
town.^ 

At  a  little  before  two  in  the  after- 
noon the  action  commenced,  and  was 
continued  with  great  spirit  and  vigor 
by  both  parties^  for  about  two  hours 
and  a  half.^ 

After  a  fire  had  been  kept  on  the 
water-battery  for  about  three-quarters 
of  an  hour,  its  guns  were  silenced,  and 
the  greater  part  of  the  garrison  retired, 
joining  that  portion  of  the  garrison 
which  was  oj)posed  to  the  party  under 
Lieutenant  O'Bannon — with  whom  also 
was  General  Eaton.*  The  undisciplined 
troops  under  the  command  of  the  lat- 
ter, beginning  to  show  signs  of  uneasi- 
ness from  the  annoying  fire  which  had 
been  kept  up  from  the  walls  of  the 
houses,  the  general  resolved  to  put 
them  in  motion,  and  with  this  object 
ordered  a  charge,  although  it  is  said 
that  his  force  was  not  more  than  one- 
tenth  the  strength  of  that  which  op- 
posed him.  Beyond  his  expectations, 
even,  if  we  may  judge  from  his  re- 
marks, the  order  was  promptly  obeyed 
and  successfully  accomplished.  The 
enemy  fled  from  their  coverts  in  the 
greatest  confusion,  retreating  from  tree 
to  tree  and  from  wall  to  wall,  offering 


'  Com.  Eaton  to  Com.  Barron,  April  29,  1805. 

^  Noah's  Travels,  p.  339.—=  Gen.  Eaton  to  Com.  Bar- 
ron, April  29  ;  Hist,  of  War  with  Tripoli,  p.  123  ;  Clark's 
Naval  Hist.,  p.  119. — *  Gen.  Eaton  to  Com.  Barron,  April 
29;  Capt.  Hull  to  Com.  Barron,  April  28  ;  Fel ton's  Eaton, 
pp.  320,  321.  Mr.  Cooper  {N'aval  Hist.,  ii.  p.  81)  supposes 
some  marines  had  been  landed  from  the  vessels,  forgetting 
that  Gen.  Eaton  had  brought  six  from  Egypt. 


60 


BATTLES  OF  TPIE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


a  steady  and  spirited  opposition  to  the 
progress  of  the  assailants.  At  this  mo- 
ment General  Eaton  received  a  ball 
through  his  left  wrist ;  but,  notwith- 
standing this,  the  troops  were  led  for- 
ward through  a  steady  fire  of  musketry, 
seized  the  battery,  lowered  the  Tripoli- 
tan  colors  and  raised  the  flag  of  the 
United  States,  and  turned  the  guns  of 
the  battery  upon  the  fugitives,  who  fled 
with  the  greatest  precipitation.^ 

In  the  mean  time  Hamet  Bashaw  and 
his  troops  had  gained  possession  of  the 
town  from  the  rear,  and  the  enemy  was 
thus  j)laced  between  two  fires,  although 
he  occupied  the  houses  and  continued 
the  defence,  with  great  perseverance, 
until  the  guns  of  the  shipping  were 
opened  on  the  town,  when  he  fled  with 
great  precipitation.^  The  Bey's  palace 
having  been  seized  by  Hamet,®  the  cav- 
alry of  the  latter  was  sent  out  against 
the  fugitives  ;  and,  falling  on  their 
flanks,  handled  them  severely.*  The 
Bey  had  taken  refuge  within  a  mosque, 
and  afterwards,  in  the  most  sacred  of 
all  sanctuaries,  in  Mohammedan  coun- 
tries, the  harem  of  one  of  his  chiefs, 
where  he  was  perfectly  secure.^ 

At  a  little  after  four  o'clock, — two 
hours  and  a  half  after  the  first  attack, — 
the  town  was  in  the  possession  of  Gen- 
eral Eaton  and  Hamet  Bashaw — the 
former  occupjdng  the  water-battery,  the 
latter  the  Bey's  palace.^ 

■  Felton's  Eaton,  p.  321  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  81  ;  Gen.  E;iton 
to  Com.  Barron,  April  29  ;  Capt.  Hull  to  Com.  Barron, 
April  28. — 2  Gren.  Eaton  to  Com.  Barron,  April  29  ;  Capt. 
Hull  to  Com.  Barron,  April  28.—'  Felton's  Eaton,  p.  321. 

*  Gen.  Eaton  to  Com.  Barron,  April  29. — '  Felton's 
Eaton,  p.  322.— «  Gen.  Eaton  to  Com.  Barron,  April  29. 


The  inhabitants,  rejoicing  in  the 
prospect  of  a  relief  from  the  oppres- 
sion of  their  rulers,  quickly  declared 
their  friendship  for  Hamet.^ 

In  this  assault  the  assailants  are  said 
to  have  numbered  twelve  hundred  men, 
while  that  of  the  enemy,  who  defended 
the  town,  were  not  less  than  four  thou- 
sand.^ The  loss  of  the  latter  is  not 
known ;  that  of  the  former  was  one 
marine,  Mlled ;  and  General  Eaton,  two 
marines,  and  nine  Greek  Christians, 
were  wounded^ 

Whether  we  consider  the  novelty  of 
the  enterprise,  the  hardships  which 
were  encountered,  or  the  gallantry  dis- 
played in  the  charge  on  the  garrison, 
this  is  one  of  the  most  remarkable  in 
which  the  arms  of  the  United  States 
have  been  engaged. 

The  reigning  Bashaw's  troops  at- 
tempted to  retake  the  city,  at  different 
times,  without  success;*  and  the  tyi'ant, 
in  his  alarm,  took  advantage  of  the 
anxiety  for  peace .  which  the  United 
States  had  shown,  and  hastened  to  se- 
cure it.®  The  city  of  Derne,  and  her  in- 
habitants, without  stipulation  and  with- 
out mercy,  were  abandoned  to  their 
fate  by  those  whom  they  had  received 
so  cordially ;  and  peace,  once  more, 
reigned  within  the  borders  of  Amer- 
ica.® 

'  History  of  War  with  Tripoli,  p.  123. 

^  Cooper,  ii.  p.  81. 

s  Gen.  Eaton  to  Com.  Barron,  April  29  ;  Capt.  Hull  to 
Com.  Barron,  April  28. 

*  History  of  War  with  Tripoli,  pp.  123,  124  ;  Felton's 
Eaton,  pp.  323-326  ;  Clark's  Naval  History,  p.  120. 

^  History  of  War  with  Tripoli,  pp.  125,  126  ;  Felton's 
Eaton,  p.  327  ;  Salem  (Mass.)  Register,  Aug.  29,  1805. 

«  Felton's  Eaton,  pp.  331-384. 


DOCUMEJNTT. 


GENERAL   EATON  S   DISPATCH   TO   COMMODOKE 
B AKRON. 

Dekne,  April  29,  1805. 

Sir  : — Owing  to  impediments,  too  tedious  to 
detail,  but  chiefly  to  delinquency  in  our  Quar- 
termaster's Department,  which  I  had  confided 
to  Richard  Farquhar,  I  did  not  leave  Alexan- 
dria till  the  third  of  last  month.  The  host  of 
Arabs,  who  accompanied  the  Bashaw  from  that 
place  and  joined  him  on  the  route,  moving  chiefly 
with  their  families  and  flocks,  rendered  our  prog- 
ress through  the  desert  slow  and  painful.  Add 
to  this  the  imgovernable  temper  of  this  maraud- 
ing militia,  and  the  frequent  fits  of  despondency, 
amounting  sometimes  to  mutiny,  occasioned  by 
information,  almost  every  day  meeting  us,  of 
formidable  reinforcements  from  the  enemy  for 
the  defence  of  this  place,  and  it  will  not  seem 
unaccountable  that  it  was  not  until  the  fifteenth 
instant  we  arrived  at  Bomba. 

We  had  now  been  twenty-five  days  without 
meat,  and  fifteen  without  bread,  subsisting  on 
rice.  Happily,  the  next  morning  discovered  the 
Argus,  to  whom  I  made  signals  by  smoke, 
which  were  discovered  and  answered.  The 
Hornet  soon  afterwards  appeared.  Captain 
Hull  sent  off"  a  boat.  I  went  on  board,  and 
had  the  honor  and  inexpressible  satisfixction  of 
receiving  your  communications  of  22d  ult.  The 
timely  supplies  which  came  forward  in  these 
vessels  gave  animation  to  our  half-famished  peo- 
ple ;  and  no  time  was  lost  in  moving  forward. 

On  the  morning  of  the  twenty-fifth  we  took 
post  on  an  eminence  in  the  rear  of  Derne.  Sev- 
eral chiefs  came  out  to  meet  the  Bashaw,  with 
assurances  of  fealty  and  attachment.  By  them 
I  learned  that  the  city  was  divided  into  three 
departments ;  two  of  which  were  in  the  interest 
of  the  Bashaw,  and  one  in  opposition.  This 
department,  though  fewest  in  numbers,  was 
strongest  in  position  and  resources,  being  de- 
fended by  a  battery  of  eight  guns,  by  the  blind 


walls  of  the  houses,  which  are  provided  in  all 
directions  with  loopholes  for  musketry,  and  by 
temporary  parapets,  thrown  up  in  several  posi- 
tions not  covered  by  the  battery.  This  depart- 
ment is  the  nearest  the  sea,  and  the  residence  of 
the  Bey. 

On  the  morning  of  the  twenty-sixth,  terms  of 
amity  were  ofiered  the  Bey,  on  condition  of  al- 
legiance and  fidelity.  The  flag  of  truce  was 
sent  back  to  me  with  this  laconic  answer,  "  My 
head  or  yours ! "  At  two  p.  m.  discovered  the 
Nautilus,  and  spoke  her  at  six. 

At  six  in  the  morning  of  the  twenty-seventh 
the  Argus  and  Hornet  ajDpeared  and  stood  in. 
I  immediately  put  the  army  in  motion,  and  ad- 
vanced towards  the  city.  A  favorable  land- 
breeze  enabled  the  Nautilus  and  Hornet  to  ap- 
proach the  shore,  which  is  a  steep  and  rugged 
declivity  of  rocks.  With  much  difiiculty  we 
landed,  and  drew  up  the  precipice  one  of  the 
field-pieces.  Both  were  sent  in  the  boat  for  the 
purpose,  but  the  apprehension  of  losing  this  fa- 
vorable moment  of  attack  induced  me  to  leave 
one  on  board.  We  advanced  to  our  positions. 
A  fire  commenced  on  the  shipping.  Lieutenant 
Evans  stood  in,  and  anchoring  within  one  hun- 
dred yards  of  the  battery,  opened  a  well-direct- 
ed fire ;  Lieutenant  Dent  dropped  in  and  an- 
chored in  a  position  to  bring  his  guns  to  bear 
on  the  battery  and  city ;  and  Captain-command- 
ant Hull  brought  the  Argus  to  anchor  a  little 
south  of  the  Nautilus, — so  near  as  to  throw  her 
twenty-four  pound  shot  quite  into  the  town. 

A  detachment  of  six  American  marines,  a 
comjjany  of  twenty-four  cannoniers,  and  another 
of  twenty-six  Greeks,  including  their  proper 
officers,  all  under  the  immediate  command  of 
Lieutenant  O'Bannon,  together  with  a  few 
Arabs  on  foot,  had  a  position  on  an  eminence 
opposite  to  a  considerable  party  of  the  enemy, 
who  had  taken  post  behind  their  temporary 
pai'apets,  and  in  a  ravine  at  the  s.  e.  quarter  of 
the  town.     The   Bashaw  seized  an   old   castle 


62 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


which  overlooked  the  town  on  the  s.  s.  w., 
disposing  his  cavalry  upon  the  plains  in  the 
rear. 

A  little  before  two  p.  m.  the  fire  became  gen- 
eral in  all  quarters  where  Tripolitans  and  Amer- 
icans were  opposed  to  each  other.  In  three- 
quarters  of  an  hour  the  battery  was  silenced, 
but  not  abandoned ;  though  most  of  the  enemy 
withdrew  j^^'ecipitately  from  that  quarter  and 
joined  the  party  opposed  to  the  handful  of 
Christians  with  me,  which  appeared  our  most 
vulnerable  point.  Unfortunately  the  fire  of  our 
field-piece  was  relaxed  by  the  rammer  being 
shot  away.  The  fire  of  the  enemy's  musketry 
became  too  warm,  and  continually  augmenting, 
our  troops  were  thrown  into  confusion  ;  and, 
undisciplined  as  they  were,  it  was  impossible  to 
reduce  them  to  order.  I  perceived  a  charge 
our  dernier  and  only  resort.  We  rushed  for- 
ward against  a  host  of  savages,  more  than  ten 
to  our  one.  They  fled  from  their  coverts  irreg- 
ularly, firing  in  retreat  from  every  palm-tree  and 
partition-wall  in  their  way.  At  this  moment  I 
received  a  ball  through  my  left  wrist  which  de- 
prived me  of  the  use  of  the  hand,  and,  of  course, 
of  my  rifle.  Mr.  O'Bannon,  accompanied  by 
Mr.  Mann,  of  Annapolis,  urged  forward  with 
his  marines,  Greeks,  and  such  of  the  cannoniers 
as  were  not  necessary  to  the  management  of  the 
field-piece  ;  passed  through  a  shower  of  musket- 
ry from  the  walls  of  the  houses;  took  jjossession 
of  the  battery;  planted  the  American  flag  upon 
its  ramparts ;  and  turned  its  guns  upon  the  en- 
emy, who,  being  now  driven  from  their  outjDOSts, 
fired  only  from  their  houses,  from  which  they 
were  soon  dislodged  by  the  whole  fire  of  the 
vessels,  which  was  suspended  during  the  charge, 
being  directed  into  them.  The  Bashaw  soon 
got  possession  of  the  Bey's  palace ;  his  cavalry 
flanked  the  flying  enemy ;  and  a  little  after  four 
o'clock  we  had  complete  possession  of  the  town. 
The  action  lasted  about  two  hours  and  a  half 
Tlie  Bey  took  refuge,  flrst  in  the  mosque,  and 
then  in  a  harem, — the  most  sacred  of  sanctuaries 
among  the  Turks, — and  is  still  there  ;  but  we 
shall  find  means  to  draw  him  thence.  As  he  is 
the  third  man  in  rank  in  the  kingdom,  he  may. 


perhaps,  be  used  in  exchange  for  Captain  Bain- 
bridge. 

I  have  fixed  my  post  in  the  battery ;  raised 
parapets  and  mounted  guns  towards  the  coun- 
try, to  be  prepared  against  all  events ;  though 
I  have  no  serious  apprehension  of  a  counter-rev- 
olution. The  moment  of  gaining  Derne  has 
been  peculiarly  fortunate,  as  the  camp,  which 
long  since  left  Tripoli  for  its  defence,  were  with- 
in two  days'  (fourteen  hours)  march,  the  day  of 
our  attack  ;  of  which  we  had  information  in  the 
morning,  and  from  Avhich  circumstance  it  was 
with  much  difiiculty  I  could  prevail  on  the 
Bashaw's  army  to  advance  to  the  city,  and  to 
obey  my  dispositions.  The  camp  will  probably 
take  up  a  retrograde  march. 

Of  the  few  Christians  who  fought  on  shore,  I 
lost  fourteen  killed  and  wounded ;  three  of 
whom  are  marines,  one  dead  and  another  dy- 
ing ;  the  rest  chiefly  Greeks,  who  in  this  little 
afiair  well  supported  their  ancient  character. 

It  wovild  be  going  out  of  my  sphere  to  com- 
ment on  the  conduct  of  naval  commanders  in 
the  fleld ;  yet  I  should  do  violence  to  my  own 
sense  of  duty  and  obligation,  were  I  not  to  ob- 
serve they  could  not  have  taken  better  positions 
for  their  vessels,  nor  managed  their  fire  with 
more  skill  and  advantage. 

The  detail  I  have  given  of  Mr.  O'Bannon's 
conduct  needs  no  encomium ;  and  it  is  believed 
the  disposition  our  government  have  always  dis- 
covered to  encourage  merit  will  be  extended  to 
this  intrepid,  judicious,  and  enterprising  ofiicer. 
Mr.  Mann's  conduct  is  equally  meritorious.  I 
am  bound,  also,  by  a  sense  of  well-merited  es- 
teem, to  mention  to  your  particular  patronage 
a  young  English  gentleman,  Mr.  Farquhar,  who 
has  volunteered  in  our  expedition  through  the 
desert,  and  has,  in  all  cases  of  difficulty,  exhib- 
ited a  firmness  and  attachment  well  deserving 
my  gratitude.  If  compatible  with  our  establish- 
ments, I  request  you  will  insure  him  a  lieuten- 
ancy in  the  marine  corj^s. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  with  great  respect 
and  sincere  attachment,  sir,  your  very  obedient 
servant,  William  Eaton. 

Samuel  Barron,  Esq. ,  Commander-in-chief. 


CHAPTER    XIII. 


May  16,  1§11. 

THE    ACTION    WITH    THE    LITTLE     BELT. 


The  treaty  of  1783,  althougli,  nomi- 
nally, recognizing  the  independence  of 
the  confederated  States,  was,  in  reality, 
but  little  more  than  an  armistice.  The 
armies  of  the  King  had  lingered  within 
the  infant  republic, — unwilling  to  ap- 
pear, even,  to  yield  possession,-^ — and, 
on  evacuating  it,  they  had  left  the  royal 
colors  flying,  to  be  struck  by  those  who 
exercised  no  authority,  from  the  King, 
to  do  so.^  This  refusal  to  surrender  the 
sovereignty,  by  the  formal  act  of  strik- 
ing the  colors, — a  part  of  a  carefully- 
conceived  and  deliberately  -  executed 
plan  of  operations  to  retain  for  His 
Majesty  the  legitimate  proprietorship 
of  New  York  and  the  sovereignty  of 
the  country, — had  been  followed  by 
the  occupation  of  the  Western  Terri- 
tory and  the  instigation  of  the  savages 
to  hostilities;^  by  the  assumption  of 
authority  over  such  British-born  sub- 
jects of  the  King  as  might  have  become 
citizens  of  either  of  the  States,  or  have 
entered  their  service;*  by  the  denial  of 
the  prerogatives  of  the  flag  of  the  Con- 
federacy, in  the  denial  that  it  protected 


'  Gen.  Washington  to  Sir  Guy  Carleton,  April  21,  May 
6,  Nov.  6,  Nov.  14,  Nov.  22,  1783.—"  Dunlap's  New 
York,  ii.  pp.  232,  233  ;  A  letter  from  New  York,  in  ''The 
Pennsylvania  Packa,"  No.  1628,  Phila.,  Dec.  2,  1788. 

'  Vide  Chap.  IV.  ;  Drake's  Life  of  Tecumseh,  pp.  113, 
121  ;  Dallas'  Exposition  of  Causes  and  Character  of  the 
War,  p.  5. — *  Auchinlech's  Hist,  of  War,  p.  8  ;  Manifesto 
of  the  President,  June  1,  1812. 


the  property  of  the  persons  over  which 
it  floated  from  seizure  by  the  British 
authorities  ;^  by  the  direct  assertion 
that  the  King,  notwithstanding  the 
treaty,  still  remained  the  Sovereign  of 
the  country,  with  his  rights,  although 
dormant,  still  unextinguished ;  ^  and  by 
other  acts  of  similar  character,  and 
tending  to  a  similar  end.  British  cruis- 
ers hovered  about  our  coasts  and  care- 
fully guarded  the  entrances  of  our  har- 
bors^—  as  carefully,  indeed,  in  some 
cases,  as  were  the  coasts  of  Great  Brit- 
ain guarded  against  the  operations  of 
the  smugglers  or  the  aggressions  of  her 
enemies.  Our  vessels  were  searched,* 
our  seamen  seized,^  our  vessels  and  their 
cargoes  condemned  and  carried  into 
British  ports,®  our  frontiers  devastated,^ 
and  the  power  and  the  influence,  both 
of  the  Confederacy  and  the  people, 
openly  ridiculed  and  defied.  Even  the 
orders  of  a  British  vice-admiral  had 
been    enforced,^  at   the    mouth  of  her 


1  President's  Manifesto,  June  1,  1812  ;  Report  of  Com. 
on  Foreign  Eelations,  June,  1812. — -  This  was  done  re- 
peatedly in  the  earlier  days  of  the  Eepuhlic,  as  may  be 
seen  in  the  correspondence  of  Dr.  Franklin. — '  Pres.  Mad- 
ison's Message,  Nov.  5,  1811  (Ed.  Washington,  1811),  p. 
5  ;  Dallas'  Exposition,  p.  25. — ■•  Dallas'  Exposition,  p.  2-5. 

^  Ibid.,  pp.  7-14 ;   President's  Manifesto,  June  1,  1812. 

'  Dallas'  Exposition,  p.  7.—'  Vide  Chapters  I.,  II.,  III., 
and  IV.  of  this  Book  ;  Ingersol's  War  of  1812,  i.  p.  46. 

*  "  The  captains  and  commanders  of  His  Majesty's  ships 
and  vessels  under  my  command,  are,  therefore,  hereby  re- 
quired  and  directed,  in  case  of  meeting  with  the  American  frigate, 


64 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


cannon,  at  sea,  on  one  of  tlie  largest 
vessels  in  the  Federal  navy,  command- 
ed by  one  of  its  oldest  and  most  re- 
spected officers  ;  his  crew  mustered,  be- 
fore his  own  eyes,  on  his  own  deck,  by 
a  British  officer ;  and  a  portion — such 
as  the  British  lieutenant  saw  fit— re- 
moved from  the  ship  and  carried  to  the 
British  ship,  which  laid  not  far  distant.-^ 

The  consequences  of  this  series  of  in- 
sults and  aggressions  may  be  readily 
conceived ;  and  the  government  and 
the  people,  alike,  had  began  to  mani- 
fest great  uneasiness  and  indignation. 
Negotiations  between  the  diplomatists 
of  the  two  nations  had  resulted  in  noth- 
ing but  a  reiteration  of  empty  profes- 
sions or  of  haughty  assumptions  ;  and 
the  two  nations  were  rapidly  assuming 
the  respective  positions,  before  the 
world,  which  they  had  long  occupied 
in  fact — that  of  open  and  avowed  ene- 
mies. 

About  this  time — May,  1811 — the 
United  States  frigate  President  was  at 
Annapolis,^  near  which  place,  also,  was 
Commodore  John  Rogers,  one  of  the 
most  respectable  officers  of  the  navy, 
with  his  family.^  On  the  sixth  of  that 
month  instructions  were  issued  to  that 
officer,  from  the  Department  of  the 
Navy,  to  get  the  President  ready  for 
sea,  and  to  sail  as  quickly  as  possible;^ 

the  Oiesapeake,  at  sea,  and  without  the  limits  of  the  United 
States,  to  show  to  the  captain  of  her  this  order,  and  to  require  to 
search  his  ship  fc/r  the  deserters  from  the  hefore-mentioned  ships, 
and  to  proceed  and  search  for  the  same." — {Orders  hy  Admiral 
Berkeley,  June  1,  1807.) 

'  Mem.  of  Capt.  Humphreys  {Naval  Chronicle  for  1812, 
xxviii.  p.  356) ;  Com.  Barron  to  Sec.  of  Nav)%  June  23, 
1807.— "Com.  Rogers  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  May  23,  1811; 
Affidavit  of  Wm.  Burket,  Halifax,  N.  S.,  June  22,  1811. 

'  Affidavit  of  Wm.  Burket. — *  Com.  Rogers  to  Sec.  of 
Navy,  May  23  ;  Affidavit  of  Wm.  Burket. 


but  the  exact  object  of  this  order,  or 
the  causes  which  produced  it,  have  not 
transpired.^ 

Four  days  from  the  date  of  this 
order,  in  Washington,  the  President 
sailed  from  Annapolis ;  ^  stopping  on 
her  way  down  the  river,  to  take  in  a 
full  supply  of  wads  and  shot;^  and  get- 
ting to  sea  on  the  fourteenth  of  May.* 
After  cruising,  off  the  Capes,  until 
about  noon  of  the  sixteenth,^  during 
which  time  Commodore  Rogei's  sup- 
plied the  wants  of  two  vessels  which 
were  in  distress,®  at  that  time,  Cape 
Henry  bearing  southwest,  fourteen  or 
fifteen  leagues  distant,^  a  sail  was  dis- 
covered from  the  mast-head,  in  the 
east,  standing  towards  the  President 
under  a  heavy  press  of  sail.^  Within 
an  hour  she  was  seen,  from  the  decks, 
to  be  a  man-of-war;^  and,  at  that 
time,  she  displayed  her  signals.-"'  At 
a  quarter  before  two  the  President 
displayed  her  ensign  and  pendant  ;^^ 
when,  finding  her  signals  were  not  an- 
swered, but  without  showing  her  own 

'  The  organs  of  the  government  did  not  inform  the 
public  what  was  the  object  of  the  cruise. 

'  Com.  Rogei's  to  Secretary  of  Navy,  May  23. 

^  Affidavit  of  Wm.  Burket,  at  Halifax. 

''  Com.  Rogers  to  Secretary  of  Navy,  May  23. 

» Ibid.—'  Ibid.—'  Ibid. ;  Testimony  of  Capt.  Ludlow 
before  the  Conrt  of  Inquiry,  at  N.  Y.,  Aug.  31. 

*  Com.  Rogers  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  May  23. — °  Testimony 
of  Capt.  Ludlow  and  Lieut.  Creighton. — '°  Capt.  Bingham 
to  Adm'l  Sawyer,  May  21,  1811 ;  Com.  Rogers  to  Sec.  of 
Navy,  May  23  ;  Testimony  of  Capt.  Ludlow. 

"  Com.  Rogers  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  May  23  ;  Testimony  of 
Capt.  Ludlow,  Lieut.  Creighton,  and  Lieut.  Perry.  Capt. 
Bingham  {Letter  to  Adm'l  Sawyer,  May  21)  says,  that  he 
"considered  the  President  was  an  American  frigate,  as  she 
had  a  commodore's  blue  pendant  flying  at  the  main,"  before  the 
Little  Bell  wore.  This  admission  by  the  Bell's  Captain  is 
sustained  by  the  testimony  of  her  First  Lieutenant  (Mo- 
berly),  Lieut.  Lovell,  Purser  Hinshelwood,  and  Surgeon 
Turner,  all  of  the  Little  Belt,  before  the  Court  of  Inquiry 
at  Halifax. 


Chap.  XIII.] 


THE  ACTION  WITH  THE  LITTLE  BELT. 


65 


colors/  the  stranger  wore,  set  lier  stud- 
ding and  upper  stay  sails,  and  stood  to 
the  southward.^ 

At  this  time  the  ships  were  six  miles 
apart,  and  tlie  curiosity  of  Commodore 
Rogers — or,  possibly,  his  orders  from 
the  Department — induced  him  to  make 
chase,  for  the  purpose  of  speaking  the 
stranger,  and  of  ascei-tainiug  who  and 
what  she  was.^  The  President^  there- 
fore, edged  away  for  her,  but  without 
making  any  more  sail,  until  about  half- 
past  three,  when  she  had  so  far  gained 
on  the  stranger  that  the  upper  part  of 
the  latter  began  to  show  itself,  above 
the    horizon,    from    the    deck    of    the 


1  ' '  She  appeared  studiously  to  decline  showing  her  col- 
ors."— {Com.  Rogers  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  May  23.)  "At  half- 
past  seven  p.  m.  ,  for  the  first  time,  I  saw  colors  flying  on 
board  the  Little  Belt;  but  I  could  not  tell  to  what  na- 
tion she  belonged." — {Testimony  of  Cap,.  Ludlow  before  the 
Court  of  Inquiry .)  "I  did  not  observe  any  colors  flying 
on  the  Little  Belt  at  any  time  during  the  chase." — {Test,  of 
Lieut.  Creighton.)  This  unequivocal  testimony,  on  the 
principal  point  in  dispute,  is  singularly  sustained  by  that 
of  the  officers  of  the  Little  Belt.  Capt.  Bingham  {Letter  to 
Adm'l  Sawyer,  May  21,  1811),  after  saying,  "he  hoisted 
the  colors,"  before  wearing,  and  making  off,  says,  "at 
half-past  six  o'clock — I  imagined  the  most  prudent  meth- 
od was  to  bring  to,  and  hoist  the  colors,  that  no  mistake 
might  arise," — which  would  not  have  been  necessary  had 
the  colors  been  hoisted  at  one  o'clock,  as  he  had  stated  just 
before.  Lieut.  Lovell  {Test,  before  the  Court  of  Inquiry  at 
Halifax)  commits  the  same  singular  blunder  of  self-con- 
demnation. Boatswain  Franklin  {Test,  before  the  same 
Cuurt)  says,  ' '  Abotit  half-past  seven,  shortened  sail  and 
brought  to  ;  hoisted  the  colors,"  &c.,  without  alluding  to 
any  display  before  that  time  ;  in  which  Purser  Hinshel- 
wood  {Test,  before  the  same  body)  fully  sustains  him.  First- 
Lieut.  Moberly  {Test.,  &c.)  says  the  Liltte  Belt  "showed 
her  colors"  at  half- past  two  P.  M.,  and  that  when  she 
hove  to,  at  seven  p.  m.,  her  colors  were  "up,"  in  which 
he  contradicts  the  testimony  of  his  associates,  and  the 
official  statement  of  his  commandant. 

"  'lest,  of  Lieut.  Moberly,  of  the  Little  Bdt,  before  the 
Court  at  Halifax,  N.  S. ;  Test,  of  Lieut.  Lovell,  at  the 
the  same  place ;  Capt.  Bingham  to  Adm'l  Sawyer,  May 
21  ;  Test,  of  Capt.  Ludlow,  at  N.  Y.;  Com.  Kogers  to  Sec. 
of  Navy,  May  23. — '  Com.  Kogers  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  May 
23  ;  Test,  of  Capt.  Ludlow,  at  N.  Y. ;  Capt.  Bingham  to 
Adm'l  Sawyer,  May  21;  Test,  of  Lieut.  Moberly,  at  Halifax. 
Vol.  II.— 9 


former;^  but  the  wind,  at  that  time, 
began,  and  continued,  gradually,  to  de- 
crease, preventing  the  President  from 
approaching  near  enough,  before  sun- 
set, to  discover  her  force  or,  in  the  ab- 
sence of  her  colors,  even  the  nation  to 
which  she  belonged,^  notwithstanding 
the  former  also  had  hoisted  her  stud- 
ding-sails, royals,  and  stay-sails.^ 

About  a  quarter-past  seven,  the  Pres- 
ident having  come  within  gunshot  of 
the  stranger,* — who  could  clearly  dis- 
cern the  stars  in  the  Commodore's  pen- 
dant,^— the  latter  "  imagined  the  more 
prudent  method  was  to  bring  to,  and 
hoist  the  colors,  that  no  mistake  mio-ht 
arise,  and  that  he  ( Commodore  Pogers) 
might  see  what  we  (the  stranger^  v^dTH.^''^ 
Accordingly  she  took  in  her  studding- 
sails,  hauled  up  her  courses,  hauled  by 
the  wind  on  the  starboard-tack,  and 
hoisted  an  ensign  at  the  mizzen-peak,^ 
but  it  was  then  too  dark  for  the  Com- 
modore to  distino'uish  what  nation  it 
represented.®  Soon  afterwards  the  ex- 
tra canvas  of  the  President  was,  also, 
taken  in,  and  her  foresail  was  hauled 
up;®  while  the  ship  slowly  ran  down 
for   the   stranger's   weather-quarter,   in 


1  Com.  Rogers  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  May  23.—=  Ibid.;  Test, 
of  Capt.  Ludlow,  at  N.  Y. — '  Test,  of  Capt.  Ludlow,  at 
N.  Y.;  Affidavit  of  Wm.  Burket ;  Test,  of  Lieut.  Mober- 
ly, Boatswain  Franklin,  and  Surgeon  Turner,  at  Halifax, 
N.  S.— ■■  Com.  Eogers  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  May  23  ;  Test,  of 
Capt.  Ludlow,  at  N.  Y. ;  Capt.  Bingham  {Letter  to  Adm'l 
Sawyer,  May  21)  says  it  was  "  at  half -past  six;"  while  Lieut. 
Moberly  {Test,  at  Halifax)  says  it  was  "  at  seven." 

^  "  Clearly  discerning  the  stars  in  his  broad  pendant." — 
{Capt.  Bingham  to  Adm'l  Sawyer,  May  21.) — *  Ibid.  See  also 
the  Test,  of  Lieut.  Moberly,  at  Halifax. — ''  Test,  of  Capt. 
Ludlow,  in  N.  Y. ;  Com.  Eogers  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  May  23  ; 
Lieut.  Lovell' s  Test.,  at  Halifax. — °  Com.  Eogers  to  Sec. 
of  Navy,  May  23  ;  Test,  of  Capt.  Ludlow,  at  N.  Y.;  Affi- 
davit of  Wm.  Burket,  at  Halifax,  N.  S. 

^  Testimony  of  Capt.  Ludlow,  at  New  York. 


66 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II, 


order  to  speak  her.^  This  move- 
ment, however,  appeared  to  annoy  the 
stranger;^  and  she  endeavored  to  pre- 
vent it  by  wearing  three  times,^  but, 
by  hauling  by  the  wind,  on  different 
tacks,  Captain  Ludlow  carried  the 
President  to  the  position  which  the 
Commodoi'e  had  ordered  to  be  taken,* 
and,  at  about  half-past  eight,  rounded 
her  to,  on  the  stranger's  weather-beam, 
within  speaking-distance.^ 

At  this  time  the  ships  were  from 
seventy  to  one  hundred  yards  distant;® 
the  wind  was  very  light ;'''  and  the  dark- 
ness of  the  evening  was  not  relieved  by 
the  light  of  the  moon.  The  stranger, 
from  having  seen  the  stars  in  the  Com- 
modore's pendant,^  and  from  other  cir- 
cumstances, Icnew  the  ship  which  was 
chasing  her  was  an  American,  and  sup- 
posed she  was  the  frigate  "  United 
States  J'' ^  She  had  also,  during  the  af- 
ternoon, double-shotted  her  guns,^"  and 
"  made  every  preparation,  in  case  of  a 
surprise"" — all  of  which  indicated  that 
her  commander  was  not  without  expec- 
tations of  an  engagement,  although  he 
was  not  disposed  to  seek  it,  whe7i  the 
force  of  his  opponent  had  been  ascer- 
tained.    On  the  other  hand,  Commo- 


'  Test,  of  Capt.  Ludlow,  at  N.  T.;  Com.  Rogers  to  Sec. 
of  Navy,  May  23  ;  Test,  of  Lieut.  Moberly,  at  Halifax. 

"  Com.  Rogers  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  May  23  ;  Capt.  Bing- 
ham to  Adm'l  Sawyer,  May  21. — ^  Capt.  Bingham  to 
Adm'l  Sawyer,  May  21 ;  Test,  of  Lieut.  Moberly,  at  Hal- 
ifax ;  Test,  of  Capt.  Ludlow,  at  N.  T. — *  Com.  Rogers  to 
Sec.  of  Navy,  May  23  ;  Test,  of  Capt.  Ludlow,  at  N.  T. 

'  Test,  of  Capt.  Ludlow,  at  N.  Y. — °  Com.  Rogers  to 
Sec.  of  Navy,  May  23. — '  Studding-sails  had  been  used 
until  within  a  few  minutes. — '  Capt.  Bingham  to  Adm'l 
Sawyer,  May  21  ;  Test,  of  Lieut.  Moberly,  at  Halifax,  N.  S. 

°  Testimony  of  Lieut.  Moberly,  at  Halifax,  N.  S. 

"  Capt.  Bingham  to  Adm'l  Sawyer,  May  21  ;  Test,  of 
Lieutenants  Moberly  and  Lovell,  at  Halifax,  N.  S. 

"  Capt.  Bingham  to  Adm'l  Sawyer,  May  21. 


dore  Rogers  and  his  officers  had  wit- 
nessed the  sudden  change  in  the  course 
of  the  stranger,  when  her  signals  were 
not  answered ;  and,  from  what  appeared 
to  have  been  the  studied  attempt,  of  her 
commander,  to  conceal  her  colors,^  add- 
ed to  this  sudden  movement,  they  were 
entirely  ignorant  both  of  her  national- 
ity and  her  purposes. 

Such  were  the  peculiar  circumstances 
which  existed  when,  at  about  half-past 
eight,  the  President  rounded  to,  under 
the  stranger's  weather-beam,^  and  the 
Commodore  hailed,  saying,  "  What  ship 
is  that?"^  To  this  the  answer  was 
given — "  What  ship  is  that  ? "  *  although 
it  appears  that  this  answer  was  not 
heard  by  several  who  stood  near  the 
Commodore;^  and,  within  a  few  mo- 
ments, he  repeated  his  former  question 
— "  What  ship  is  that  ? " "  which  was  an- 
swered with  a  shot,^  which  cut  off  one 

1  Com.  Rogers  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  May  23.—''  Test,  of  Capt. 
Ludlow,  at  N.  Y. — '  Com.  Rogers  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  May 
23  ;  Test,  of  Capt.  Ludlow,  Lieut.  Creighton,  Capt.  Cald- 
well, Lieut.  Perry,  Lieut.  Madison,  Sailing-master  Mull, 
Midshipman  Jos.  Smith,  Chaplain  Denison,  Boatswain 
Roberts,  Midshipmen  Carson,  Matthew  C.  Perry,  Silas 
Duncan,  and  J  H.  Clack,  Lieuts.  Gamble,  Dallas,  and 
Funk,  at  N. Y. ;  Affidavit  of  Wm.  Burket,  at  Halifiix,  N.  S. 

*  Com.  Rogers  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  May  23  ;  Test,  of  Lieuts. 
Creighton,  Gamble,  and  A.  J.  Dallas,  Chaplain  Denison, 
Midshipmen  Carson,  M.  C.  Perry,  Silas  Duncan,  and  J. 
H.  Clack,  at  N.  Y.— ^  Test,  of  Capt.  Ludlow,  Lieuts.  H.  J. 
Perry,  L.  B.  Madison,  Midshipman  Smith,  at  New  York. 

'  Com.  Rogers  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  May  23  ;  Test,  of  Capt. 
Ludlow,  Lieuts.  Creighton,  J.  H.  Perry,  Madison,  Gamble, 
Dallas,  and  Funk,  Sailing-master  Mull,  Midshipmen  Smith, 
Carson,  M.  C.  Perry,  Duncan,  and  Clack,  Chaplain  Deni- 
son and  Boatswain  Roberts,  atN.  Y.;  Affidavit  of  Wm. 
Burket.—''  Com.  Rogers  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  May  23  ;  Test, 
of  Capt.  Ludlow,  Lieuts.  Creighton,  H.  J.  Perry,  Madison, 
Gamble,  Dallas,  and  Funk,  Capt.  Caldwell,  Sailing-master 
Mull,  Midshipmen  Smith,  Carson,  M.  C.  Perry,  and  Shu- 
brick,  and  Carpenter  Barns,  at  N.  Y.  This  important  fact 
was  also  substantiated  by  the  testimony  of  the  commander 
of  each  gun  on  the  President,  each  of  whom,  as  well  as 
each  of  the  officers,  fully  and  unequivocally  denied  having 
fired  a  gun,  until  after  the  Little  Belt  had  fired. 


Chap.  XIII.] 


THE  ACTION  WITtI  THE  LITTLE  BELT. 


67 


of  the  Presidents  main-topmast  hreast- 
backstays,  and  lodged  in  her  mainmast.^ 
A  single  gun,  from  the  Presidents  gun- 
deck,  responded  to  the  stranger's  fire,^ — 
without  the  Commodore's  order,  but  not 
contrary  to  his  desire,^ — wliich  was,  in 
turn,  answered  by  three  others  from  the 
stranger,*  and,  soon  afterwards,  by  her 
musketry  and  broadside.^ 

Satisfied  that  the  stranger's  fire  was 
intentional,  and  designed  as  an  insult 
to  the  American  flag,®  the  Commodore 
gave  a  general  order  to  fire  on  her,^ 
which  was  obeyed  promptly  and  with 
great  spirit.®  Within  five  or  six  min- 
utes afterwards  the  stranger  suspended 
lier  fire  ; '  when  Commodore  Rogers — 


'  Cora.  Rogers  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  May  23.— »  Ibid.;  Test, 
of  Capt.  Ludlow,  Lieuts.  Madison,  Dallas,  and  Funk, 
Sailing-master  Mull,  Midshipmen  Smith,  Carson,  M.  C. 
Perry,  and  Clack.  This  gun  was  fired  by  Lieut.  Alex.  J. 
Dallas  (since  Cora.  Dallas),  without  orders  from  the  Com- 
modore.— '  "At  this  instant,  Capt.  Caldwell,  of  the  ma- 
rines, who  was  standing  very  near  me  on  the  gangway, 
having  observed,  'Sir,  she  has  fired  at  us,'  caused  me  to 
pause  for  a  moment,  just  as  I  was  in  the  act  of  giving  an  order 
to  fire  a  shot  in  return  ;  and  before  1  had  time  to  resume  the  repe- 
tition of  the  intended  order,  a  shot  was  actually  fired  from  the 
second  division  of  this  ship." — (Com.  Rogers  to  Sec.  of  Navy, 
May  23.)  "As  soon  as  I  perceived  the  flash,  and  heard 
the  reports  from  the  Little  Belt,  I  got  in  from  the  port,  and 
fired  a  gun  from  the  second  division,  which  I  then  commanded."  — 
(Test,  of  Lieut.  A.  J.  Dallas,  before  the  Court  of  Inquiry,  in  N.  Y. , 
Sept.  7,  1811.—*  Com.  Eogers  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  May  23  ; 
Test,  of  Capt.  Ludlow,  Capt.  Caldwell,  Lieut.  Madison,  and 
Midshipman  Smith, atN.Y.—'  Com.  Eogers  to  Sec.  of  Navy, 
May  23,  and  the  general  testimony  before  both  the  Court 
at  N.  Y.  and  that  at  Halifax,  N.  S. — *  Com.  Eogers  to  Sec. 
of  Navy,  May  23.—'  Ibid.  ;  The  testimony  before  the 
Court  at  N.  Y.;  Affidavit  of  Wm.  Burket,  at  Halifax. 

'  Affidavit  of  Wm.  Burket,  at  Halifax,  N.  S.;  Test,  of 
Surgeon  Turner  of  Little  Belt. 

'  On  no  portion  of  this  complicated  subject  has  there 
been  more  dispute  than  the  duration  of  the  action.  Com . 
Rogers  (Letter  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  May  23)  says,  that  after  firing 
*' from  four  to  six  minutes,  as  near  as  he  could  judge,"  he 
suspended  the  fire  ;  that,  "m  less  than  four  minutes,"  it 
was  resumed  ;  and  that  it  ' '  continued  from  three  to  five 
minutes  Imager" — making  the  entire  duration  from  eleven  to 
fifteen  minutes.     In  this  he  is  sustained  by  the  sworn  testi- 


believing  her  to  be  weaker  than  he  had 
supposed,  or  that  some  unusually  severe 
accident  had  befallen  her^ — gave  orders 
to  suspend  the  fire  of  the  President.,  for 
the  purpose  of  preventing  any  unneces- 
sary sacrifice  of  life,^  A  few  minutes 
afterwards,  however,  the  stranger  re- 
newed her  fire  ;  and  the  Commodore 
was  compelled,  contrary  to  his  wishes, 
to  give  orders  for  a  renewal  of  the 
President's  fire.^  For  about  five  min- 
utes this  cannonade  continued,  when,  a 
second  time,  the  stranger  suspended  her 
fire,  and  the  fire  of  the  President  was 
also  discontinued.* 

After  waiting  a  few  seconds,  to  ascer- 
tain if  the  stranger  was  disposed  to  re- 
new the  action,  and  after  satisfying  him- 
self that  the  damage  which  the  former 
had  received  would  probably  induce 
him  to  keep  silent,  the  Commodore 
hailed  her  again,  "and  learned, /or  the 
first  tirne.^  that  it  was  a  ship  of  His 
Britannic  Majesty,"  although,  even  at 
that  time,  he  could  not  distinguish  her 
name.^      After    having:    informed    the 


stranger  what  vessel  it  was  which  she 
had  attacked,  the  Commodore  gave 
orders   to  wear,  run  under  the    strau- 

mony  of  his  officers,  before  the  Court  of  Inquiry  at  N.  Y. 
On  the  other  hand,  Capt.  Bingham  (Letter  to  Adm'l  Sawyer, 
May  21)  says,  "The  action  became  general,  and  continued 
so  for  three-quarters  of  an  hour."  Lieut.  Moberly,  of  the 
Little  Belt  (Test,  before  the  Court  of  Inquiry,  at  Halifax),  says, 
"We  continued  firing  about  an  hour;"  in  which  Lieut. 
Lovell,  Boatswain  Franklin,  and  Purser  Hinshelwood, 
concur.  Surgeon  Turner  concurs  with  his  captain  in  say- 
ing it  lasted  "forty-five  minutes." 

'  Com.  Eogers  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  May  23  ;  Test,  of  Capt. 
Ludlow,  at  N.  Y. — "  Com.  Eogers  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  May 
23  ;  Test  of  Capt.  Ludlow,  Lieut.  Creighton,  Capt.  Cald- 
well, Lieuts.  Perry,  Madison,  and  Sailing-master  Mull,  in 
N.  Y.     Seealsonote9.— 'Ibid— "Ibid. 

^  Com.  Eogers  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  May  23  ;  Test,  of  Capt. 
Ludlow,  at  N.  Y. ;  Capt.  Bingham  to  Adm'l  Sawyer, 
May  21. 


68 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


ger's  lee,  haul  by  the  wind  on  the  star- 
board-tack, and  heave  to  under  topsails, 
for  the  purpose  of  repairing  the  little 
iujuiy  which  the  President  had  re- 
ceived, and  of  rendering  such  assistance 
to  the  stranger  as  might  be  necessary.-' 
After  lying  to,  on  different  tacks, 
with  lights  displayed,  during  the  night, 
at  daylight,  on  the  seventeenth,  the 
President  was  several  miles  to  wind- 
ward of  the  stranger,  and  orders  were 
given  to  bear  up  and  run  down  to  her, 
under  easy  sail,  for  the  purpose  of  send- 
ing a  boat  on  board.*^  After  ^hailing 
her,  Lieutenant  Creighton  was  sent  w^ith 
a  boat  "to  ascertain  the  name  of  the 
ship  and  her  commander ;  to  express 
the  Commodore's  deep  regret  at  what 
had  taken  place ;  to  say  he  regretted 
the  stranger  had  fired  first ;  and  that 
had  he  known  her  force  he  would  even 
received  a  shot  without  returning  it."^ 
He  also  offered  any  assistance  she  stood 
in  need  of,  and  submitted  to  the  com- 
mander that  he  had  better  put  into  one 
of  the  ports  of  the  United  States,  for 
repairs,  which  was  declined.*  It  then 
appeared  that  the  stranger  was  the  Brit- 
ish sloop-of-war  Little  Belt^  of  eighteen 
guns,  and  commanded  by  Captain  Ar- 
thur Batt  Bingham ;  that  the  ship  had 
suffered  very  severely  from  the  Presi- 
dents fire ;  and  that  between  twenty 
and  thirty  of  her  crew  had  been  killed 
or  wounded.  Her  captain  declined  re- 
ceiving  any  assistance,  and  made   sail 


'  Com.  Rogers  to  Secretary  of  Navy,  May  23. 

'Ibid.;  Testimony  of  Capt.  Ludlow,  at  New  York; 
Capt.  Bingham  to  Adm'l  Sawyer,  May  21. 

^  Com.  Rogers  to  Secretary  of  Navy,  May  23  ;  Testi- 
mony of  Lieut.  Creighton,  at  New  York,  Sept.  2,  1811. 

^  Capt.  Bingham  to  Adm'l  Sawyer,  May  21. 


for  Halifax;^  while  the  President  bore 
away  for  New  York.^ 

The  President  was  one  of  the  largest 
of  the  American  frigates,  rating  forty- 
four  guns,  but  mounting  a  greater  num 
ber,  and  carrying  a  crew  nearly  double 
that  of  the  Little  Belt.  ,Her  main  and 
mizzen  masts  suffered  some  injury  from 
the  fire  of  the  Little  Belt  -j^  one  of  her 
fore-shrouds  was  cut  off,  and  hei-  run- 
ning-rigging suffered  slightly.*  None 
of  her  crew  was  killed ;  and  but  one — 
a  boy — was  wounded.^ 

The  Little  Belt  was  a  sloop-of-war, 
of  eighteen  guns,  mounting  thirty-two 
carronades,®  and  was  one  of  the  finest 
of  her  class  in  the  navy.  She  was 
"  almost  a  wreck" — -her  hull  sufferino: 
very  severely,  besides  having  her  bow- 
sprit, foremast,  mainmast,  and  mizzen- 
mast  shot  through ;  main-top,  fore-top, 
fore-topgallant,  and  mizzen-topgallant 
masts  shattered ;  main-topsail-yard,  fore- 
topsail-yard,  foreyard,  the  jolly-boat, 
and  launch  destroyed,  and  other  of  her 
spars  very  much  injured.'^  One  of  her 
midshipmen  and  twelve  of  her  crew 
were  killed,  and  nineteen  were  wound- 
ed.« 

The  great  disparity  of  force  between 
the  President  and  the  Little  Belt  has 
never  been  questioned ;  and,  in  conse- 
quence,   this    engagement    has    called 


'  Com.  Rogers  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  May  28. — "^  Affidavit  of 
Wm.  Burket,  at  Halifax. — ^  Com.  Rogers  to  Sec.  of  Navy, 
May  23  ;  Affidavit  of  Wm.  Burket,  at  Halifax. 

*  Test,  of  Capt.  Ludlow. — '  Com.  Rogers  to  Sec.  of 
Navy,  May  23. — °  Letter  from  Naval  Hospital,  Halifax, 
May  29,"  in  Naval  Chronicle,  xxvi.  p.  37. 

'  Report  of  the  state  and  condition  of  H.  M.  sloop  Little 
Belt,  signed,  "  Wm.  Hughes,  Master-shipwright,  and  J. 
Parryie,  Foreman  do.,  Halifax-yard,  May  28,  1811." 

^Return  of  officers,  &c.,  killed  and  wounded,  signed, 
"  A.  B.  Bingham,  Captain,  and  Wm.  Turner,  Surgeon." 


Chap.  XIII.] 


DOCUMENTS. 


69 


forth  none  of  tlie  commendations  wliicli' 
the  commanders  of  other,  and  more 
equally  matched  vessels,  have  received. 
As  the  first  action  between  the  naval 
]io\yers  of  Great  Britain  and  the  United 
States,  however ;  as  an  instance  of  the 
summary  punishment  inflicted  on  a 
haughty  and  supercilious  opponent;  as 
productive  of  some  of  the  most  notable 
specimens  of  self-gratulation ;  and  as  an 
important  element  in  the  existing  dis- 
pute with  Great  Britain,  "the  affair 
with  the  Little  BeW  holds  a  prominent 
place  in  the  annals  of  the  United  States. 
The  partisans  of  that  day — like  the 
same  class  at  the  present  day — con- 
demned or  approved  the  conduct  of 
Commodore  Rogers,  according  to  the 
instructions  of  their  leaders  and  the 
operations  of  their  parties.  The  Re- 
publicans, of  course,  approved  the  ac- 
tion and  lauded  the  Commodore,  as  a 
faithful  defender  of  the  honor  of  the 
flag ;  and  the  oflScial  organ  of  the  gov- 
ernment congratulated  itself  "  that  Com- 
modore Rogers'  conduct  had  been  gen- 


erally approved  of  by  all  parties;"^ 
while  the  Federalists,  of  course,  con- 
demned both,  and  published  elaborate 
articles^ — which  were  reproduced  in 
Eno^land^  —  to  show  that  it  was  the 
duty  of  Commodore  Rogers  to  answer 
the  stranger's  hail  before  receiving  an 
answer  to  his  own  ;  that  he  was  under 
"  higher  obligations  than  '  common  po- 
liteness,' which  should  have  disposed 
him  to  satisfy  the  ship  he  had  chased, 
as  soon  as  possible,  that  lie  was  a 
friendr 

In  Great  Britain  and  her  colonies  a 
violent  storm  of  abuse  was  immediately 
let  loose,*  while  the  vanity  of  the  peo- 
ple was  flattered  with  the  reports  that 
the  action  was  sustained  a  full  hour, 
and  that  the  colors — which  were  shot 
away — had  not  been  struck  to  the 
American  frigate.^  Songs  were  sung 
in  honor  of  the  event,  and  in  i-idicule 
of  Commodore  Roo-ers  ;  ®  and  it  became 
one  of  the  events  which  was  destined 
to  be  considered  an  epoch  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  world. 


docume:n^ts. 


I. 

COMMODOEE    KOGERS'    DISPATCH    TO    SECRETAEY 
OF   NATT. 


i 


U.  S.  Fmgatb  President,  oef  Sandy  Hook, 
Hay  23,  1811. 

Sir: — ^I  regret  extremely  being  under  the 
necessity  of  representing  to  you  an  event  that 
occurred  on  the  night  of  the  16th  inst.,  between 
the  ship  under  my  command  and  His  Britannic 
Majesty's  ship  of  war  the  Little  Belt^  command- 
ed by  Captain  Bingham  ;  the  result  of  which 
has  given  me  much  pain,  as  well  on  account  of 


the  injury  she  sustained,  as  that  I  should  have 
been  compelled  to  the  measure  that  produced 
it,  by  a  vessel  of  her  inferior  force.  The  cir- 
cumstances are  as  follows  :  On  the  16th  instant, 
at  twenty-five  minutes  past  meridian,  in  seven- 
teen-fathom  water,  Cape   Henry  bearing  s.  w., 

'  National  Intelligencer,  Washington,  D.  C,  June  1, 1811. 

'  N.  Y.  Evening  Post,  May  25,  1811;  Boston  Reper- 
tory, July  8,  1811. — '  Naval  Chronicle,  xxvi.  (London, 
1811)  pp.  33,  197,  198.—*  Ibid.,  xxvii.  (London,  1812) 
pp.  63,  64.—=  Ibid.,  xxvi.  (London,  1811)  p.  35  ;  Quebec 
Mercury,  June  17,  1811. — *  "Rogers  and  the  Little  Bell," 
in  Naval  Chronicle,  xxvii.  p.  151. 


TO 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


distant  fourteen  or  fifteen  leagues,  a  sail  was 
discovered  from  our  mast-head,  in  tbe  east, 
standing  towards  us  lender  a  press  of  sail.  At 
lialfi^ast  one  the  symmetry  of  her  upper  sails 
(which  were  at  this  time  distinguishable  from 
our  deck),  and  her  making  signals,  showed  her 
to  be  a  man-of-war.  At  forty-five  minutes  past 
one  p.  M.,  hoisted  our  ensign  and  pendant ; 
when,  finding  her  signals  not  answered,  she 
wore  and  stood  to  the  southward.  Being  de- 
sirous of  speaking  her,  and  of  ascertaining  what 
she  was,  I  now  made  sail  in  chase ;  and  by  half- 
past  three  p.  m.,  found  we  were  coming  up  with 
her,  as  by  this  time  the  upper  part  of  her  stern 
began  to  show  itself  above  the  horizon.  The 
wind  now  began,  and.  continued  gradually  to 
decrease,  so  as  to  prevent  my  being  able  to  ap- 
proach her  sufiiciently  before  sunset  to  discover 
her  actual  force  (which  the  position  she  pre- 
served during  the  chase  was  calculated  to  con- 
ceal), or  to  judge  even  to  what  nation  she  be- 
longed, as  she  appeared  studiously  to  decline 
showing  her  colors.  At  fifteen  or  twenty  min- 
utes past  seven  p.  m.,  the  chase  took  in  her 
studding-sails,  and  soon  after  hauled  up  her 
courses,  and  hauled  by  the  wind  on  the  star- 
board-tack ;  she  at  the  same  time  hoisted  an 
ensign  or  flag  at  her  mizzen-peak,  but  it  was  too 
dark  for  me  to  discover  what  nation  it  repre- 
sented; now,  for  the  first  time,  her  broadside 
was  presented  to  our  view,  but  night  had  so  far 
progressed,  that  although  her  a^jpearance  indi- 
cated she  was  a  frigate,  I  was  unable  to  deter- 
mine her  actual  force. 

At  fifteen  minutes  before  eight  p.  m.,  being 
about  a  mile  and  a  half  from  her,  the  wind  at 
the  time  very  light,  I  directed  Captain  Ludlow 
to  take  a  position  to  windward  of  her  and  on 
the  same  tack,  within  short  speaking  distance. 
This,  however,  the  commander  of  the  chase  ap- 
peared, from  his  manoeuvres,  to  be  anxious  to 
prevent,  as  he  wore  and  hauled  by  the  wind  on 
different  tacks  four  times,  successively,  between 
this  period  and  the  time  of  our  arriving  at  the 
position  which  I  had  ordered  to  be  taken.  At 
fifteen  or  twenty  minutes  past  eiglit,  being  a 
little  forward  of  her  weather-beam,  and  distant 
from  seventy  to  a  hundred  yards,  hailed,  "  What 
ship  is  that?"  to  this  inquiry  no  answer  was 
given,  but  I  was  hailed  by  her  commander,  and 


asked,  "  What  ship  is  that  ?  "  Having  asked  the 
first  question,  T,  of  course,  considered  mj^self  en- 
titled, by  the  common  rules  of  politeness,  to  the 
first  answer.  After  a  pause  of  fifteen  or  twenty 
seconds,  I  reiterated  my  first  inquiry,  of  "What 
ship  is  that  ?  "  and  before  I  had  time  to  take 
the  trumpet  from  my  mouth,  was  answered  by 
a  shot,  that  cut  off  one  of  our  main-top  back- 
stays and  went  into  our  mainmast.  At  this  in- 
stant Captain  Caldwell  (of  marines),  who  was 
standing  very  near  me  on  the  gangway,  having 
observed,  "  Sir,  she  has  fired  at  us,"  caused  me 
to  pause  for  a  moment,  just  as  I  was  in  the  act 
of  giving  an  order  to  fire  a  shot  in  return ;  and 
before  I  had  time  to  resume  the  repetition  of 
the  intended  oi'der,  a  shot  was  actually  fired 
from  the  second  division  of  this  ship,  and  was 
scarcely  out  of  the  gun  before  it  was  answered 
from  our  assumed  enemy  by  three  others,  in 
quick  succession,  and  soon  after  the  rest  of  his 
broadside  and  musketry.  When  the  first  shot 
was  fired,  being  under  an  impression  that  it 
might  possibly  have  proceeded  from  accident, 
and  without  the  orders  of  the  commander,  I 
had  determined  at  the  moment  to  fire  only  a 
single  shot  in  return  ;  but  the  immediate  repeti- 
tion of  the  previous  unprovoked  outrage,  in- 
duced me  to  believe  that  the  insult  was  pre- 
meditated, and  that  from  our  adversary  being, 
at  that  time,  as  ignorant  of  our  real  force  as  I 
was  of  his,  he  thought  this,  perhaps,  a  favorable 
opportunity  of  acquiring  promotion,  although  at 
the  expense  of  violating  our  neutrality,  and  in- 
sulting our  flag.  I  accordingly,  with  that  de- 
gree of  repugnance  incident  to  feeling  equally 
determined  neither  to  be  the  aggressor,  or  suf- 
fer the  flag  of  my  country  to  be  insulted  with 
impunity,  gave  a  general  order  to  fire ;  the  ef- 
fect of  which,  in  from  four  to  six  minutes,  as 
near  as  I  can  judge,  having  produced  a  partial 
silence  of  his  guns,  I  gave  orders  to  cease  firing, 
discovering,  by  the  feeble  opposition,  that  it 
must  be  a  ship  of  very  inferior  force  to  what  I 
had  supposed,  or  that  some  untoward  accident 
had  happened  to  her. 

My  orders  in  this  instance,  however  (although 
they  proceeded  alone  from  motives  of  humanity, 
and  a  determination  not  to  spill  a  drop  of  blood 
unnecessarily),  I  had,  in  less  than  four  minutes, 
some  reason  to  regret,  as  he  renewed  his  fire,  of 


Chap.  XIII.] 


DOCUMENTS. 


Tl 


which  two  thirty-two  pound  shot  cut  off  one  of 
our  fore-shrouds  and  injured  our  foremast.  It 
was  now  that  I  found  myself  under  the  painful 
necessity  of  giving  orders  for  a  repetition  of  our 
fire  against  a  force  which  my  foi'bearance  alone 
had  enabled  to  do  us  any  injury  of  moment. 
Our  fire  was  accordingly  renewed,  and  contin- 
ued from  three  to  five  minutes  longer,  when, 
perceiving  our  ojjponent's  gaff  and  colors  down, 
his  maintop-sail  yard  upon  the  cap,  and  his  fire 
silenced,  although  it  was  so  dark  that  I  could 
not  discern  any  other  particular  injury  we  had 
done,  or  how  far  he  was  in  a  situation  to  do  us 
farther  harm,  I  nevertheless  embraced  the  earli- 
est moment  to  stoja  our  fire  and  prevent  the 
farther  effusion  of  blood.  Here  a  pause  of  half 
a  minute  or  more  took  place,  at  the  end  of 
which,  our  adversary  not  showing  a  farther  dis- 
position to  fire,  I  hailed  again  and  asked,  "  What 
shij)  is  that,?"  I  learned,  for  the  first  time,  that 
it  was  a  ship  of  His  Britannic  Majesty ;  but, 
owing  to  its  blowing  rather  fresher  than  it  had 
done,  I  was  unable  to  learn  her  name. 

After  having  informed  her  commander  of  the 
name  of  this  ship,  I  gave  orders  to  wear,  run 
under  his  lee,  and  haul  by  the  mnd  on  the  star- 
board-tack, and  heave  to  under  topsails,  and 
repair  what  little  injury  we  had  sustained  in  our 
rigging,  M'hich  was  accordingly  executed  ;  and 
we  continued  lying  to,  on  different  tacks,  with 
a  number  of  lights  displayed,  in  order  that  our 
adversary  might  the  better  discern  our  position, 
and  command  our  assistance,  in  case  he  found  it 
necessary  during  the  night.  At  daybreak  on 
the  17th,  she  was  discovered  several  mUes  to 
leeward,  when  I  gave  orders  to  bear  up  and  run 
down  to  him  under  easy  sail ;  after  hailing  him, 
I  sent  a  boat  on  board  with  Lieutenant  Creigh- 
ton,  to  learn  the  names  of  the  ship  and  her  com- 
mander, ^vith  directions  to  ascertain  the  damage 
she  had  sustained,  and  to  inform  her  commander 
how  much  I  regretted  the  necessity  on  my  j^art 
which  had  led  to  such  an  unhappy  result ;  at 
the  same  time  to  offer  all  the  assistance  that  the 
ship  under  my  command  afforded,  in  repairing 
the  damages  his  had  sustained.  At  nine  a.  m., 
Lieutenant  Creighton  returned,  with  informa- 
tion that  it  was  His  Britannic  Majesty's  shij) 
Little  Belt,  Captain  Bingham ;  who  in  a  polite 
manner  declined  the  acceptance  of  any  assistance. 


saying,  at  the  same  time,  that  he  had  on  board 
all  the  necessary  requisites  to  repair  the  damages 
sufiiciently  to  enable  him  to  return  to  Halifax. 

This,  however,  was  not  the  most  unpleasant 
part  of  Captain  Bingham's  communication  to 
Lieutenant  Creighton,  as  he  informed  him,  that 
in  addition  to  the  injury  his  ship  had  sustained, 
between  twenty  and  thirty  of  his  crew  had  been 
killed  and  wounded. 

The  regret  that  this  information  caused  me 
was  much,  you  may  be  sure,  as  a  man  might 
expect  to  feel,  whose  greatest  pride  is  to  prove, 
without  ostentation,  by  every  public  as  well  as 
j^rivate  act,  that  he  possesses  a  humane  and  gen- 
erous heart ;  and  with  these  sentiments,  believe 
me,  sir,  that  such  a  communication  would  cause 
me  the  most  acute  pain  during  the  remainder  of 
my  life,  had  I  not  the  consolation  to  know  that 
there  was  no  alternative  left  me  between  such  a 
sacrifice  and  one  which  would  have  been  still 
greater,  namely,  to  have  remained  a  jsassive 
spectator  of  insult  to  the  flag  of  my  country, 
while  it  was  confided  to  my  protection — and  I 
would  have  you  to  be  convinced,  sir,  that  how- 
ever much,  individually,  I  may  previously  have 
had  reason  to  feel  incensed  at  the  repeated  out- 
rages committed  on  our  flag  by  British  ships  of 
war,  neither  my  passions  nor  prejudices  had  any 
agency  in  this  aflair. 

To  my  country,  I  am  well  convinced  of  the 
importance  of  the  transaction  which  has  im- 
posed upon  me  the  necessity  of  mailing  you 
this  communication ;  I  must,  therefore,  from 
motives  of  delicacy,  connected  with  jDersonal 
considerations,  solicit  that  you  will  be  jileased 
to  request  the  President  to  authorize  a  formal 
inquiry  to  be  instituted  into  all  the  circum- 
stances, as  w*ell  as  into  every  part  of  my  con- 
duct connected  with  the  same. 

The  injury  sustained  by  the  ship  under  my 
command  is  very  trifling,  except  to  the  fore 
and  main  masts,  which  I  before  mentioned.  No 
person  kiUed,  and  but  one  (a  boy)  wounded. 

For  farther  particulars  I  refer  you  to  Captain 
Caldwell,  who  is  charged  with  the  delivery  of 
this  communication. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  with  great  respect, 
sir,  your  obedient  servant, 

John  Rogeks, 

Hon.  Paul  Hamilton,  Secretary  of  Navy. 


T2 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


II. 


CAPTAIN   BINGHAM  S    DISPATCH    TO    ADMIKAL 
SAWYEK. 

His  Majesty's  Sloop  Litilb  Belt,  May  21,  1811, 
Lat.  36°  53'  N.,  LoN.  71°  49'  W.,  Cape 
Charles  bearing  W.  48  Miles. 

SiK  : — I  beg  leave  to  acquaint  you,  that  in 
pursuance  of  your  orders  to  join  His  Majesty's 
ship  Guerriere^  and  being  on  my  return  from 
the  northward,  not  having  fallen  in  with  her — 
that  about  eleven  a.  m.,  May  16th,  saw  a  strange 
sail,  to  which  I  immediately  gave  chase.  At 
one  p.  M.,  discovered  her  to  be  a  man-of-war, 
apparently  a  frigate,  standing  to  the  eastward, 
who  Avhen  he  made  us  out  edged  away  for  us, 
and  set  his  royals.  Made  the  signal  275,  and 
finding  it  not  answered,  concluded  she  was  an 
American  frigate,  as  she  had  a  commodore's 
blue  pendant  flying  at  the  main.  Hoisted  the 
colors  and  made  all  sail  south,  the  course  I  in- 
tended steering  round  Cape  Ilatteras  ;  the  stran- 
ger edging  away,  but  not  making  any  more  sail. 
At  half-past  three  he  made  sail  in  chase,  when  I 
made  a  private  signal,  which  was  not  answered. 
At  half-past  six,  finding  he  gained  so  considerar 
bly  on  us  as  not  to  be  able  to  elude  him  during 
the  night,  being  within  gunshot,  and  clearly 
discerning  the  stars  in  his  broad  pendant,  I 
imagined  the  most  prudent  method  was  to 
bring  to,  and  hoist  the  colors,  that  no  mistake 
might  arise,  and  that  he  might  see  what  we 
were.  The  ship  was  therefore  brought  to,  her 
colors  hoisted,  her  guns  double-shotted,  and 
every  preparation  made  in  case  of  a  surprise. 
By  his  manner  of  steering  down,  he  evidently 
wished  to  lay  his  ship  in  a  position  for  raking; 
Avhich  I  frustrated  by  wearing  three  times.  At 
a  quarter-past  eight  he  came  within  hail.  I 
hailed,  and  asked  what  ship  it  was  ?  Pie  again 
repeated  my  words,  and  fired  a  broadside,  which 
I  instantly  returned.  The  action  then'  became 
general,  and  continued  so  for  three-quarters  of 
an  hour,  when  he  ceased  firing,  and  appeared  to 
be  on  fire  about  the  main  hatchway.  He  then 
filled.  I  was  obliged  to  desist  from  firing,  as, 
the  ship  falling  off,  no  gun  would  bear,  and  had 
no  after-sail  to  keep  her  to.  All  the  rigging 
and  sails  cut  to  pieces  ;  not  a  brace  nor  a  bow- 
line left.     He  hailed,  and  asked  what  ship  this 


was?  I  told  him.  He  then  asked  me  if  I  had 
struck  my  colors  ?  My  answer,  no,  and  asked 
what  ship  it  was  ?  As  plain  as  I  could  under- 
stand (he  having  shot  some  distance  at  this  time) 
he  answered,  the  United  States  frigate.  He 
fired  no  more  guns,  but  stood  from  us,  giving 
no  reason  for  his  most  extraordinary  conduct. 

At  daylight  in  the  morning  saw  a  ship  to 
windward,  when  having  made  out  well  what  we 
were,  bore  up  and  passed  within  hail,  fully  pre- 
pared for  action.  About  eight  o'clock  he  hailed, 
and  said  if  I  pleased  he  would  send  a  boat  on 
board.  I  replied  in  the  affirmative,  and  a  boat 
accordingly  came,  with  an  officer  and  a  message 
from  Commodore  Rogers  of  the  President,  of 
the  United  States,  to  say  that  he  lamented  much 
the  unfortunate  affixir  (as  he  termed  it)  that  had 
happened,  and  that  had  he  known  our  force  was 
so  much  inferior  he  would  not  have  fired  at  me. 
I  asked  his  motives  for  firing  at  all  ?,  His  reply 
was,  that  "  we  fired  the  first  gun  at  him,"  which 
was  positively  not  the  case.  I  cautioned  both 
the  officers  and  men  to  be  particularly  careful 
and  not  suff"er  more  than  one  man  to  be  at  a 
gun.  Nor  is  it  probable  that  a  sloop-of-war, 
within  pistol-shot  of  a  large  forty-four  gun 
frigate,  should  commence  hostilities.  He  of- 
fered me  every  assistance  I  stood  in  need  of, 
and  submitted  to  me  that  I  had  better  put  in  to 
some  port  of  the  United  States,  Avhicli  I  imme- 
diately declined. 

By  the  manner  in  which  he  ajDologized,  it  ap- 
peared evident  to  me  that  had  he  fallen  in  with 
a  British  frigate  he  would  certainly  have  brought 
her  to  action.  And  what  farther  confirms  me 
in  that  opinion  is,  that  his  guns  were  not  only 
loaded  with  round  and  grape  shot,  but  with 
every  scrap  of  iron  that  could  be  collected. 

I  have  to  lament  the  loss  of  thirty-two  men, 
killed  and  wounded,  among  whom  is  the  master. 

His  Majesty's  shij)  is  much  damaged  in  her 
masts,  sails,  rigging,  and  hull ;  and  as  there  are 
many  shot  through  between  wind  and  water, 
and  many  shot  still  remain  inside,  and  upper 
works  all  shot  away,  starboard  pump  also,  I 
have  thought  it  proper  to  proceed  to  Halifax, 
which  will,  I  hope,  meet  with  your  approbation. 

I  cannot  speak  in  too  high  terms  of  the  offi- 
cers and  men  I  have  the  honor  to  command,  for 
their  steady  and  active  conduct  throughout  the 


Chap.  XIV.] 


THE  BATTLE  OF  TIPPECANOE. 


73 


whole  of  this  business,  who  had  much  to  do,  as 
a  gale  of  wind  came  on  the  second  night  after 
the  action.  I  have  to  request,  sir,  that  you  will 
be  pleased  to  recommend  to  the  notice  of  my 
Lords  Commissioners  of  the  Admii-alty,  my 
first-lieutenant,  Mr.  John  Moberly,  who  is,  in 
every  respect,  a  most  excellent  officer,  and  af- 
forded me  very  great  assistance  in  stopping  the 
leaks ;  himself,  in  the  gale,  securing  the  masts, 
and  doing  every  thing  in  his  power.  It  would 
be  the  greatest  injustice,  was  I  not  also  to  speak 
most  highly  of  Lieutenant  Lovell,  second-lieu- 
tenant, of  Mr.  M'Queen,  master,  who,  as  I  have 
before  stated,  was  wounded  in  the  right  arm,  in 
nearly  the  middle  of  the  action,  and  Mr.  Wilson, 


master's-mate ;  indeed,  the  conduct  of  every  of- 
ficer and  man  was  so  good  that  it  is  impossible 
for  me  to  discriminate. 

I  beg  leave  to  inclose  a  list  of  thirty-two  men 
killed  and  wounded,  most  of  them  mortally,  I 
fear. 

I  hope,  sir,  in  this  affair  I  shall  ajapear  to  have 
done  my  duty,  and  conducted  myself  as  I  ought 
to  have  done  against  so  superior  a  force,  and 
that  the  honor  of  the  British  colors  was  well 
supported. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  &c., 

A.  B.  Bingham,  Gapt. 

To  Herbert  Sawyer,  Esq., 

Eear-admiral  of  the  Red. 


CHAPTER    XI Y. 

WoveiMber  Y,  1§11. 
THE     BATTLE     OF     TIPPECANOE, 


One  of  the  most  able  of  the  many 
talented  men  who  have  appeared,  from 
time  to  time,  among  the  American  In- 
dians, was  lecumtlia  {The  Shooting 
Star^^  a  Shawanoe.  His  parents  were 
both  members  of  that  tribe,  and  Te- 
cumtha — their  fourth  child — was  born 
on  the  bank  of  the  Mad  River,  a  few 
miles  below  Springfield,  within  the 
present  limits  of  Clark  County,  Ohio.^ 
He  was  engaged  in  the  earlier  wars  be- 
tween the  Western  Indians  and  the 
United  States;^  was  present  at  the  at- 
tack on  Fort  Recovery,  in  1794,^  and 
at  the  battle  on  the  Miamis,  in  August 
of  the  same  year;*  declined  attending 
the  Council  at  Greenville,  at  which  a 

•  Drake's  Life  of  Tecumseh  {Ed.  1841),  p.  66.  Mr.  Hinde 
{Am.  Pioneer,  i.  p.  328)  says  he  was  born  ' '  near  Xenia,  on 
Mr.  Saxon's  lot,  near  a  spring." — '  Drake's  Tecumseh, 
pp.  68-78  ;  Perkins'  History  of  Late  War,  p.  57. 

°  Drake's  Tecumseh,  p.  79. — *  Ibid.,  p.  81. 
Vol.  XL— 10 


general  peace  was  agreed  upon;^  and 
gradually  raised  a  party,  of  which 
he  was  the  head,  whose  fundamental 
pi'inciple  appears  to  have  been  to  re- 
store the  Indians  to  their  position  as 
the  sovereigns  of  the  West.^  He  ap- 
pears, however,  to  have  lived  in  peace 
with  the  settlers,  and  to  have  secured 
their  confidence  to  a  remarkable  de- 
gree.* 

Soon  afterwards  a  younger  brother 
of  Tecumth^ — Laulewasikaw — assumed 
the  ofiice  of  a  Prophet;^  assembled 
large  bodies  of  the  Western  Indians,  of 
various  tribes;^  and  gradually  secured 
their  adherence  to  the  religious  imposi- 
tion of  which  he  became  the  head  and 


'  Drake's  Tecumseh,  p.  83.—=  Ibid.,  pp.  83,  84 ;  S.  G. 
Drake's  Biog.  of  Indians  {Ed.  1832),  pp.  329-331,  336; 
McAfee's  War  in  Western  Country,  p.  9. 

*  Drake's  Tecumseh,  pp.  84,  85. 

*  McAfee,  p.  10.—'  Ibid. 


u 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


leader,^  He  declaimed  against  witch- 
craft, and,  like  the  pilgrims  of  Massa- 
chusetts, he  condemned  the  witches. 
Pie  denounced  "fire-water,"  and,  with 
remarkable  success,  he  inculcated  the 
practice  of  "  total  abstinence,"  threaten- 
ing on  those  who  disobeyed  his  injunc- 
tion the  severest  punishment  in  a  future 
state.  He  attributed  the  unhappiness 
of  the  Indians,  in  a  great  measure,  to 
their  intermarriages  with  the  whites ; 
declaimed  against  all  innovations  in  the 
original  dress  and  habits  of  the  people ; 
claimed  for  the  Shawanoes  a  superiority 
over  other  tribes  ;  insisted  on  a  commu- 
nity of  property ;  and  proclaimed  his 
power,  received  from  "  the  Great  Spirit," 
to  cure  all  diseases,  to  confound  his  en- 
emies, and  to  stay  the  arm  of  death,  of 
sickness,  or  of  the  enemy  in  the  field  of 
battle.2 

Tecumth^,  taking  advantage  of  this 
crusade,  and  of  the  radical  sentiments 
which  his  brother  inculcated,  again 
commenced  to  agitate  his  peculiar  sen- 
timents on  the  sovereignty  of  the  In- 
dians ;  and  considerable  apprehension 
was  entertained  for  the  safety  of  the 
fi'ontiers.^  The  provisions  of  the  Treaty 
of  Greenville,  by  which  the  lands,  on 
which  Tecumth^  and  his  followers  were^ 
were  ceded  to  the  United  States,  were 
repudiated  ;  the  ownership  of  the  lands 
claimed  for  the  great  body  of  the  tribes 
instead  of  any  one  who  might  occupy 
them ;  and  a  general  association  of  the 
Westei'n  and  Southwestern  tribes,  for 
purposes  of  defence  and  mutual  protec- 

'  Perkins'  Annals  of  the  West  {Second  Ed.),  p.  570. 
'^  Drake's  Tecuinseh,  pp.  87,  88  ;  -McAfee,  p.  10. 
^  Drake's  Tecumseh,  pp.  92-97  ;  Perkins'  Annals  of  the 
West,  pp.  570,  571. 


tion,  was  openly  proclained  and  en- 
forced.^ Hostility  to  the  United  States 
was  steadily  disavowed^  (notwithstand- 
ing it  was  known  that  the  agents  of 
the  British  government  were  active  in 
keeping  up  the  excitement),^  and  coun- 
cil after  council  had  been  held,  with 
the  hope  of  conciliating  the  Indians, 
without  success.* 

During  this  time  the  government  of 
the  Northwestern  Territory  had  been 
vested  in  William  H.  Harrison,  and  the 
good  judgment  and  great  experience  of 
that  eminent  man,  found  ample  oppor- 
tunity for  exercise  in  guarding  against 
the  dangers  which  appeared  to  be  gath- 
ering around  that  part  of  the  country. 
While  it  is  evident  that  he  anticipated 
no  hostile  movement  among  the  In- 
dians, he  carefully  watched  the  progress 
of  events,  and  was  not  inattentive  to  a 
provision  of  proper  means  of  defence. 

In  the  spring  of  1808,  Tecumth^  and 
his  brother  removed  to  a  tract  of  land 
on  Tippecanoe,  one  of  the  tributaiies  of 
the  Wabash ;®  and,  much  to  the  dis- 
content of  the  Miamis  and  Delawares, 
a  motley  crowd  of  fanatics,  from  all  the 
Western  tribes,  were  brought  thither 
through  the  influence  of  the  Prophet.^ 
While  there  was  entertained  among 
them  a  general  love  of  their  own  peo- 
ple, rather  than  the  whites — a  love  of 
country  which  is  commendable,  under 
all  circumstances — there  is  no  evidence 
that  any  other  motive  actuated  this 
assemblage    than   a   religious    delusion, 

'  Perkins'  Hist,  of  Late  War,  p.  57. — "  Drake's  Tecum- 
seh, p   93. — '  Perkins'  Annals  of  the  West,  pp.  577,  578. 

*  Drake's  Tecumseh,  p.  92.—^  McAfee,  p.  11 ;    Drake's 
Tecumseh,  p.  105;  Marshall's  Kentucky,  p.  480. 

*  McAfee,  p.  11  ;  Drake's  Tecumseh,  p.  105. 


Chap.  XIV.] 


THE  BATTLE  OF  TIPPECANOE. 


75 


compared  with  which  other,  and  more 
recent,  delusions,  among  the  whites,  are 
far  more  detrimental  to  the  happiness 
of  their  votaries,  and  far  less  creditable 
to  their  intelligence.  This  singular 
combination  of  diverse  elements,  added 
to  the  mystery  in  which  it  was  involved, 
filled  the  settlers  with  alarm,  notwith- 
standing the  disclaimers  which  the  bro- 
thers had  made ;  and  it  is  probable  this 
alarm  hurried  on  the  result  which  was 
so  much  dreaded. 

During  the  years  1808  and  1809 
there  appears  to  have  been  no  material 
change  in  the  relations  between  the 
Indians  at  Tippecanoe,  the  settlers  on 
the  frontiers,  and  the  United  States. 
In  1809  Governor  Harrison  had  made 
a  treaty  with  the  Miami,  Eel  River, 
Delaware,  and  Potawatomie  tribes,  at 
Fort  Wayne,  and  had  extinguished  the 
Indian  title  to  the  lands  east  of  the 
Wabash,  adjoining  those  which  had 
been  ceded  at  the  councils  at  Fort 
Wayne  and  Grousland.^  This  treaty 
conflicting  with  the  great  principle 
which  both  Tecumth^  and  the  Prophet 
had  maintained,  early  in  1810  a  more 
hostile  spirit  appeared  among  the  In- 
dians at  Tippecanoe.  On  the  fifteenth 
of  August,  in  that  year,  the  miemorable 
council  at  Vincennes  revealed  the  fact 
that  resistance  would  be  offered  to  an 
extension  of  the  boundary ;  that  the 
British  agents  had  participated  in  the 
movements  at  Tippecanoe ;  and  that 
other  tribes  besides  the  Shawanoes  had 
been  drawn  into  the  confederacy.^ 

From   that   time   both   parties— the 

1  Drake's  Tecumseh,  p.  112  ;  McAfee,  p.  11 ;  Marshall's 
Ky.,  ii.  p.  480.—'  Drake's  Tecumseh,  pp.  124-180  ;  Per- 
kiii's  Annals  of  the  West,  p.  577. 


confederated  tribes  of  Indians  and  the 
United  States — appear  to  have  pre- 
pared for  the  inevitable  struggle  with 
the  utmost  coolness,  and  apparent  un- 
willingness. The  Indians  were  visited, 
at  their  distant  homes,  by  the  untiring 
Tecumth^,^  and  were  gradually  concen- 
trating their  forces  at  Tippecanoe :  ^  the 
United  States  strengthened  the  Gov- 
ernor by  sending  the  Fourth  regiment 
of  infantry  and  a  company  of  riflemen 
to  his  support.* 

While  this  singular  spirit  prevailed. 
Governor  Harrison  resolved  to  draw 
the  dispute  to  a  close ;  and  early  in 
October,  1811,  he  moved,  with  a  large 
body  of  troops,  to  the  vicinity  of  the 
Prophet's  town  on  the  Tippecanoe.* 
On  the  tenth  of  that  month  a  sentinel 
was  shot  by  the  Indians ;  ^  and  about 
the  same  time  the  Prophet — Tecumtha 
being  absent — declared  "that  he  had 
taken  up  the  tomahawk,  and  would  not 
lay  it  down  but  with  his  life,  unless 
their  wrongs  were  redressed,"  and  en- 
deavored to  persuade  the  friendly  Del- 
awares  to  join  his  party.® 

Under  these  circumstances.  Governor 
Harrison  was  persuaded  that  forbear- 
ance had  ceased  to  be  a  virtue ;  and  on 
the  fifth  of  November,  1811,  at  the 
head  of  about  nine  hundred  effective 
troops,  he  encamped  about  eleven  miles 
from  the  Prophet's  town,  on  the  Tippe- 
canoe.'^ On  the  following  day  (Nov.  6) 
he  moved  forward,  through  a  country 

'  Drake's  Tecumseh,  pp.  141-145  ;  McAfee,  p.  12. 

^  Perkins'  Annals  of  the  West,  p.  574. — '  Drake's  Te- 
cumseh, p.  146  ;  Marshall's  Ky.,  il.  p.  489. 

*  McAfee,  p.  18. — '  Drake's  Tecumseh,  p.  147. 

'  Drake's  Tecumseh,  p.  147. — '  Gen.  Harrison's  Dis- 
patch, Nov.  18.  McAfee  {likt.  of  War  in  West,  p.  22)  says, 
' '  nine  or  ten  ; 


76 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


composed  of  prairies,  which  were  sepa- 
rated by  small  points  of  woods.-^  In  his 
order  of  march  he  had  adopted  the  same 
arrangement  which  General  Wayne  had 
employed — the  infantry  in  two  columns 
of  files  moving  on  either  side  of  the 
]'oad,  while  the  cavalry  and  mounted 
riflemen  moved  in  front,  in  the  rear, 
and  on  the  flanks  of  the  columns.^ 
Where  the  ground  was  not  favorable 
for  the  action  of  the  cavalry  they  were 
placed  in  the  rear ;  but  where  it  was 
otherwise  they  exchanged  positions  with 
one  of  the  corps  of  mounted  riflemen.^ 
When  he  had  come  within  four  miles 
of  the  town,  the  troops  were  halted 
and  formed  in  the  order  of  battle.  The 
regular  troops  in  the  centre,  with  two 
companies  of  militia  infantry  and  one 
of  mounted  riflemen  on  each  flank, 
formed  the  first  line.  The  baggage 
and  stores,  drawn  u]d  as  compactly  as 
possible,  moved  next ;  while  still  far- 
ther in  the  rear  was  a  I'eserve  of  three 
companies  of  militia.  In  the  rear  of 
these,  three  hundred  yards  from  the 
first  line,  was  the  main  body  of  the  cav- 
alry, forming  the  second  line ;  while, 
three  hundred  yards  in  front  of  the 
column,  a  company  of  mounted  rifle- 
men moved  as  an  advanced  guard.^ 

To  facilitate  the  march,  the  lines 
were  broken  into  short  columns  of  com- 
panies, in  order  that  the  order  of  battle 
might  be  foi'med  as  speedily  as  possible, 
in  case  of  need,  and  the  march  was  re- 
sumed.^ At  half-past  two  in  the  after- 
noon the  army  passed  a  small  creek. 


'  McAfee,  p.  22  ;  Gen.  Harrison's  Dispatch,  Nov.  18. 
"^  Gen.  Harrison's  Dispatch,  Nov.  18. — '  McAfee,  pp. 
22,  23.—'  Gen.  Harrison's  Dispatch,  Nov.  18.—^  Ibid. 


about  a  mile  and  a  half  distant  from 
the  town ;  and,  in  an  open  wood,  it  was 
halted  a  second  time,  and  drawn  up  in 
order  of  battle.-^  From  this  place  Cap- 
tain Dubois,  of  the  Spies  and  Guides, 
was  sent  forward  with  a  flag,  at  his 
own  suggestion,  to  request  a  confer- 
ence with  the  Prophet;^  but  the  un- 
friendly manifestations  of  the  Indians 
— parties  of  whom  had  been  hovering 
around  the  ai-my,  during  the  whole 
of  the  day^ — led  the  Governor  to  re- 
call him,  and  to  make  preparations 
to  encamp  for  the  night  where  the 
army  had  halted.*  While  he  was  thus 
employed  Major  Joseph  Davies — who 
commanded  the  dragoons — reported  to 
him  that  the  ground  in  front  was  very 
favorable,  and  that  the  Indians  appear- 
ed to  entertain  the  most  inveterate  hos- 
tility— -treating  every  attempt  to  ap- 
proach them  with  contempt  and  inso- 
lence.^ At  the  same  time  the  Governor 
was  urged  to  move  forward,  both  by 
the  Major  and  by  all  the  officers  who 
were  near  him  ;  while  every  man  in  the 
army  appeared  eager  to  meet  the  ene- 
my at  once.®  Yielding  to  the  general 
sentiment,  the  Governor  ordered  the 
army  to  advance;^  but  it  had  not 
moved  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
when  it  was  met  by  three  Indians,  who 
had  been  sent  out  by  the  Prophet,  and 
had  expressed  a  desire  to  speak  with 
the  Governor.^  One  of  them,  who  ap- 
peared to    be    a   man   of  consequence 


'  Drake's  Tecumseh,  p.  148  ;  McAfee,  p.  23,— »  McAfee, 
p.  25 ;  Gen.  Harrison's  Dispatch,  Nov.  18. — '  McAfee,  pp. 
24,  25. — *  Gen.  Harrison's  Dispatch,  Nov.  18. 

'  McAfee,  p.  25. — °  Gen.  Harrison's  Dispatch,  Nov.  18. 

■"  Drake's  Tecumseh,  p.  149  ;  Gen.  Harrison's  Dispatch, 
Nov.  18.—^  Drake's  Tecumseh,  p.  149  ;  McAfee,  pp.  25-27. 


Chap.  XIV.] 


THE  BATTLE  OF  TIPPECANOE. 


77 


among  tliem,  informed  the  Governor 
that  the  chiefs  were  much  surprised  at 
the  movement  of  the  army  against  their 
vilLige,  from  the  fact  that  messengers 
had  }:»een  sent  to  meet  him  with  an- 
swers to  his  demands,  on  a  former  as- 
surance that  no  movement  would  be 
made  until  those  answers  had  been  re- 
ceived. The  Governor  replied,  that  no 
attack  would  be  made  until  the  chiefs 
had  received  an  opportunity  to  give 
their  answers — which  had  not  reached 
him — and  that,  for  that  purpose,  he 
AYOuld  encamp  near  the  river  until  the 
next  morning.  Apparently  satisfied 
with  this  explanation  the  delegation 
left,  and  the  army  moved  forward  and 
encamped  for  the  night  in  the  immedi- 
ate vicinity  of  the  village.^ 

The  ground  which  was  selected  as 
the  site  of  the  encampment  was  report- 
ed, by  Majors  Taylor  and  Clarke,  who 
had  been  dispatched  to  examine  it,  to 
be  "excellent,"  although  the  Governor 
afterwards  declared,  it  "was  not  alto- 
gether such  as  he  could  wish  it — it  was 
indeed  admirably  calculated  for  the  en- 
campment of  regular  troops  that  were 
opposed  to  regulars,  but  it  afforded 
great  facility  to  the  approach  of  sava- 
ges."^ It  was  an  elevated  point  of  dry 
oak  land,  which  ran  out  into  a  marshy 
prairie — ^terminating  in  an  abrupt  point 
al)out  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards  from 
the  right  flank  of  the  encampment — in 
the  rear  of  which,  on  the  south  side,  at 
its  foot,  ran  a  small  brook,  which  was 
skirted  with  willows  and  bushes.  As 
the  ground  became  wider  as  it  receded 


1  McAfee,  p.  26. — ^  Gen.  Harrison's  Dispatch,  Nov.  18. 
See  also  McAfee,  p.  27. 


from  the  point  referred  to,  the  site  of 
the  encampment  was  of  a  triangular 
form,  the  front,  or  north  side  of  which 
— towards  the  village — was  elevated 
about  ten  feet,  and  the  rear,  or  south 
side,  about  twelve  feet,  from  the  marsh, 
into  which  it  projected.^  On  this  nat- 
ural bank  the  troops  encamped — the 
first  line,  fronting  the  village,  on  the 
north  side  of  the  bank,  being  composed 
of  a  battalion  of  regular  troops,  com- 
manded by  Major  Floyd,  flanked,  on 
the  right,  by  two  companies  of  militia 
infantry,  and,  on  the  left,  by  one  com- 
pany of  the  same  troops,  under  Colonel 
Joseph  Bartholomew ;  the  rear  line, 
which  was  from  eighty  to  one  hundred 
and  fifty  yards  distant  from  the  front, 
was  composed  of  another  battalion  of 
regulars,  under  Captain  Baen,  acting  as 
Major,  on  the  left,  and  Captains  Snel- 
ling,  Posey,  Scott,  and  Wilson's  compa- 
nies of  Indiana  volunteers  (infantrif)^ 
on  the  right.  The  lines  were  flanked, 
on  the  left,  by  Geiger's  and  Robb's 
companies  of  mounted  riflemen,  under 
the  general  command  of  Major-general 
Wells,  of  Kentucky ;  and  on  the  right 
by  Captain  Spencer's  company  of  mount- 
ed riflemen— eighty  in  number.  Two 
troops  of  dragoons, — about  sixty  men, 
in  all, — under  Major  Joseph  Da  vies, 
were  encamped  in  the  rear  of  the  front 
line  and  left  flank;  and  Captain  Par- 
ker's troop  of  dragoons  was  also  posted 
in  the  rear  of  the  front  liue.^  The 
order  of  encampment  was  the  order  of 
battle,  and  eack  man  slept  immediately 


^  Drake's  Tecumseh,  p.  150  ;  McAfee,  p.  27  ;  Gen.  Har- 
rison's Dispatch,  Nov.  18. — "  McAfee,  pp.  27,  28  ;  Gen. 
Harrison's  Dispatch,  Nov.  18. 


78 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  H. 


opposite  to  his  post  iu  the  line.''  Con- 
sidering, properly,  that  a  single  line  of 
troops,  in  Indian  warfare,  is  nearly  as 
good  as  two ;  that  an  extension  of  the 
lines  is  a  matter  of  considerable  im- 
portance ;  and  that  raw  troops,  such  as 
the  army  was  then  composed  of,  were 
enabled  to  manoeuvre  with  greater  fa- 
cility, when  formed  in  single  ranks, 
General  Harrison  formed  his  men  in 
that  manner ;  and,  on  the  evening  of 
the  sixth  of  November,  he  had  directed 
each  cor|)s,  in  case  of  an  attack,  to  hold 
its  ground,  at  any  cost,  until  it  could  be 
relieved.  At  the  same  time  the  cavalry 
were  directed,  in  that  event,  to  parade 
dismounted,  with  their  pistols  in  their 
belts,  and  to  act  as  a  reserve.  Two 
"  captains'  guards,"  each  composed  of 
four  non-commissioned  officers  and  for- 
ty-two privates,  and  two  "subalterns' 
guards,"  each  composed  of  twenty  men, 
protected  the  camp  from  surprise  ;  and, 
with  these  precautions,  the  army  sought 
rest,  with  but  little  apparent  exjoecta- 
tion  of  hostilities.^ 

The  night  passed  quietly,  and  the 
weary  soldiers  enjoyed  their  guarded 
repose,  without  interruption,  until  a 
quarter-past  four  in  the  morning  of  the 
seventh,  when  a  single  gun,  fired  by  a 
sentry  who  was  stationed  on  the  ex- 
treme left  flank  of  the  rear  line,  on  the 
margin  of  the  brook,  gave  warning  of 
approaching  danger.^  The  night  had 
been  dark  and  cloudy,  with  a  drizzling 
rain;*  and  the  savages,  taking  advan- 
tage of  these  circumstances,  had  crept 


1  Gen.  Harrison's  Dispatch,  Nov.  18.— 2  McAfee,  p.  28  ; 
Gen.  Harrison's  Dispatch,  Nov.  18. — ^  Gen.  Harrison's 
Dispatch,  Nov.  18.—''  Drake's  Tecumseh,  p.  150  ;  McAfee, 
p.  28. 


up  to  the  line  of  sentries,  with  the  evi- 
dent intention  of  rushing  on  them  be- 
fore they  could  fire  or  give  an  alarm  ;^ 
and,  they  intended,  afterwards,  to  move 
against  the  encampment,  and  surprise 
the  troops  while  they  slept.  One,  more 
unfortunate  or  more  audacious  than  his 
fellows,  was  discovered,  and  fired  on  by 
the  guard  ;^  and,  although  the  latter 
immediately  fled,  without  offering  any 
farther  resistance,  the  alarm  had  been 
sufficient  to  arouse  the  men,  and,  to 
some  extent,  to  prepare  them  foi*  the 
action.^ 

The  affrighted  guard,  in  his  retreat, 
was  followed  closely  by  the  Indians, 
who,  with  their  usual  yells  and  whoops, 
filled  the  air  with  the  horrible  din.* 
The  first  assault  was  made  on  the  south- 
east angle  of  the  encampment,  where 
Captain  Barton's  company  of  regulars 
and  Captain  Geiger's  company  of  mount- 
ed riflemen  were  posted  ;  and  it  was  sus- 
tained with  great  courage,  although  the 
enemy's  fire  was  "excessively  severe."^ 
Indeed  the  orders  which  these  compa- 
nies had  received,  in  common  with  the 
other  corps  of  the  army,  on  the  preced- 
ing evening,  were  so  faithfully  obeyed, 
that "  all  the  other  companies  were  under 
arms  and  tolerably  formed  before  they 
were  fired  on."®  The  camp-fires,  which 
had  afforded  the  enemy  great  facility 
in  taking  aim,  were  immediately  extin- 
guished;''^ the  troops,  with  all  the  noise- 
less steadiness  of  veterans,  formed  and 
took  their  places,  ready  to  receive  and 


'McAfee,  p.  29. — '  Ibid.;  Gen.  Harrison's  Dispatch, 
Nov.  18.—'  McAfee,  p.  29.—*  Ibid.—'  Gen.  Harrison's 
Dispatch,  Nov.  18  ;  McAfee,  p.  29.—^  Gen.  Harrison's 
Dispatch,  Nov.  18. — ''  Drake's  Tecumseh,  p.  151 ;  McAfee, 
p.  28. 


m 


t1 


■^ 

fji 


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r 

s 


f^. 


Chap.  XIV.] 


THE  BATTLE  OF  TIPPECANOE. 


79 


execute  aii^^  orders  which  might  be  re- 
ceived ;^  and  the  Governor — who  was 
pulling  on  his  boots  when  the  attack  was 
first  made^ — hastened  to  the  scene  of 
the  attack.^  Finding  that  both  the  gal- 
lant companies  who  had  received  the 
savages,  had  been  very  severely  han- 
dled, the  Governor  ordered  the  compa- 
nies of  reo-alars  under  the  command  of 
Captain  Cook  and  Lieutenant  Peters,  to 
advance  from  the  centre  of  the  rear 
line — where  the  ground  was  more  de- 
fensible— and  to  form  across  the  angle 
of  the  encampment,  in  the  rear  of  the 
two  companies  who  had  sustained  the 
attack,  for  their  support.* 

At  this  moment  the  enemy  attacked 
the  left  of  the  front  line, — the  northeast 
angle  of  the  encampment, — where  had 
been  stationed  a  small  company  of 
United  States  riflemen,  and  the  com23a- 
nies  of  regulars  under  Captains  Baen, 
Snelling,  and  Prescott.  The  reserve 
(Major  Davies'  dragoons)  were  imme- 
diately formed  in  the  rear  of  these  com- 
panies, for  their  support,  and  a  heavy 
fire  was  thrown  by  both  parties.  Per- 
ceiving that  the  enemy's  heaviest  fire 
proceeded  from  a  clump  of  trees  which 
stood  some  fifteen  or  twenty  yards  dis- 
tant from  the  front  of  the  line,  Major 
Davies  obtained  permission  to  charge 
with  a  part  of  his  force,  and  attempt  to 
dislodge  them ;  but  the  greater  num- 
bers of  the  enemy  enabled  him  to  out- 
flank the  Major's  command,  and  the  lat- 
ter was  repulsed,  with  the  loss  of  its 
gallant    commander.      Immediately    af- 


'  Gen.  Harrison's  Dispatch,  Nov.  18. — ^  Drake's  Tecum- 
seh,  p.  151. — ^  Gen.  Harrison's  Dispatch,  Nov.  18. 
*  McAfee,  p.  29  ;  Gen.  Harrison's  Dispatch,  Nov.  18. 


terwards  the  enemy  was  charged  by 
Captain  Snelling,  with  his  company  of 
regulars,  and  driven  from  the  position, 
with  heavy  loss.^ 

While  the  engagement  was  thus 
raging  along  the  left  flank  of  the  ai'my, 
— the  eastern  front  of  the  encampment, 
— the  savages  gradually  extended  along 
the  entire  front,  the  right  flank,  and  a 
part  of  the  rear  of  the  position,  and  the 
army  was  nearly  surrounded  by  the 
wily  and  savage  enemy.^  Upon  the 
right  of  the  rear  line, — the  southwest 
angle  of  the  encampment, — where  the 
mounted  riflemen,  under  Captain  Spen- 
cer, and  the  regulars,  under  Captain 
Warwick,  were  posted,  the  enemy  ap- 
peared to  concentrate  his  strength,  and 
call  forth  his  most  desperate  efforts. 
Every  officer  in  the  riflemen  was  killed, 
and  Captain  Warwick  was  mortally 
wounded,  yet  both  companies  main- 
tained their  ground  with  the  utmost 
firmness.^  At  this  moment  Captain 
Robb's  company,  which  had  fallen  back 
towards  the  centre  of  the  encampment, 
from  the  left  flank,  fortunately  attract- 
ed the  attention  of  the  Governor,  and 
he  moved  it  forward  to  the  rear  of  Cap- 
tains Spencer's  and  Warwick's  position, 
for  their  support,  at  the  same  time  de- 
taching Captain  Prescott's  company  of 
regulars  to  occupy  the  position,  on  the 
left  flank,  from  which  Captain  Eobb 
had  fallen  back.* 

In  this  manner  the  contest  continued, 
without  abatement,  until  daybreak,^  the 


1  McAfee,  p.  80;  Gen.  Harrison's  Dispatch,  Nov.  18. 
^  Gen.  Harrison's  Dispatch,  Nov.  18. — '  McAfee,  p.  30. 
*  Drake's  Tecumseli,  p.  30  ;   Gen.  Harrison's  Dispatch, 
Nov.  18.—'  McAfee,  p.  31. 


80 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UISriTED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


lines  being  kept  entire,  and  the  enemy 
prevented  from  breaking  into  the  camp.^ 

At  length  the  break  of  day  relieved 
the  Governor  of  the  anxiety  which  he 
had  before  experienced,  and  he  pre- 
pared to  make  a  final  charge  on  the 
enemy.  For  this  purpose  the  compa- 
nies commanded  by  Captains  Snelling, 
Posey,  and  Scott,  were  withdrawn  from 
the  front  line,  and  those  commanded  by 
Captain  Wilson  from  the  rear  line,  and 
posted  on  the  left  flank — the  eastern 
front  of  the  encampment ;  while  the 
companies  commanded  by  Captains 
Cook  and  Baen — the  former  from  the 
rear,  the  latter  from  the  front  lines — ■ 
were  detached  for  the  support  of  the 
right  flank.^  General  Wells — acting  as 
Major — took  the  command  of  the  left 
flank,  and  with  the  co-operation  of  a 
body  of  cavalry,  under  Captain  Parke, 
he  made  a  gallant  charge  on  the  ene- 
my ;  driving  them  before  him,  at  the 
point  of  the  bayonet,  and  forcing  them 
to  seek  refuge  in  the  marsh,  whither 
the  cavalry  could  not  pursue  them.^ 
At  the  same  time  the  left  flank, 
strengthened  by  the  reinforcement  un- 
der Captain  Cook  and  Lieutenant  La- 
rabee, — Caj)tain  Baen  having  fallen, — 
had  also  charged  the  enemy,  and  driven 
them  before  them,  with  heavy  loss.'* 

With  this  success  the  engagement 
ended ;  and  both  parties  appeared  to 
have  satisfied  the  expectations  of  their 
friends.  The  steady,  undeviating  cour- 
age of  the  American  troops  elicited 
great  commendation;^  while  Governor 

'  Gen.  Harrison's  Dispatch,  Nov.  18.—=  McAfee,  p.  31  ; 
Gen.  Harrison's  Dispatch,  Nov.  18. — ^  McAfee,  p.  31. 
'  Ibid.;  Gen.  Harrison's  Dispatch,  Nov.  18. 
'  McAfee,  pp.  31,  32. 


Harrison,  speaking  of  his  savage  enemy, 
says,  "  The  Indians  manifested  a  feroci- 
ty uncommon  even  with  them."^  In 
this,  however,  they  were  inspirited  by 
the  religious  fanaticism  under  which 
they  acted  ^ — the  Prophet,  during  the 
action,  being  posted  on  a  neighboring 
eminence,  singing  a  war-song ;  and,  in 
faint  imitation  of  Moses  in  the  wilder- 
ness, directing  the  movements  of  his 
people  by  the  movement  of  his  rod.^ 

The  force  of  the  Americans,  exclusive 
of  the  dragoons, — who  rendered  but 
very  little  service,  —  was  very  little 
more  than  seven  hundred;*  that  of  the 
enemy  was,  probably,  about  the  same 
number.^  The  loss  of  the  former  was 
Colonel  Owens,  one  of  Governor's  aids. 
Captain  Spencer,  Lieutenants  McMahan 
and  Berry,  one  sergeant,  two  corporals, 
and  thirty  privates,  Mlled ;  Major  Da- 
vies,  Captains  Baen  and  Warwick,  and 
twenty-two  privates,  wounded  and  svh- 
sequently  died ^  and  Lieutenant-colonels 
Bartholomew  and  Decker,  Adjutant 
Hunter,  Surgeon  Scull,  Captains  Norris 
and  Geiger,  Lieutenants  Peters  and 
Gooding,  Ensign  Burchstead,  nine  ser- 
geants, five  corporals,  one  musician,  and 
one  hundred  and  two  privates,  wound- 
ed.^ The  loss  of  the  enemy  was  sup- 
posed to  have  been  greater  than  that 
of  the  Americans,^  although  the  custom 
of   removing   the    dead    and   wounded 

1  Gen.  Harrison's  Dispatcli,  Nov.  18. — '  Dralve's  Tecum- 
seh,  p.  152.—=  Ibid.;  McAfee,  p.  31. 

*  Gen.  Harrison's  Dispatch,  Nov.  18;  Marshall's  Kj'., 
ii.  pp.  507,  508.  McAfee  (Hist.,  p.  34)  supposes  it  was 
"  something  more  than  eight  hundred." — '  Gen.  Harrison's 
Dispatch,  Nov.  18.  Mr.  Drake  {Teamseh,  p.  152)  supposes 
they  numbered  "between  800  and  1000."  McAfee  agrees 
with  him. — °  Returns,  appended  to  Gen.  Harrison's  Dis- 
patch, Nov.  18.—'  S.  G.  Drake's  Indian  Biog.  {Ed.  1832), 
p.  337  ;  Gen.  Harrison's  Dispatch,  Nov.  18. 


Chap.  XIY.] 


THE  BATTLE  OF  TIPPECANOE. 


81 


from  the  field,  at  the  time  of  the  re- 
treat, prevents  the  collection  of  any 
certain  account  of  it.^ 

It  is  said  that  the  determination  to 
attack  the  camp  was  not  concluded  un- 
til late  on  the  preceding  evening.  The 
plan  which  had  been  formed,  prior  to 
that  time,  was  to  meet  the  Governor, 
in  council,  and  appear  to  agree  to  his 
terms.  At  its  close  the  chiefs  were  to 
retire  to  the  warriors ;  while  two  Win- 
nebagoes,  who  had  volunteered  for  that 
service,  were  to  assassinate  the  Governor, 
and  give  the  signal  for  the  uprising  of 
the  enemy.  During  the  action  he  was 
under  the  direction  of  T'iTiite  Loon, 
Stone-eater,  and  Winnemac,  a  Pota- 
watomie  chief.^ 

The  army  remained  in  camp  during 
the  seventh  and  eis^hth  of  November  to 
bury  the  dead,  dress  the  wounds  of  the 


disabled,  and  prei3are  fur  its  return.'' 
On  the  ninth  of  November,  after  having 
burned  the  village,  the  line  of  march 
was  taken  up  for  its  return.^ 

"  The  battle  of  Tippecanoe,"  like 
some  other  battles,  has  figured,  promi- 
nently, in  the  partisan  politics  of  the 
country ;  and  with  the  same  results. 
If  the  battle  of  Bunker's  Hill,  and  all 
that  relates  to  it,  have  sufiered  in  a 
Gubernatorial  election  in  a  single  State, 
how  much  more  may  not  all  that  re- 
lates to  Tippecanoe  have  suflPered  in  the 
violent  struggle  for  the  ascendency  in  a 
Presidential  campaign?  It  is  not  my 
desire  to  revive,  in  the  least  degree, 
the  censures  which  have  been  cast  on 
the  Governor,  —  many  of  which  are 
wholly  without  foundation  in  fact, — 
and  I  leave  the  subject  to  more  able 
and  willing  hands.^ 


D  0  C  U  M  E  ]Nr  T. 


GENERAL    HAEKISON  S    DISPATCH   TO   SECKETAKT 
OF   WAK. 

VixCENXES,  November  18,  1811. 
SiPv : — In  my  letter  of  the  8tli  instant,  I  did 
myself  the  honor  to  communicate  the  result  of 
an  action  between  the  troo^^s  under  my  com- 
mand and  the  confederation  of  Indians  under 
the  control  of  the  Shawanoe  prophet.  I  had 
previously  informed  you,  in  a  letter  of  the  2d 
instant,  of  my  proceedings  previously  to  ray 
arrival  at  the  Yermiliou  River,  ^svhere  I  had 
erected  a  block-house  for  the  protection  of  the 
boats  M-hich  I  was  obliged  to  leave,  and  as  a 
depository  for  our  heavy  baggage  and  such  part 
of  our  provisions  as  we  were  unable  to  transport 

•McAfee,  pp.  34,  35. — "  S.  G-.  Drake's  Indian  Biogia- 
pliy,  p.  337. 
Vol.  n.— 11 


in  wagons.  On  the  morning  of  the  3d  instant  I 
commenced  my  march  from  the  block-house. 
The  Wabash,  above  this,  turning  considerably 
to  the  eastward,  I  was  obliged,  in  order  to  avoid 
the  broken  and  woody  country  which  borders 
upon  it,  to  change  my  course  to  the  westward 
of  north  to  gain  the  prairies  which  lie  to  the 
back  of  these  woods.  At  the  end  of  one  day's 
march  I  was  enabled  to  take  the  j^roper  direc- 
tion (x.  E.),  which  brought  me,  on  the  evening 
of  the  oth,  to  a  small  creek  at  about  eleven  miles 
from  the  Prophet's  to^s^Ti.  I  had,  on  the  pre- 
ceding day,  avoided  the  dangerous  pass  of  Pine 
Creek  by  inclining  a  few  miles  to  the  left,  where 
the  troojjs  and  wagons  were  crossed  with  exi^e- 

1  McAfee,  p.  36.— »  Ibid.,  p.  86.—'  Thiose  who  are  in- 
terested in  this  subject  may  find  counter-statements  in 
Marshall's  Kentucky,  ii.  pp.  491-521. 


82 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


dition  and  safety.  Our  route  on  the  6th,  for 
about  six  miles,  lay  through  praiiies,  separated 
by  small  points  of  woods. 

My  order  of  march  hitherto  had  been  similar 
to  that  used  by  General  Wayne ;  that  is,  the 
iufantry  were  in  two  columns  of  files  on  either 
side  of  the  road,  and  the  mounted  riflemen  and 
cavalry  in  front,  in  the  rear,  and  on  the  flanks. 
Where  the  ground  was  unfavorable  for  the  ac- 
tion of  cavalry  they  were  placed  in  the  rear,  but 
where  it  was  otherwise  they  were  made  to  ex- 
change positions  with  one  of  the  mounted  rifle 
corps.  Understanding  that  the  last  four  miles 
were  open  woods,  and  the  probability  being 
greater  that  we  should  be  attacked  in  front 
than  on  either  flank,  I  halted  at  that  distance 
from  the  town  and  formed  the  army  in  order  of 
battle.  The  United  States  infantry  placed  in 
the  centre,  two  companies  of  infantry  and  one 
of  mounted  riflemen  on  each  flank  formed  the 
front  line.  In  the  rear  of  this  line  was  placed 
the  baggage,  drawn  up  as  compact  as  iDOSsible, 
and  immediately  behind  it  a  reserve  of  three 
companies  of  militia  infantry.  The  cavalry 
formed  a  second  line  at  the  distance  of  three" 
hundred  yards  in  the  rear  of  the  front  line,  and 
a  company  of  mounted  riflemen  the  advanced 
guard  at  that  distance  in  front.  To  facilitate 
the  march,  the  whole  were  then  broken  ofi"  in 
short  columns  of  companies,  a  situation  the 
most  favorable  for  forming  in  order  of  battle 
with  facility  and  precision.  Our  march  was 
slow  and  cautious,  and  much  delayed  by  the  ex- 
amination of  every  place  which  seemed  calcu- 
lated for  an  ambuscade.  Indeed,  the  ground 
was  for  some  time  so  unfavorable  that  I  was 
obliged  to  change  the  position  of  the  several 
corps  three  times  in  the  distance  of  a  mile.  At 
halt-past  two  o'clock  we  passed  a  small  creek  at 
the  distance  of  one  mile  and  a  half  from  the 
town,  and  entered .  an  open  wood,  when  the 
army  was  halted  and  again  drawn  up  in  order 
of  battle.  During  the  whole  of  the  last  day's 
march  parties  of  Indians  were  constantly  about 
us,  and  every  effort  was  made  by  the  interpret- 
ers to  speak  to  them,  but  in  vain.  New  at- 
tempts of  the  kind  were  now  made,  but  proving 
equally  ineff"ectual,  a  Captain  Dubois,  of  the 
Spies  and  Guides,  offered  to  go  with  a  flag  to 
the  town.    I  dispatched  him  with  an  interpreter 


to  request  a  conference  with  the  Prophet.  In  a 
few  moments  a  message  was  sent  by  Captain 
Dubois,  to  inform  me  that  in  his  attempts  to 
advance  the  Indians  appeared  in  both  his  flanks, 
and  although  he  had  spoken  to  them  in  the 
most  friendly  manner,  they  refused  to  answer, 
but  beckoned  to  him  to  go  forward,  and  con- 
stantly endeavored  to  cut  him  off"  from  the 
army.  Upon  this  information  I  recalled  the 
Captain,  and  determined  to  encamp  for  the 
night,  and  take  some  other  measures  for  open- 
ing a  conference  with  the  Prophet.  While  I 
was  engaged  in  tracing  the  lines  for  the  en- 
campment. Major  Davies,  who  commanded  the 
dragoons,  came  up  to  inform  me  that  he  had 
penetrated  to  the  Indian  fields,  that  the  ground 
was  entirely  open  and  favorable,  that  the  In- 
dians in  front  had  manifested  nothing  but  hos- 
tility, and  had  answered  every  attempt  to  bring 
them  to  a  parley  with  contempt  and  insolence. 
It  was  immediately  advised  by  all  the  officers 
around  me  to  move  forward.  A  similar  wish, 
indeed,  pervaded  all  the  army.  It  was  drawn 
up  in  excellent  order,  and  every  man  appeared 
eager  to  decide  the  contest  immediately.  Be- 
ing informed  that  a  good  encampment  might 
be  had  ujjon  the  Wabash,  I  yielded  to  what 
appeared  the  general  wish,  and  directed  the 
trooj^s  to  advance,  taking  care,  however,  to 
place  the  interpreters  in  front,  with  directions 
to  invite  a  conference  with  any  Indians  they 
might  meet  with.  We  had  not  advanced  above 
four  hundred  yards,  when  I  was  informed  that 
three  Indians  had  approached  the  advanced 
guards  and  had  expressed  a  wish  to  speak  to 
me.  I  found,  upon  their  arrival,  that  one  of 
them  was  a  man  in  great  estimation  with  the 
Prophet.  He  informed  me  that  the  chiefs  were 
much  surprised  at  my  advancing  upon  them  so 
rapidly — that  they  were  given  to  understand, 
by  the  Delawares  and  Miamis,  whom  I  had  sent 
to  them  a  few  days  before,  that  I  would  not  ad- 
vance to  their  town  until  I  had  received  an  an- 
swer to  my  demands  made  through  them ;  that 
this  answer  had  been  dispatched  by  the  Pota- 
watomie  chief,  Winemac,  who  had  accompanied 
the  Miamis  and  Delawares  on  their  return  ;  that 
they  had  left  the  Prophet's  town  two  days  be- 
fore with  a  design  to  meet  me,  but  unfortunate- 
ly taken   the   road   on  the  south   side  of  the 


Chap.  XIV.] 


DOCUMENT. 


83 


Wabash.  I  answered,  that  I  had  no  intention 
of  attacking  them  until  I  discovered  that  they 
would  not  comply  with  the  demands  which  I 
had  made — that  I  would  go  on  and  encamj)  at 
the  Wabash,  and  in  the  morning  would  have  an 
intervie\v  with  the  Prophet  and  his  chiefs,  and 
explain  to  them  the  determination  of  the  Presi- 
dent—  that  in  the  mean  time  no  hostilities 
should  be  committed.  He  seemed  much  pleased 
with  this,  and  promised  that  it  should  be  ob- 
served on  their  part.  I  then  resumed  my 
march,  and  struck  the  cultivated  grounds  about 
five  hundred  yards  below  the  town,  but  as  these 
extended  to  the  bank  of  the  Wabash,  there  was 
no  possibility  of  getting  an  encampment  which 
was  provided  with  both  wood  and  water.  My 
guards  and  interpreters  being  still  with  the  ad- 
vanced guard,  and  taking  the  direction  of  the 
town,  the  army  followed,  and  had  advanced  with- 
in about  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards,  when  fifty 
or  sixty  Indians  sallied  out,  and  with  loud  ex- 
clamations, called  to  the  cavalry  and  to  the  mili- 
tia infantry,  which  were  on  our  right  flank,  to 
halt.  I  immediately  advanced  to  the  front, 
caused  the  army  to  halt,  and  directed  an  inter- 
preter to  request  some  of  the  chiefs  to  come  to 
me.  In  a  few  moments  the  man  that  had  been 
with  me  before  made  his  ajDpearance.  I  informed 
him  that  my  object  for  the  present  was  to  pro- 
cure a  good  piece  of  ground  to  encamp  on, 
where  we  could  get  wood  and  water.  He  in- 
formed me  that  there  was  a  creek  to  the  north- 
west, which  he  thought  would  suit  our  purjjose. 
I  immediately  dispatched  two  oflicers  to  exam- 
ine it,  and  they  reported  that  the  situation  was 
excellent.  I  then  took  leave  of  the  chief,  and  a 
mutual  promise  was  again  made  for  a  suspen- 
sion of  hostilities  imtil  we  could  have  an  inter- 
view on  the  follomng  day.  I  found  the  ground 
destined  for  the  encampment  not  altogether 
such  as  I  could  wish  it.  It  was,  indeed,  ad- 
mirably calculated  for  the  encampment  of  regu- 
lar troops  that  were  opposed  to  regulars,  but  it 
afforded  great  facility  to  the  approach  of  sava- 
ges. It  was  a  piece  of  dry  oak  land,  rising 
about  ten  feet  above  the  level  of  the  marshy 
prairie  in  front  (towards  the  Indian  town),  and 
nearly  twice  that  height  above  a  similar  prairie 
in  the  rear,  through  which  and  near  to  this 
bank  ran  a  small  stream  clothed  with  willows 


and  other  brush  wood.  Towards  the  left  flank 
this  bench  of  high  land  widened  considerably, 
but  became  gradually  narrower  in  the  opposite 
direction,  and  at  the  distance  of  one  hundred 
and  fifty  yards  from  the  right  flank,  terminated 
in  the  abrupt  point.  The  two  columns  of  in- 
fantry occupied  the  front  and  rear  of  this 
ground,  at  the  distance  of  about  one  hundred 
and  fifty  yards  from  each  other  on  the  left,  and 
something  more  than  half  that  distance  on  the 
right  flank.  These  flanks  were  filled  up,  the 
first  by  two  companies  of  mounted  riflemen 
amounting  to  about  one  hundred  and  twenty 
men,  under  the  command  of  Major-general 
Wells  of  the  Kentucky  militia,  who  served  as 
a  major;  the  other  by  Spencer's  company  of 
mounted  riflemen,  which  amounted  to  eighty 
men.  The  front  line  was  composed  of  one  bat- 
talion of  United  States  infantry,  under  the  com- 
mand of  Major  Floyd,  flanked  on  the  right  by 
two  companies  of  militia,  and  on  the  left  by  one 
company.  The  rear  line  was  composed  of  a 
battalion  of  United  States  troops  vmder  the 
command  of  Captain  Baen,  acting  as  major, 
and  four  companies  of  militia  infantry  under 
Lieutenant-colonel  Decker.  The  regular  troops 
of  the  line  joined  the  mounted  riflemen  under 
General  Wells  on  the  left  flank,  and  Colonel 
Decker's  battalion  formed  an  angle  with  Spen- 
cer's comjaany  on  the  left. 

Two  troops  of  dragoons,  amounting  in  the 
aggregate  to  about  sixty  men,  Avere  encamped 
in  the  rear  of  the  left  flank,  and  Captain  Parke's 
troop,  which  was  larger  than  the  other  two,  in 
the  rear  of  the  front  line.  Our  order  of  en- 
campment varied  little  from  that  above  de- 
scribed, excepting  when  some  iDeculiarity  of  the 
ground  made  it  necessary.  For  a  night  attack 
the  order  of  encampment  was  the  order  of  bat- 
tle, and  each  man  slept  immediately  opposite  to 
his  post  in  the  line.  In  the  formation  of  my 
troops  I  used  a  single  rank,  or  what  is  called  In- 
dian file,  because  in  Indian  warfare,  where  there 
is  no  shock  to  resist,  one  rank  is  nearly  as  good 
as  two ;  and  in  that  kind  of  warfare  the  exten- 
sion of  line  is  a  matter  of  the  first  importance. 
Raw  troops  also  manoeuvre  with  much  more 
faciUty  in  single  than  in  double  ranks.  It  was 
my  constant  custom  to  assemble  all  the  field- 
officers  at  my  tent  every  evening  by  signal,  to 


84 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


give  them  the  watch-word  and  their  instructions 
for  the  night ;  those  given  for  the  night  of  the 
6th  were,  that  each  corps  which  formed  a  part 
of  the  exterior  line  of  the  encampment  should 
hold  its  own  ground  until  relieved.  The  dra- 
goons were  directed  to  parade  dismounted  in 
case  of  a  night  attack,  with  their  pistols  in  their 
belts,  and  to  act  as  a  coiys  de  reserve.  The 
camp  was  defended  by  two  captains'  guards, 
consisting  each  of  four  non-commissioned  officers 
and  forty-two  privates — and  two  subalterns' 
guards  of  twenty  non-commissioned  officers  and 
privates.  The  whole  under  the  command  of  a 
field-officer  of  the  day.  The  troops  were  regu- 
larly called  up  an  hour  before  day,  and  made  to 
continue  under  arms  until  it  was  quite  light. 
On  the  morning  of  the  Vth  I  had  risen  at  a 
quarter  after  four  o'clock,  and  the  signal  for 
calling  out  the  men  would  have  been  given  in 
two  minutes,  when  the  attack  commenced.  It 
began  on  our  left  flank.  But  a  single  gun  was 
fired  by  the  sentinels  or  by  the  guard  in  that 
direction,  which  made  not  the  least  resistance, 
but  abandoned  their  officer  and  fled  into  the 
camp,  and  the  first  notice  which  the  troops  of 
that  flank  had  of  the  danger,  was  ffom  the  yells 
of  the  savages  within  a  short  distance  of  the 
line ;  but  even  under  those  circumstances  the 
men  were  not  wanting  to  themselves  or  to  the 
occasion.  Such  of  them  as  were  awake,  or  were 
easily  awakened,  seized  their  arms  and  took 
their  stations  ;  others,  Avhich  were  more  tardy, 
had  to  contend  with  the  enemy  in  the  doors  of 
their  tents.  The  storm  first  fell  upon  Captain 
Barton's  company  of  the  Fourth  United  States 
regiment,  and  Captain  Geiger's  comjaany  of 
mounted  riflemen,  which  formed  the  left  angle 
of  the  rear  line.  The  fire  upon  these  was  ex- 
cessively severe,  and  they  suffijred  considerably 
before  relief  could  be  brought  to  them ;  some 
few  Indians  passed  into  the  encampment  near 
the  angle,  and  one  or  two  penetrated  to  some 
distance  before  they  were  killed.  I  believe  all 
the  other  companies  were  under  arms,  and  tol- 
erably formed  before  they  were  fired  on.  The 
morning  was  dark  and  cloudy.  Our  fires  afflard- 
ed  a  partial  light,  which,  if  it  gave  us  some  op- 
portunity of  taking  our  positions,  was  still  more 
advantageous  to  the  enemy,  affiarding  them  the 
means  of  taking  a  surer  aim ;  they  were  there- 


fore extinguished  as  soon  as  possible.  Under 
all  these  discouraging  circumstances,  the  troops 
(nineteen-twentieths  of  whom  had  never  been 
in  action  befoi'e)  behaved  in  a  manner  that 
never  can  be  too  much  applauded.  They  took 
their  places  Avithout  noise,  and  with  less  confu- 
sion than  could  have  been  expected  from  vet- 
erans placed  in  a  similar  situation.  As  soon  as 
I  could  mount  my  horse  I  rode  to  the  angle 
that  was  attacked ;  I  found  that  Barton's  com- 
pany had  suffered  severely,  and  the  left  of 
Geiger's  entirely  broken.  I  immediately  order- 
ed Cook's  company,  and  the  late  Captain  Went- 
worth's,  under  Lieutenant  Peters,  to  be  brought 
up  from  the  centre  of  the  rear  line,  where  the 
ground  was  much  more  defensible,  and  formed 
across  the  angle  in  support  of  Barton's  and 
Geiger's.  My  attention  was  then  engaged  by 
a  heavy  firing  upon  the  left  of  the  front  line, 
where  were  stationed  the  small  company  of 
United  States  riflemen  (then,  however,  armed 
with  muskets),  and  the  companies  of  Baen, 
Snelling,  and  Prescott,  of  the  Fourth  regiment. 
I  found  Majjor  Davies  forming  the  dragoons  in 
the  rear  of  those  companies ;  and  understand- 
ing that  the  heaviest  part  of  the  enemy's  fire 
proceeded  from  some  trees  about  fifteen  or 
twenty  paces  in  front  of  these  companies,  I  di- 
rected the  Major  to  dislodge  them  with  a  part 
of  the  dragoons.  Unfortunately,  the  Major's 
gallantry  determined  him  to  execute  the  order 
with  a  smaller  force  than  was  sufficient,  which 
enabled  the  enemy  to  avoid  him  in  front,  and 
attack  his  flanks.  The  Major  was  mortally 
wounded,  and  his  party  driven  back.  The  In- 
dians were,  however,  immediately  and  gallantly 
dislodged  from  their  advantageous  position,  by 
Captain  Snelling,  at  the  head  of  his  company. 
In  the  course  of  a  few  minutes  after  the  com- 
mencement of  the  attack,  the  fire  extended 
along  the  left  flank,  the  whole  of  the  front,  the 
right  flank,  and  part  of  the  rear  line.  Upon 
Spencer's  mounted  riflemen,  and  the  right  of 
Warwick's  company,  which  was  posted  on  the 
right  of  the  rear  line,  it  was  excessively  severe ; 
Captain  Spencer  and  his  first  and  second  lieu- 
tenants were  killed,  and  Captain  Warwick  was 
mortally  wounded ;  those  companies,  however, 
still  bravely  maintained  their  posts,  but  Spencer 
had  suffered  so  severely,  and  having  originally 


Chap.  XIY.] 


DOCUMENT. 


85 


too  much  ground  to  occupy,  I  reinforced  them 
Avith  Robb's  company  of  riflemen,  which  had 
been  driven,  or  by  mistake  ordered,  from  their 
position  on  the  left  flank  towards  the  centre 
of  the  camp,  and  filled  the  vacancy  that  had 
been  occupied  by  Robb  with  Prescott's  com- 
jDany  of  the  Fourth  United  States  regiment. 
My  great  object  was  to  keep  the  lines  entire  to 
prevent  the  enemy  from  breaking  into  the  camp 
until  daylight,  which  would  enable  me  to  make 
a  general  and  eflectual  charge.  With  this  view 
I  had  reinforced  every  jaart  of  the  line  that  had 
suftei'ed  much ;  and  as  soon  as  the  approach  of 
morning  discovered  itself,  I  withdi-ew  from  the 
front  line  Snelling's,  Posey's  (under  Lieutenant 
Allyright),  and  Scott's,  and  from  the  rear  hne, 
Wilson's  companies,  and  drew  them  iip  upon 
the  left  flank,  and  at  the  same  time  I  ordered 
Cook's  and  Baen's  couijaanies,  the  foi-mer  from 
the  rear  and  the  latter  from  the  front  hne,  to 
reinforce  the  right  flank,  foreseeing  that  at  these 
points  tlie  enemy  would  make  their  last  efforts. 
Major  Wells,  who  commanded  on  the  left  flank, 
not  knowing  my  intentions  precisely,  had  taken 
the  command  of  these  companies,  and  charged 
the  enemy  before  I  had  formed  the  body  of 
dragoons  with  which  I  meant  to  support  the  in- 
fantry ;  a  small  detachment  of  these  were,  how- 
ever, ready,  and  proved  amply  suflicient  for  the 
purpose.  The  Indians  were  driven  by  the  in- 
fantiy  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet,  and  the 
dragoons  pursued  and  forced  them  into  a  marsh, 
where  they  could  not  be  followed.  Captain 
Cook  and  Lieutenant  Larabee  had,  agreeably  to 
my  order,  marched  their  companies  to  the  right 
flank,  had  formed  them  iinder  the  fire  of  the 
enemy,  and  being  then  joined  by  the  riflemen 
of  that  flank,  had  charged  the  Lxlians,  killed  a 
number,  and  put  the  rest  to  a  precipitate  flight. 
A  favorable  opportunity  was  here  ofiered  to 
pursue  the  enemy  with  dragoons,  but  being  en- 
gaged at  that  time  on  the  other  flank,  I  did  not 
observe  it  until  it  was  too  late. 

I  have  thus,  sir,  given  you  the  particulars  of 
an  action,  which  was  certainly  maintained  Avith 
the  greatest  obstinacy  and  perseverance  by  both 
parties.  The  Lidians  manifested  a  ferocity  im- 
common  even  Avith  them.  To  their  savage  fury 
our  troops  opposed  that  cool  and  deliberate  valor 
which  is  characteristic  of  the  Christian  soldier. 


The  most  pleasing  part  of  my  duty  (that  of 
naming  to  you  the  corps  and  individuals  who 
particularly  distinguished  themselves)  is  yet  to 
be  performed.  There  is,  however,  considerable 
difiiculty  in  it ;  where  merit  was  so  common  it 
is  almost  impossible  to  discriminate. 

The  whole  of  the  infantry  formed  a  small  bri- 
gade under  the  immediate  orders  of  Colonel 
Boyd.  The  Colonel,  throughout  the  action, 
manifested  equal  zeal  and  bravery  in  carrying 
into  execution  my  orders,  in  keeping  the  men 
to  their  posts,  and  exhorting  them  to  fight  with 
valoi'.  His  Brigade-major  Clark,  and  his  Aid- 
de-camp  George  Croghan,  Esq.,  were  also  very 
serviceably  employed.  Colonel  Joseph  Barthol- 
omew, a  very  valuable  ofiicer,  commanded,  un- 
der Colonel  Boyd,  the  militia  infantry.  He  Avas 
A^•ounded  early  in  the  action,  and  his  services 
lost  to  me.  Major  G.  R.  C.  Floyd,  the  senior 
of  the  Fourth  LTnited  States  regiment,  com- 
manded immediately  the  battalion  of  that  regi- 
ment, which  was  in  the  front  line.  His  conduct, 
during  the  action,  was  entirely  to  my  satisfac- 
tion. Lieutenant-colonel  Decker,  who  command- 
ed the  battalion  of  militia  on  the  right  of  the 
rear  line,  preserved  his  command  in  good  order. 
He  Avas,  however,  but  joartiaUy  attacked.  I 
have  before  mentioned  to  you  that  Major-gen- 
eral Wells,  of  the  Fourth  division  of  Kentucky 
militia,  acted  under  my  command  as  a  major  at 
the  head  of  two  companies  of  mounted  volun- 
teers. The  General  maintained  the  fame  which 
he  had  already  acquired  in  almost  CA^eiy  cam- 
paign, and  in  almost  every  battle  Avhich  has 
been  fought  AA'ith  the  Indians  since  the  settle- 
ment of  Kentucky.  Of  the  several  coi'ps,  the 
Fourth  United  States  regiment,  and  two  small 
companies  attached  to  it,  were  certainly  the 
most  conspicuous  for  undaunted  A^alor.  The 
companies  commanded  by  Captains  Cook,  Snel- 
ling,  and  Barton,  Lieutenants  Larabee,  Petei-s, 
and  HaAvkins,  were  placed  in  situations  Avhere 
they  could  render  most  service  and  encounter 
most  danger,  and  those  oflicers  eminently  dis- 
tinguished themselves.  Captains  Prescott  and 
Brown  performed  their  duty  also  entirely  to  my 
satisfaction,  as  did  Posey's  company  of  the  Sev- 
enth regiment,  headed  by  Lieutenant  Albright. 
In  short,  sir,  they  supported  the  fame  of  Amei  i- 
can  regulars,  and  I  have  never  heard  that  a 


86 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


single  individual  was  found  out  of  the  line  of 
his  duty.  Several  of  the  militia  companies  were 
in  nowise  inferior  to  the  regulars.  Spencei-'s, 
Geiger's,  and  Warwick's  maintained  their  posts 
amid  a  monstrous  carnage,  as  indeed  did  Robb's, 
after  it  was  posted  on  the  left  flank.  Its  loss  of 
men  (seventeen  killed  and  wounded),  and  keep- 
ing its  ground,  is  sufiicient  proof  of  its  firmness. 
Wilson's  and  Scott's  companies  charged  with 
the  regular  troops,  and  pi'oved  themselves  wor- 
thy of  doing  so.  Noriis's  companies  also  be- 
haved well.  Hargrove's  and  Wilkin's  compa- 
nies were  placed  in  a  situation  where  they  had 
no  opportunity  of  distinguishing  themselves,  or 
I  am  satisfied  they  would  have  done  it.  This 
Avas  the  case  with  the  squadron  of  dragoons 
also.  After  Major  Davies  had  received  his 
wound,  knowing  it  to  be  mortal,  I  pi'omoted 
Captain  Parker  to  the  majority,  than  whom 
there  is  no  better  officer. 

My  two  aids-de-camp,  Majors  Hurst  and  Tay- 
lor, with  Lieutenant  Adams  of  the  Fourth  regi- 
ment, the  adjutant  of  the  troops,  afforded  me 
the  most  essential  aid,  as  well  in  the  action  as 
throughout  the  campaign. 

The  arrangements  of  Captain  Pratt,  in  the 
quartermaster's  department,  were  highly  judi- 
cious ;  and  his  exertions  on  all  occasions,  par- 
ticularly in  bringing  off  the  wounded,  deserve 
my  warmest  thanks.  But  in  giving  merited 
praise  to  the  living,  let  me  not  forget  the  gallant 
dead.  Colonel  Abraham  Owen,  commandant 
of  the  Eighteenth  Kentucky  regiment,  joined 
me  a  few  days  before  the  action,  as  a  private,  in 
Captain  Geiger's  comjDany ;  he  accepted  the 
appointment  as  a  volunteer  aid-de-camp  to  me  ; 
he  fell  early  in  the  action.  The  representatives 
of  his  State  will  inform  you  that  she  possessed 
not  a  better  citizen  nor  a  braver  man.  Major 
J.  H.  Davies  was  known  as  an  able  lawyer  and 
a  great  orator ;  he  joined  me  as  a  private  vol- 
unteer, and  on  the  recommendation  of  the  offi- 
cers of  that  corps,  was  appointed  to  command 
the  Third  troop  of  dragoons.  His  conduct  in 
that  capacity  justified  their  choice ;  never  was 
there  an  officer  possessed  of  more  ardor  and 
zeal  to  discharge  his  duty  with  propriety,  and 
never  one  who  would  have  encountered  greater 
danger  to  purchase  military  fame.  Captain 
Baen,  of  the  Fourth  United  States  regiment. 


was  killed  early  in  the  action.  He  was  unques- 
tionably a  good  officer  and  valiant  soldier. 
Captains  Spencer  and  Warwick,  and  Lieuten- 
ants McMahan  and  Beriy,  were  all  my  particu- 
lar friends.  I  have  ever  had  the  utmost  confi- 
dence in  their  valor,  and  I  was  not  deceived. 
Spencer  was  wounded  in  the  head.  He  exhort- 
ed his  men  to  fight  valiantly.  He  was  shot 
through  both  thighs,  and  fell,  still  continuing  to 
encourage  them.  He  was  raised  up,  and  re- 
ceived a  ball  through  his  body,  which  put  an 
immediate  end  to  his  existence  !  Warwick  was 
shot  immediately  through  the  body.  Being 
taken  to  the  surgery  to  be  dressed,  as  soon  as  it 
was  over  (being  a  man  of  great  bodily  vigor, 
and  still  able  to  walk),  he  insisted  upon  going 
back  to  head  his  company,  although  it  was  evi- 
dent that  he  had  but  a  few  hours  to  live. 

All  these  gentlemen,  sir,  Cajstain  Baen  ex- 
cepted, have  left  wives,  and  five  of  them  large 
fomilies  of  children :  this  is  the  case,  too,  with 
many  of  the  privates  among  the  militia  who 
fell  in  the  action,  or  who  have  died  since  of  their 
wounds.  Will  the  boimty  of  their  country  be 
withheld  from  their  helpless  orphans,  many  of 
whom  will  be  in  the  most  destitute  condition, 
and  perhaps  want  even  the  necessaries  of  life  ? 
With  respect  to  the  number  of  Indians  that 
were  engaged  against  us,  I  am  possessed  of  no 
data  by  which  I  can  form  a  correct  statement. 
It  must,  however,  have  been  considerable,  and 
perhaps  not  much  inferior  to  our  own  ;  which, 
deducting  the  dragoons,  who  were  unable  to  do 
us  much  service,  was  very  little  above  seven 
hundred,  non-commissioned  officers  and  pri- 
vates. I  am  convinced  there  were  at  least  six 
hundred.  The  Prophet  had,  three  weeks  be- 
fore, four  hundred  and  fifty  of  his  own  proper 
followers.  I  am  induced  to  believe  that  he  was 
joined  by  a  number  of  the  lawless,  vagabonds 
who  live  on  the  Illinois  River,  as  large  trails 
Avere  seen  coming  from  that  direction.  Indeed, 
I  shall  not  be  surprised  to  find  that  some  of 
those  who  professed  the  warmest  friendship  for 
us  were  arrayed  against  us ;  it  is  certain  that 
one  of  this  description  came  out  from  the  town 
and  spoke  to  me  the  night  before  the  action. 
The  Potawatomie  chief,  whom  I  mentioned  to 
have  been  wounded  and  taken  prisoner  in  my 
letter  of  the  8th  instant,  I  left  on  the  battle- 


{ 


Chap.  XIV.] 


DOCUMENT. 


87 


ground,  after  liaving  taken  all  the  care  of  him 
in  my  power.  I  requested  him  to  inform  those 
of  his  own  tribe  who  had  joined  the  Prophet,  and 
Kickapoos  and  Winnebagoes,  that  if  they  would 
immediately  abandon  the  Prophet,  and  return 
to  their  own  tribes,  their  past  conduct  would 
be  forgiven,  and  that  we  would  treat  them  as 
we  formerly  had  done.  He  assured  me  that  he 
would  do  so ;  and  there  was  no  doubt  of  their 
compliance.  Indeed,  he  said  he  was  certain 
that  they  would  jout  the  Projihet  to  death.  I 
think,  upon  the  whole,  that  there  will  be  no 
farther  hostiUties  ;  but  of  this  I  shall  be  enabled 
to  give  you  some  more  certain  information  in  a 
few  days. 

The  troops  left  the  battle-ground  on  the  9th 
instant.  It  took  every  wagon  to  transport  the 
wounded.  We  managed,  however,  to  bring  off 
the  public  property,  although  almost  all  the 
jjrivate  baggage  of  the  officers  was  necessarily 
destroyed. 

It  may  perhaps  be  imagined,  sir,  that  some 
means  might  have  been  adopted  to  have  made 
a  more  earlier  discovery  of  the  approach  of  the 
enemy  to  our  camp  the  morning  of  the  Ith  in- 
stant ;  but  if  I  had  employed  two-thirds  of  the 
army  as  outposts  it  would  have  been  ineffectual ; 
the  Indians  in  such  a  night  would  have  found 
means  to  have  passed  between  them.  Placed 
in  the  situation  that  we  were,  there  is  no  other 
mode  of  avoiding  a  surprise,  than  by  a  chain  of 
sentinels  so  close  together  that  the  enemy  can- 
not pass  between  without  discovery,  and  having 
the  army  in  such  readiness  that  they  can  get  to 
their  alarm-posts  at  a  moment's  warning.  Our 
troops  could  not  have  been  better  prepared 
than  they  were,  unless  they  had  been  kept  un- 
der arms  the  whole  night,  as  they  lay  -with  their 
accoutrements  on,  and  their  arms  by  their  sides, 
and  the  moment  they  were  up  they  were  at 
their  posts.  If  the  sentinels  and  the  guard  had 
done  their  duty,  even  the  troops  on  the  left 
flank  would  have  been  prepared  to  have  re- 
ceived the  Indians. 

I  have  the  honor  to  inclose  you  a  correct  re- 
turn of  killed  and  wounded.  The  wounded 
suffered  very  much  before  their  arrival  here, 
but  they  are  now  comfortably  fixed,  and  every 
attention  has  been,  and  shall  continue  to  be, 
paid  to  them.     Dr.  Foster  is  not  only  possessed 


of  great  professional  merit,  but  is,  moreover,  a 
man  of  feeling  and  honor. 

I  am  convinced,  sir,  that  the  Indians  lost 
many  more  men  than  we  did  ;  they  left  from 
thii-ty-six  to  forty  on  the  field.  They  were  seen 
to  take  off  not  only  the  wounded  but  the  dead. 
An  Indian  that  was  killed  and  scalped,  in  the 
beginning  of  the  action,  by  one  of  our  men,  was 
found  in  a  house  in  the  town;  several  others 
were  also  found  in  the  houses,  and  many  graves 
which  were  fi-esh  dug ;  one  of  them  was  opened 
and  found  to  contain  three  dead  bodies. 

Our  infantry  used  principally  cartridges  con- 
taining twelve  buck-shot,  which  were  admirably 
calculated  for  a  night  action, 

I  have  before  informed  you,  sir,  that  Colonel 
Miller  was  prevented  by  illness  from  going  on 
the  ex23edition ;  he  rendered  essential  service  in 
the  command  of  Fort  Harrison ;  he  is  an  officer 
of  great  merit. 

There  are  so  many  circumstances  which  it  is 
important  for  you  to  know,  respecting  the  situ- 
ation of  this  country,  that  I  have  thought  it 
best  to  commit  this  dispatch  to  my  aid-de-camp. 
Major  Taylor,  who  wUl  have  the  honor  of  de- 
livering it  to  you,  and  who  will  be  able  to  give 
you  more  satisfaction  than  I  could  do  by  writing. 
Major  Taylor  (who  is  also  one  of  our  supreme 
judges)  is  a  man  of  integrity  and  honor,  and 
you  may  rely  upon  any  statements  he  may 
make. 

With  the  highest  res}>ect,  I  have  the  honor  to 
be,  sir,  your  humble  servant, 

WnxiAJu  Henry  Hakeison". 

P.  S. — Not  a  man  of  ours  was  taken  prisoner, 
and  of  three  scaljjs  which  were  taken  two  of 
them  were  recovered. 

The  Hon.  W.  EnsTis,  Sec.  of  War. 


A  general  return  of  the  hilled  and  wounded  of  the 
army  under  the  comraand  of  Ms  Excellency  William 
Henry  Harrison^  governor  and  commander-in-chief 
of  the  Indian  Territory^  in  the  action  with  the  In- 
dians, near  Prophefs  Town,  November  7,  1811. 

Killed. — One  aid-de-camp,  one  captain,  two 
subalterns,  one  sergeant,  two  corporals,  thirty 
privates. 

Wounded.,  since  dead. — One  major,  two  cap- 
tains, twenty-two  privates. 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


Wounded. — Two  lieutenant-colonels,  one  ad- 
jutant, one  surgeon's-mate,  two  captains,  three 
subalterns,  nine  sergeants,  five  corporals,  one 
musician,  one  hundred  and  two  privates. 

Total. — Killed  and  wounded,  one  hundred 
and  eighty-eight. 

Names  of  officer's  hilled  and  wounded,  as  per  general 
return. 

General  Staff. — Hilled — Colonel  Abraham 
Owen,  aid- de-camp  to  the  commander-in-chief. 

Field  and  Staff.  —  Wounded — Lieutenant- 
colonel  Joseph  Bartholomew,  commanding  In- 
diana militia  infantry  ;  Lieutenant-colonel  Luke 
Decker,  of  Indiana  militia  infantry  ;  Major  Jo- 
seph A.  Davies,  since  dead,  commanding  a 
squadron  of  dragoons  ;  Dr.  Edward  Scull,  of 
the  Indiana  militia;  Adjutant  James  Hunter,  of 
mounted  riflemen. 

United  States   infantry,  including  the  late 


Captain  Whitney''s  rifle  company.  —  Wounded 
— Captain  W.  C.  Baen,  acting  major,  since 
dead  ;  Lieutenant  George  P.  Peters ;  Lieuten- 
ant George  Gooding;  Ensign  Henry  Burch- 
stead. 

Colonel  Decher''s  detachment  of  Indiana  mi- 
litia. —  Wounded  —  Captain  Jacob  Warwick, 
since  dead. 

Major  Redman'' s  detachment  of  Indiana  mi- 
litia. —  Wounded  —  Captain  John  Norris. 

Major  Wells'  detachment  of  mounted  rifle- 
men. —  Wounded —  Captain  Frederic  Geiger. 

Captain  Spencer''s  company,  including  lieu- 
tenant Iierry''s  detaclvment  of  m,ounted  riflemen. 
— Killed — Captain  Spier  Spencer ;  First-lieuten- 
ant Richard  McMahan ;  Lieutenant  Thomas 
Berry. 

Nath'l.  F.  Adams, 

Adft.  of  the  Army. 

To  his  Excellency,  the  Commander-in-chief. 


CHAPTER     XY. 

July  17,  1§12. 
THE      SURPRISE      OF     MICHILIMACINAC. 


The  dispute  with  Great  Britain,  to 
wliicli  reference  has  heretofore  been 
made,  had  resulted  in  a  dedaration  of 
war  by  the  Congress  of  the  United 
States ;  ^  yet,  notwithstanding  an  ap- 
peal to  arms  had  been  made  by  the 
infant  republic,  there  appears  to  have 
been  but  little  preparation  made  to 
carry  it  on.  Not  the  least  of  the  many 
subjects  which  appear  to  have  been 
almost  wholly  neglected  by  the  execu- 
tive departments  of  the  government, 
was  the  notification  of  the  several  mili- 
tary posts,  on  the  fi-ontiers,  of  the  dec- 
lai-ation — a  neglect  which  was,   subse- 


•  "An  Act  declaring  War,"  &c.     Approved,  June  18, 
1812. 


quently,  productive  of  great  mischief  to 
the  country. 

At  the  period  in  question,  the  United 
States  occupied  the  Island  of  Michili- 
macinac  (since  called  Mackinac)  with  a 
small  garrison  of  regular  troops,  not 
more  for  the  protection  of  the  traders,^ 
than  for  the  purpose  of  holding  a  check 
over  the  Indians  of  the  north-western 
part  of  the  country.^  This  island  is 
situated  in  the  straits  which  lead  from 
Lake  Michigan  to  Lake  Huron ;  is  of  a 
circular  form,  about  seven  miles  in  cir- 
cumference,   and   from    three    to    four 


'  Ingersoll's  Hist.  Sketch  of  the  Second  War,  i.  p.  80. 
^  The  importance  of  the  post,  in  this  respect,  is  seen  in 
the  effects  of  its  fall. 


Chap.  XV.] 


THE  SURPRISE  OF  MICHILIMACINAC. 


89 


miles  from  the  main.  It  is  a  rock  of 
limestone,  covered  with  a  rough  but 
fertile  soil,  on  which  is  borne  a  heavy 
growth  of  timber.  The  fort  occupied 
a  high  bank  on  the  south-eastern  side 
of  the  island,  overlooking  and  com- 
manding a  fine  harbor ;  and  was,  itself, 
commanded  by  the  high  ground  in  its 
rear,  on  which  had  been  erected  two 
block-houses,  each  of  which  was  de- 
fended by  a  brass  six-pounder.  The 
main  work  was  defended  by  two  long 
nine-pounders,  two  howitzers,  and  a 
brass  three-pounder;^  and  a  company 
of  fifty-seven  men,  officers  included,  com- 
manded by  Lieutenant  Porter  Hanks, 
of  the  United  States  artillery,  formed 
the  garrison.^  About  fifty  miles  north- 
east from  this  post.  General  Brock, 
in  the  spring  of  1812,  had  erected  a 
small  work,  called  Fort  St.  Josepli.^  and 
had  garrisoned  it  with  a  detachment  of 
the  Tenth  Royal  Veteran  Battalion, 
forty-five  in  number,  under  Captain 
Charles  Roberts.^ 

Intelligence  of  the  declaration  of  war 
having  been  conveyed,  by  express,  from 
New  York  to  Queenstown  and  Mon- 
treal, at  the  expense  of  some  British 
merchants  residing  at  the  former  city, 
the  enemy  had  been  apprised  of  the 
measure  at  a  much  earlier  date  than 
that  on  which  the  American  ofiicers 
had  received  the  information,  and  the 
latter,  therefore,  labored  under  great 
disadvantages.  One  of  the  most  nota- 
ble instances  of  this  official  neglect, 
which  resulted  in  the  most  serious  con- 


'  IngersoU,  i.  pp.  79,  80  ;    Brock's   Life  of  Sir  Isaac 
Brock,  p.  180.—=  Lieut.  Hanks  to  Gen.  HuU,  Aug.  4, 1812. 
^  Brock's  Life  of  Sir  Isaac  Brock,  p.  223. 
Vol.  II.— 12 


sequences  to  the  country,  was  that  of 
the  neglect  to  notify  the  commanders 
of  the  northwestern  posts,  especially 
that  of  Michilimacinac,  whose  first  in- 
formation of  the  existence  of  war  was 
received  from  the  enemy,  with  a  de- 
mand for  his  surrender.^ 

As  before  related,  the  enemy  received 
early  advice  of  the  declaration  of  war 
from  the  British  merchants  residing  in 
New  York ;  and  one  of  the  first  cares 
of  Sir  Isaac  Brock  was  to  notify  Cap- 
tain Roberts,  at  St.  Joseph's,  with  or- 
ders to  make  an  immediate  attack  on 
Michilimacinac,  if  practicable ;  or,  in 
the  event  of  an  attack  on  his  post,  by 
the  Americans,  to  defend  it  to  the  last 
extremity.^  At  a  subsequent  date  the 
order  was  renewed,  with  directions  to 
summon  the  neighboring  Indians  to  his 
assistance,  and  to  ask,  for  the  same  pur- 
pose, the  co-operation  of  such  of  the 
employees  of  the  British  fur  companies, 
who  might  happen  to  be  near  him;^ 
and,  still  later,  the  Captain  was  left  to 
his  own  discretion  to  adopt  either  of- 
fensive or  defensive  measures,  as  cir- 
cumstances might  warrant.*  With  a 
degree  of  promptitude  which  reflects 
honor  on  his  professional  character,  Cap- 
tain Roberts  decided  to  act  ofi^ensively ; 
and  he  took  immediate  measures  to  in- 
sure a  successful  termination  of  his  en- 
terprise. He  was  far  beyond  the  limits 
within  which  he  could  have  command- 


'  Lieut.  Hanks  to  Gen.  Hull,  Aug.  4,  1812. 

"  Gen.  Brock  to  Capt.  Eoberts,  June  26,  1812  ;  Brock's 
Life  of  Brock,  p.  223. — '  Gen.  Brock  to  Capt.  Roberts, 
Fort  George,  June  28,  1812 ;  Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p. 
224  ;  Christie's  Mil.  and  Naval  Operations  in  the  Cana- 
das,  p.  64.—''  Gen.  Brock  to  Capt.  Roberts,  July  4,  1812  ; 
Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p.  224. 


90 


BATTLES  OF  THE  "UNITED  STATES, 


[Book  II, 


ed  the  assistance  of  other  portions  of 
the  Royal  forces  ;  and  he  fell  back  on 
the  limited  resources  of  his  secluded 
position  with  remarkable  good  judg- 
ment and  success.  Calling  to  his  quar- 
ters Mr.  Pothier,  an  agent  of  the  South- 
west Company,  who  was  then  at  St. 
Joseph's,  he  laid  before  that  gentleman 
his  proposed  plan  of  operations,  and 
solicited  his  assistance.  Mr.  Pothier, 
struck  with  the  importance  of  the  pro- 
jected enterprise,  and  the  feasibility  of 
the  plan  of  operations,  immediately 
opened  the  stores  of  the  Company, 
and  placed  every  thing  they  contained, 
which  might  contribute  to  the  success 
of  the  expedition,  at  the  command  of 
Cajatain  Roberts ;  while,  at  the  same 
time,  he  offered  his  own  services,  as  a 
volunteer,  with  those  of  one  hundred 
and  eighty  Canadian  voyageurs — em- 
ployees of  the  Company — one-half  of 
whom  he  armed  with  muskets  or  fowl- 
ing pieces.^  Captain  Roberts  also  in- 
vited the  assistance  of  the  neighboring 
Indians — both  American  and  British — 
and  about  four  hundred  and  twenty- 
five  of  the  savages  responded  to  his 
call.2 

On  the  day  after  the  receipt  of  the 


1  Christie's  Operations  in  Canada,  p.  64.  Mr.  C.  says, 
"One  hundred  and  sixty  voyageurs"  were  thus  secured  ;  but 
Capt.  Roberts  {Dispatch  to  Adj. -Gen.,  July  17)  and  Mr. 
Brock  {Life  and  Cmres.  of  Sir  I.  Brock,  p.  224)  say  there 
were  "one  hundred  and  eighty,"  and  I  have  considered 
their  authority  the  best.  Some  of  the  best  authorities, 
British  and  American,  speak  also  of  a  body  of  two  hundred 
Canadian  militia,  under  Mr.  Crawford,  but  as  they  do  not 
refer  to  the  voj'ageurs,  I  have  supposed  the  latter  were 
the  "Canadians"  referred  to. 

2  John  Asken,  jr.,  to  Col.  Clans,  July  18,  1812.  Mr. 
James  {Mil.  Occurrences,  i.  p.  56)  says  there  were  "  393  In- 
dians." J.  L.  Thomson  {Eist.  Sketches,  p.  19)  says  "715 
Indians." 


orders  last  referred  to^  (July  16),  at  ten 
o'clock  in  the  morning.  Captain  Roberts 
embarked,  with  his  entire  force — regu- 
lar, volunteer,  and  savage — and,  two 
iron  six-pounders,  and  under  the  con- 
voy of  the  Northwest  Company's  brig 
Caledonia^  which  was  laden  with  stores 
and  provisions,  he  approached  the  Island 
of  Michilimacinac.^  At  three  o'clock  in 
the  morning  of  the  seventeenth  of  July, 
the  flotilla  reached  the  place  of  rendez- 
vous ;  and  one  of  the  two  guns  was  im- 
mediately taken  up  the  high  ground  in 
the  rear  of  the  fort,  and  placed  in  bat- 
tery in  a  position  which  completely 
commanded  the  garrison.^ 

In  the  mean  time.  Lieutenant  Hanks 
and  his  little  command  remained  com- 
paratively ignorant  of  their  impending 
danger.  It  is  true  an  Indian  interpreter 
had  told  the  Lieutenant,  on  the  six- 
teenth, that  the  Indians  at  St.  Joseph's 
intended  to  make  an  immediate  attack 
on  the  post ;  and  from  the  sudden  cool- 
ness which  some  of  the  chiefs,  in  the 
vicinity  of  his  post,  had  displayed,  he 
appears  to  have  been  inclined  to  be- 
lieve the  interpreter's  information.  He 
immediately  called  a  council,  and  in- 
vited "  the  American  gentlemen  at  that 
time  on  the  island"  to  participate  in 
the  deliberations ;  the  result  of  which 
was  the  appointment  of  Captain  Daur- 
man,  as  a  scout,  to  proceed  to  St.  Jo- 
seph's to  watch  the  motions  of  the  In- 
dians. The  Captain  embarked  about 
sunset,  and  had  proceeded  only  a  short 


-■Capt.  Roberts  to  Adj. -Gen.,  July  17,  1812;  James' 
Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  56. — '^  Christie's  Operations,  &c.,  p.  65; 
Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p.  224. 

*  Capt.  Roberts  to  Adj. -Gen.,  July  17,  1812;  James' 
Military  Occurrences,  i.  p.  56. 


Chap.  XY.] 


THE  SUKPRISE  OF  MICHILIMACINAC. 


91 


distance  before  he  met  the  enemy's  flo- 
tilla, by  whom  he  was  captured,  and 
returned  with  it  to  the  island.  At  day- 
break he  was  landed,  with  instructions 
to  remove  all  the  inhabitants  of  the 
little  village  to  the  west  side  of  the 
island — where  the  enemy's  flotilla  then 
laid — in  order  that  their  persons  and 
property  might  be  protected ;  at  the 
same  time  forbidding  him  from  convey- 
ing any  information  to  the  garrison,  and 
threatening  with  extermination  all  those 
who  vniglit  seek  refuge  with  the  garrison 
and  offer  any  resistance.  The  inhab- 
itants of  the  village  appear  to  have 
obeyed  the  order  without  any  delay ; 
and  the  intelligence  of  their  exodus, 
which  was  carried  to  the  fort  by  Doc- 
tor Day,  who  was  passing  that  way, 
was  the  first  intimation  which  Lieuten- 
ant Hanks  had  received  of  the  presence 
of  an  enemy  of  any  kind,  nor  did  he 
then  suspect  that  the  intruders  were 
subjects  of  his  Britannic  majesty,  law- 
fully prosecuting  a  warfare  which  his 
own  government  had  declared,  nearly 
a  month  before  that  time.  He  lost  no 
time,  however,  in  ordering  the  block- 
houses, on  the  high  ground  in  his  rear, 
to  be  occupied  and  supplied  with  am- 
munition and  stores ;  and  every  gun  in 
the  main  works  was  prepared  for  ac- 
tion.^ 

By  this  time,  however,  the  enemy 
had  gained  the  heights,  and  placed  his 
gun  in  battery,  as  before  referred  to, 
while  the  Indians,  in  great  numbers, 
showed  themselves  in  the  margin  of 
the  woods,  nearer  the  fort.^  At  about 
eleven  o'clock  a  flag  was  sent,  requiring 

^  Lieut.  Hanks  to  Gen.  Hull.  Aug.  4,  1812.—=  Ibid. 


the  surrender  of  the  fort  and  its  garri- 
son to  his  Britannic  majesty's  forces — 
the  earliest  notice  which  the  garrison 
had  received  of  the  character  of  their 
enemy .^  After  consulting  his  officers 
and  the  American  gentlemen  who  were 
present ;  and  taking  into  consideration 
the  strength  and  disposition'^  of  the 
enemy,  it  was  resolved  to  yield  to  the 
demand ;  and  the  fort  and  the  island 
were,  accordingly,  surrendered  to  the 
arms  of  Great  Britain,® 

Of  the  great  importance  of  this  con- 
quest, both  parties  were  immediately 
fully  sensible,  Not  only  were  the  stores 
which  were  taken  quite  valuable,  but 
seven  hundred  packages  of  furs  were 
among  the  trophies  of  the  victory. 
But  not  alone  from  the  value  of  the 
spoils  does  the  interest  which  has  at- 
tached to  this  affair  arise.  General 
Hull  has  shown  its  effects  in  the  most 
vivid  colors  when  he  said,*  '•'■After  the 
surrender  of  Michilimacinac,  almost 
every  tribe  and  nation  of  Indians,  ex- 
cepting a  part  of  the  Miamis  and  Dela- 
wares,  north  from  beyond  Lake  Supe- 


•  Lieut.  Hanks  to  Gen.  Hull,  Aug.  4,  1812. 

^  "  It  was  a  fortunate  circumstance,  the  fort  capitulated 
without  firing  a  single  gun,  for  had  they  done  so,  I  firmly 
believe  not  a  soulofthem  would  have  been  saved." — J.  Asian, jr., 
to  Col.  Claus,  July  18.  As  Mr.  Askin  was  a  British  ofiicer, 
and  accompanied  the  Ottawas  and  Chippewas  who  were 
in  the  expedition,  his  statement  is  entitled  to  great 
weight.  Mr.  Thomson  {Hist.  Sketches,  p.  20)  says,  "  Capt. 
Roberts,  of  the  British  regulars,  sent  in  a  prisoner  to  in- 
form the  Commandant,  that  if  any  resistance  ivas  made,  the 
garrison  and  inhabitants  would  be  indiscriminately  put  to  t/ie 
sword."  Mr.  Breckenridge  {Hist,  of  Late  War,  p.  32),  Lieut. 
Hanks,  commander  of  the  fort  {Dispatch  to  Gen.  Hull,  Aug. 
4,  1812),  Dr.  Peck  {Perkins'  Annals  of  the  West,  p.  600), 
and  Mr.  Lanman  {Hist.  Michigan,  p.  190),  bear  the  same 
testimony. 

=  John  Askin,  jr.,  to  Col.  W.  Claus,  July  18,  1812; 
Lieut.  Hanks  to  Gen.  Hull,  Aug.  4,  1812. 

^  Letter  to  Secretary  of  War,  Aug.  26,  1812. 


9i 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


rior,  west  from  beyond  the  Mississippi, 
south  from  the  Ohio  and  Wabash,  and 
east  from  every  part  of  Upper  Canada, 
and  fi'om  all  the  intermediate  country, 
joined  in  open  liostility^  under  the  Brit- 
ish standard^  against  the  army  I  com- 
manded, contrary  to  the  most  solemn  as- 


surance of  a  large  'portion  of  them  to 
remain  neutral^  The  same  views  were 
entertained  by  the  enemy ;  and  the 
standard  British  authorities^  on  the 
history  of  those  times,  have  left  on 
record  their  testimony  to  the  same  ef- 
fect. 


DOCUME:r^TS. 


I. 


LIEUTENANT   HANK  S    DISPATCH    TO    GENERAL 
HULL. 

Detroit,  August  4,  1812. 
Sir  : — I  take  the  earliest  opportunity  to  ac- 
quaint your  Excellency  of  the  surrender  of  the 
garrison  of  Michilimacinac,  under  my  command, 
to  His  Britannic  Majesty's  forces  under  the  com- 
mand of  Captain  Charles  Roberts,  ou  the  17th 
ultimo,  the  particulars  of  which  are  as  follows : 
On  the  16th  I  was  informed  by  the  Indian  in- 
terpreter, that  he  had  discovered  from  an  In- 
dian, that  the  several  nations  of  Indians  then  at 
St.  Joseph  (a  British  garrison,  distant  about 
forty  miles),  intended  to  make  an  immediate  at- 
tack upon  Michilimacinac.  I  was  inclined,  from 
the  coolness  I  had  discovered  in  some  of  the  prin- 
cipal chiefs  of  the  Ottawa  and  Chippewa  nations, 
who  had  but  a  few  days  before  professed  the 
greatest  friendship  for  the  United  States,  to 
place  confidence  in  this  report.  I  immediately 
called  a  meeting  of  the  American  gentlemen  at 
that  time  on  the  island,  in  which  it  was  thought 
proper  to  dispatch  a  confidential  person  to  St. 
Joseph,  to  watch  tlie  motions  of  the  Indians. 
Captain  Daurman  of  the  militia  was  thought  the 
most  suitable  for  this  service.  He  embarked 
about  sunset,  and  met  the  British  forces  within 
ten  or  fifteen  miles  of  the  island,  by  whom  he 
was  made  prisoner,  and  put  upon  his  parole  of 


honor.  He  was  landed  on  the  island  at  day- 
break, with  positive  directions  to  give  me  no 
intelligence  whatever:  He  was  also  instructed 
to  take  the  inhabitants  of  the  village,  indiscrim- 
inately, to  a  place  on  the  west  side  of  the  island, 
where  their  persons  and  property  should  be  pro- 
tected by  a  British  guard  ;  but  should  they  go 
to  the  fort,  they  would  be  subject  to  a  general 
massacre  by  the  savages,  which  would  be  inev- 
itable, if  the  garrison  fired  a  gun.  This  infor- 
mation I  received  from  Doctor  Day,  who  was 
passing  through  the  village,  when  every  person 
was  flying  for  refuge  to  the  enemy.  Immedi- 
ately on  being  informed  of  the  approach  of  the 
enemy,  I  placed  ammunition,  &c.,  in  the  block- 
houses ;  ordered  every  gun  charged,  and  made 
every  preparation  for  action.  About  nine 
o'clock  I  could  discover  that  the  enemy  were 
in  possession  of  the  heights  that  commanded 
the  fort,  and  one  piece  of  their  artillery  directed 
to  the  most  defenceless  part  of  the  garrison. 
The  Indians  at  this  time  were  to  be  seen  in 
great  numbers  in  the  edge  of  the  woods.  At 
half-past  eleven  o'clock  the  enemy  sent  in  a  flag 
of  truce,  demanding  a  surrender  of  the  fort  and 
island  to  His  Britannic  Majesty's  forces.  This, 
sir,  was  the  first  information  I  had  of  the  declara- 
tion of  war ;  I,  however,  had  anticipated  it,  and 


1  Christie's  Operations,  &c.,  pp.  65,  66;  Auchinleck's 
Hist,  of  the  War,  p.  51  ;  Gov. -Gen.  Prevost  to  Earl 
Bathurst,  Col.-Sec.,  Aug.  26,  1812. 


Chap.  XV.] 


DOCUMENTS. 


93 


was  as  well  prepared  to  meet  such  an  event  as 
I  possibly  could  have  been  with  the  force  iinder 
my  command,  amounting  to  fifty-seven  men,  in- 
cluding officers.  Three  American  gentlemen, 
who  were  prisoners,  were  permitted  to  accom- 
pany the  flag ;  from  them  I  ascertained  the 
strength  of  the  enemy  to  be  from  nine  hundred 
to  one  thousand  strong,  consisting  of  regular 
troops,  Canadians,  and  savages  ;  that  they  had 
two  pieces  of  artillery,  and  were  provided  with 
ladders  and  ropes  for  the  purpose  of  scaling  the 
works,  if  necessary.  After  I  had  obtained  this 
information,  I  consulted  my  officers,  and  also 
the  American  gentlemen  present,  who  were 
very  intelligent  men ;  the  result  of  Avhich  was, 
that  it  was  impossible  for  the  garrison  to  hold 
out  against  such  a  superior  force.  In  this  opin- 
ion I  fully  concurred,  from  the  conviction  that 
it  was  the  only  measure  that  coukT  prevent  a 
general  massacre.  The  fort  and  garrison  were 
accordingly  surrendered. 

The  inclosed  papers  exhibit  copies  of  the  cor- 
respondence between  the  officer  commanding 
the  British  forces  and  myself,  and  of  the  articles 
of  capitulation.  This  subject  involved  questions 
of  a  peculiar  nature  ;  and  I  hope,  sir,  that  my 
demands  and  protests  will  meet  the  approbation 
of  my  government.  I  cannot  allow  this  oppor- 
tunity to  escape  without  expressing  my  obliga- 
tion to  Doctor  Day  for  the  service  he  rendered 
me  in  conducting  this  correspondence. 

In  consequence  of  this  unfortunate  aflair,  I 
beg  leave,  sir,  to  demand  that  a  court  of  inquiry 
may  be  ordered  to  investigate  all  the  facts  con- 
nected with  it ;  and  I  do  further  request,  that 
the  court  may  be  specially  directed  to  express 
their  opinion  on  the  merits  of  the  case. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  sir,  &c., 

P.  Hanks,  Lieut,  of  Artillery. 

His  Excellency,  Gen.  Hull, 

commanding  N.  W.  Army. 


n. 


CAPTAIN    EOBKETS     BISPATCH    TO    ADJUTANT- 
GEXEEAL    OF    THE    AEMT. 

FoKT  MiCHiLiMACiNAC,  July  17,  1812. 

SiE  : — On  the  loth  instant  I  received  letters 
by  express,  fi-om  Major-general  Brock, with  or- 
ders to  adopt  the  most  prudent  measures,  either 
for  offence  or  defence,  which  circumstances 
might  point  out;  and  having  received  intelli- 
gence, from  the  best  information,  that  large  re- 
inforcements were  daily  expected  to  be  thrown 
into  this  garrison,  with  the  thorough  conviction 
that  my  situation  at  St.  Joseph's  was  totally 
indefensible,  I  determined  to  lose  no  time  in 
making  the  meditated  attack  on  this  fort. 

On  the  16th,  at  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning,  I 
embarked  my  few  men,  with  about  one  hun- 
dred and  eighty  Canadians,  and  two  iron  six- 
pounders.  The  boats  arrived  without  the  small- 
est accident  at  the  place  of  rendezvous,  at  three 
o'clock  the  following  morning ;  by  the  exertions 
of  the  Canadians,  one  of  the  guns  was  brought 
lip  a  height  commanding  the  garrison,  and  ready 
to  act,  about  ten  o'clock.  A  summons  was  then 
sent  in  ;  a  copy  of  the  capitulation  which  fol- 
lowed, I  have  the  honor  to  inclose.  At  twelve 
o'clock  the  American  colors  were  hauled  down, 
and  those  of  His  Majesty  were  hoisted.  A  com- 
mittee has  been  appointed  to  examine  into  the 
state  of  the  public  stores. 

Inclosed,  also,  are  the  returns  of  the  ordnance 
and  military  stores  found  in  the  fort,  and  the 
strength  of  the  garrison.  The  greatest  praise 
is  due  to  every  individual  employed  in  the  ex- 
pedition ;  to  my  own  officers  I  am  indebted,  in 
particular,  for  their  active  assistance  in  carrying- 
all  my  orders  into  effect. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  &c., 
Chas.  Robeets,  Capt.  Command''g. 

The  Adjutant-general,  &c.,  &c. 


CHAPTER    XYI. 


July  19,  1§12. 

THE     ATTACK     ON     SACKETTS'    HARBOR,  N.  Y. 


At  an  early  period  of  the  war,  the 
command  of  the  great  northern  lakes 
appears  to  have  been  made  the  object 
of  great  labor  and  expense,  both  by 
the  Americans  and  the  British.  The 
former,  notwithstanding  all  their  care, 
appear  to  have  been  sadly  deficient 
in  their  naval  preparations ;  while  the 
latter  appear  to  have  concentrated  the 
greater  part  of  their  efforts  on  this 
branch  of  the  service.  This,  for  a  time, 
gave  to  the  enemy  the  control  of  Lake 
Ontario,  and  enabled  him  to  exercise 
an  undue  influence  over  all  the  military 
movements  in  its  immediate  vicinity. 

Among  the  posts  on  that  lake  which 
had  been  strengthened  by  the  Ameri- 
cans was  Sacketts'  Harbor,  a  small  vil- 
lage in  New  York,  in  which  harbor  was 
anchored  the  United  States  brig  Onei- 
da^ of  sixteen  guns,  under  command  of 
Lieutenant-commandant  M.  T.  Woolsey.-^ 

Against  this  post,  in  July,  1812, 
were  disj^atched  five  vessels  from  the 
Canada  shore  —  the  Royal  George  of 
twenty-four  guns,  the  Prince  Regent  of 
twenty-two,  the  JEarl  Moira  of  twen- 
ty, the  Seneca  of  eighteen,  and  one 
whose  name  and  strength  are  un- 
known;^ and  about  daylight  on  Sun- 
day, the  nineteenth  of  July,  they  ap- 


'  Cooper's  Naval  Hist.  {Ed.  1839),  ii.  p.  326.—^  The  War, 
i.  p.  32 ;  Hough's  Hist,  of  Jeiferson  Co.,  N.  Y.,  p.  463. 


proached  the  Harbor.^  They  were  dis- 
covered by  the  look-out  on  the  mast- 
head of  the  Oneida  /  and  from  the  fact 
that  the  Americans  had  no  8lii])s  on 
the  lake,  and  as  two  of  the  strangers 
were  ships,  they  were  known,  at  once, 
to  be  British  vessels.^  The  wind  beins: 
dead  ahead,  they  beat  up  for  the  Har- 
bor; and,  soon  afterwards,  they  cap- 
tured a  boat  belonging  to  the  revenue 
department,  which  was  returning  from 
Cape  Vincent.^  When  the  squadron 
had  nearly  reached  the  Harbor,  the 
captive  custom-house  ofiicers  were  sent 
on  shore,  with  a  message  to  the  com- 
manders of  the  post,  demanding  the 
surrender  of  the  Oneida  and  of  the 
Lord  Nelson  —  the  latter  a  British 
schooner,  which  had  been  seized  for  a 
violation  of  the  revenue  laws — threat- 
ening, in  case  of  a  refusal,  that  the 
squadron  would  burn  the  village  or  lay 
the  inhabitants  under  contribution.* 

In  the  mean  time  expresses  had 
been  sent  out  to  call  in  the  neigh- 
boring detachments,  and  volunteers 
from  the  surrounding  country ;  and  a 
regiment  under  Colonel  Bellinger,  a 
company    of    artillery   under    Captain 

^  Letter  from  the  Baltimore  Whig,  in  "-The  Aurora," 
No.  6667,  Phila.,  Tuesday,  Aug.  4,  1812  ;  The  War,  1.  p. 
32.—=  Ibid.;  Hough's  Hist.  Jefferson  Co.,  N.  Y.,  p.  463. 

'  The  War,  1.  p.  32  ;  Letter  in  Baltimore  Whig. 

*  The  War,  i.  p.  32  ;  Hough's  Jefferson  Co.,  p.  463. 


Chap.  XVI.] 


THE  ATTACK  ON  SACKETTS'  HARBOR,  N.  Y. 


Camp,  and  a  body  of  militia,  in  all  up- 
wards of  three  thousand  men,  respond- 
ed to  the  summons  during  the  day.^ 
The  Oneida  was  also  prepared  for  ac- 
tion ;  and  having'  received  on  board 
twenty-five  volunteers,  Captain  Wool- 
sey  soon  afterwards  left  the  Harbor, 
and  ran  down  to  meet  the  enemy,  hop- 
ing to  induce  the  Royal  George^  the 
British  commodore's  ship,  to  engage  in 
single  combat.^  Failing  in  this,  the 
Oneida  returned  to  the  Harbor,  and 
was  moored,  with  springs  on  her  ca- 
bles, on  a  line  with  a  three-gun  bat- 
tery which  had  been  erected  on  the 
beach  a  few  days  previous.  As  she 
could  employ  only  one  half  her  arma- 
ment, her  starboard  guns  were  landed, 
to  be  used  on  shore,  if  occasion  required ; 
and  the  vessel  herself  was  so  far  warped 
around  that  her  larboard  broadside  was 
brought  to  bear,  with  the  best  effect, 
on  the  entrance  of  the  Harbor.® 

About  this  time  the  two  leading  ves- 
sels of  the  enemy's  squadron  had  come 
abreast  of  the  three-gun  battery  on  the 
beach  ;  when  Lieutenant-commandant 
Woolsey — perceiving  the  inefficiency  of 
the  fire  therefrom,  in  consequence  of 
the  inexperience  of  its  commander — 
left  the  Oneida  in  charge  of  a  lieuten- 
ant, and  took  command  of  it  himself, 
opening  a  fire  on  the  enemy  from  the 
long    thirty-two    pounder    which   was 


•  The  War,  i.  p.  32  ;  Hough's  Jefferson  County,  N.  Y., 
p.  463. 

^  The  War,  i.  p.  32  ;    Letter  in  Baltimore  WMg.     Mr. 

Hough   (History  of  Jefferson  County,  N.  Y.,  p.  463)  says, 

'  The  Oneida  attempted  to  gain  tlie  lake,  but  failed  to  do  so. ' ' 

'  The  War,  i.  p.  32  ;  Letter  in  Baltimore  Whig;  Hough's 
Jefferson  County,  p.  463. 


mounted  thereon.^  During  this  time 
the  squadron  stood  off  and  on,  and  kept 
up  a  warm  fire  on  the  battery,  the 
Oneida.,  and  the  village,  without  doing 
much  damasfe  to  either.^  The  second 
shot,  which  Lieutenant  Woolsey  fired 
from  the  battery,  struck  the  JRoyal 
George  between  her  main  and  mizzen 
chains,  and  went  through  her  sides. 
The  third  struck  her  between  wind  and 
water ;  when  she  hove  in  stays,  and 
while  putting  about,  the  fourth  struck 
her  in  her  stern,  and  completely  raked 
her — the  splinters  fiying  as  high  as  her 
mizzen  topsail-yard.® 

About  the  same  time  the  Earl  Moira 
lost  her  fore  topgallant-mast;*  and  one 
of  the  schooners  was  hulled  in  a  serious 
manner.^  After  continuing  this  contest 
about  two  hours,^  the  squadron  put 
about  and  stood  out  of  the  harbor, 
amidst  the  cheers  of  the  citizens,  the 
music  at  the  post  at  the  same  time  play- 
ing "  Yanhee  DoodleT"^ 

It  is  said  that  no  injury  was  sustain- 
ed, either  by  the  Oneida^  the  village, 
or  the  people  who  had  assembled  to 
oppose  the  enemy.®  This  apparently 
singular  result  of  the  protracted  action 
was  occasioned  by  the  enemy  keeping 
beyond  the  range  of  the  small  pieces ; 
the  only  guns  which  were  employed, 
on  either  side,  being  those  few  which 
were  of  a  heavier  calibre. 


'  The  War,  i.  p.  32  ;  Letter  in  Bait.  Whig;  Cooper's  Na- 
val Hist.  [Ed.  1839),  ii.  p.  327.—=  The  War,  i.  p.  32 ;  Letter 
in  Bait.  Whig ;  Hough's  Jefferson  Co.,  p.  464. — '  Letter  in 
Bait.  Whig ;  Hough's  Jefferson  Co.,  p.  464. — ''  Letter  from 
the  Bait.  Whig.—^  Ibid.—"  The  War,  p.  i.  32  ;  Cooper,  ii. 
p.  326.—'  The  War,  i.  p.  32 ;  Hough's  Jefferson  County, 
p.  464.—'  The  War,  i.  p.  32. 


CHAPTER     XYII 


August   5,   1§I2. 


THE     DEFEAT     OF     MAJOR    VAN    HORN. 


The  American  "  Army  of  the  North- 
west," under  General  Hull,  had  passed 
the  Detroit  River  and  invaded  Upper 
Canada,  when  Colonel  Proctor,  of  the 
Royal  army,  reached  Maiden,  and  adopt- 
ed such  measures  as  effectually  cut  off 
the  communication  between  the  army 
and  the  States ;  and,  to  a  great  extent, 
neutralized  all  the  efforts  of  the  former.-' 
Early  in  August,  1812,  the  General  had 
been  advised  of  the  march  of  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  men,  under  Captain  Hen- 
ry Brush,  with  a  number  of  cattle,  from 
Ohio ;  ^  and,  after  some  persuasion,  he 
had  resolved  to  make  an  attempt  to 
open  the  communication,  in  order  that 
they  might  reach  the  camp  with  great- 
er expedition  and  certainty.^  For  this 
purpose  he  detached  Major  Van  Horn, 
of  Colonel  Findley's  Ohio  regiment  of 
volunteers,  with  two  hundred  men;* 
and  on  the  fourth  of  August  they  cross- 
ed the  Detroit,  and  took  up  their  line 
of  march  the  same  day.^  After  lying  on 
their  arms  near  the  River  De  Corce,  dur- 
ing the  night  of  the  fourth,  on  the  next 
day  they  resumed  their  march,  pi-eced- 
ed  by  a  small  party  of  spies,  under  Cap- 
tain McCullough.®     His  line  of  march 

•  Perkins'  Annals  of  the  West,  p.  598  ;  Christie's  Op- 
erations, &c.,  p.  69  ;  Armstrong's  Notices,  i.  p.  25. 

'  Gen.  Hull  to  Sec.  of  War,  Aug.  7,  1812  ;  James'  Mil. 
Occur.,  1.  p.  61. — '  McAfee  {Hkl.  of  the  War,  p.  73)  says 
the  General  ' '  seemed  indifferent  about  the  fate  of  Brush 
and  his  provisions." 

*  Perkins'  Annals  of  the  West,  p.  599  ;  Gen.  Hull  to  Sec. 
of  War,  Aug.  7,  1812  ;  McAfee's  Hist,  of  War  in  West, 
p.  73.—'*  McAfee,  p.  73.— « Ibid. 


appears  to  have  been  formed  without 
any  flanking  parties — his  "  front  guard 
of  twenty-four  men,  divided  into  two 
columns,  each  preceded  by  three  dra- 
goons, and  the  main  party  in  the  same 
order,  the  mail,  with  an  escort  of  horse- 
men, being  placed  in  the  centre"-' — and 
the  usual  result  of  similar  instances  of 
neglect  speedily  befell  the  expedition. 

After  having  passed  the  Maguaga 
village,  Captain  McCullough  of  the 
spies  was  shot  and  scalped  before  he 
could  be  saved  by  the  detachment; 
and,  soon  afterwards,  Major  Van  Horn 
was  informed  that  a  large  body  of 
the  enemy  was  lying  in  ambush,  near 
Brownstown,  for  the  purpose  of  cutting 
off  the  party .^  Supposing  the  report 
was  one  of  the  numerous  false  alarms 
which  were  constantly  floating  around 
the  country,  he  disregarded  it,  and 
moved  on  without  adopting  the  pre- 
cautions which  the  character  of  his 
route,  and  that  of  the  enemies  among 
whom  he  was  moving,  would  appear  to 
have  rendered  necessary.^ 

It  appears  that  the  road  on  which 
Major  Van  Horn  was  marching,  a 
short  distance  from  Brownstown,  "pass- 
es through  a  narrow  prairie,  skirted 
with  thick  woods,  with  a  creek  on  the 
risrht.     The  woods  on  the  creek  come 

O 

to  a  point,  towards  the  town,  through 
which    point   the   road    passes    to    the 

'  McAfee,  p.  74. — "  Ibid. — "  Armstrong's  Notices,  i.  pp. 
25,  26  ;  Headley's  Second  War,  i.  p.  79. 


Chap.  XVII.] 


DOCUMENT. 


97 


ford.  On  the  left  of  this  road  were 
several  small  cornfields  and  thickets  of 
thoi'n-bushes;"^  and  as  the  detachment 
moved  towards  the  town,  with  the 
creek  on  its  right  and  the  thickets  and 
corn  on  its  left,  its  ranks  were  formed 
into  closer  order  than  was  usual  in  its 
line  of  march.  In  these  thickets,  on 
the  left,  and  in  the  woods,  on  the  oppo- 
site side  of  the  stream,  on  the  right  of 
the  line  of  march,  a  small  party  of  In- 
dians, under  Tecumth^,^  and,  probably, 
a  small  detachment  of  the  Forty-first 
regiment  of  the  line,  under  Caj)tain 
Tallon,^  had  formed  an  ambush ;  and 
when  the  column  had  entered  the  de- 
file, they  opened  a  fire  on  it  from  either 
side.*  Ignorant  of  the  character  and 
strength  of  his  hidden  foe.  Major  Van 
Horn   feared   that   he   would    be   sur- 


rounded, and  he  immediately  ordered  a 
retreat.^  The  enemy  immediately  pur- 
sued ;  and  a  running  fight  was  kept  up 
between  the  parties  for  several  miles — 
the  detachment  several  times  turning 
on  its  pursuers  with  great  effect.^ 

By  this  engagement  and  defeat  of  Ma- 
jor Van  Horn,  the  mail  from  the  army 
passed  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy, 
from  which  the  condition  and  senti- 
ments of  the  troops  were  fully  laid  open 
to  his  inspection — a  privilege  which  he 
was  not  tardy  in  taking  advantage  of, 
with  great  benefit  to  himself.'^  The 
detachment  suffered  the  loss  of  Cap- 
tains Gilchrist,  Ullery,  McCullough,  and 
Boerstler,  Lieutenant  Pentz,  Ensigns 
Boby  and  Allison,  and  ten  privates, 
hilled^  and  nine  wounded^  The  loss  of 
the  enemy  is  not  known. 


DOCUMEI^T 


GENERAL    HULL  S   DISPATCH   TO   THE    SECKETAEY 
OF   WAR. 

Sandwich,  August  7,  1812. 
Sir  : — On  the  4th  inst.  Major  Van  Horn,  of 
Colonel  Findley's  regiment  of  Ohio  volunteers, 
was  detached  from  this  army,  with  the  com- 
mand of  two  hundred  men,  principally  riflemen, 
to  proceed  to  the  River  Raisin,  and  farther,  if 
necessary,  to  meet  and  reinforce  Captain  Brush, 
of  the  State  of  Ohio,  commandirg  a  comjjany 
of  volunteers,  and  escorting  provisions  for  this 
army.  At  Brownstown,  a  large  body  of  In- 
dians had  formed  an  ambuscade,  and  the  Major's 
detachment  received  a  heavy  fire,  at  the  dis- 
tance of  fifty  yards  from  the  enemy.    The  whole 

'  McAfee,  p.  74. — *  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  61 ;  Brock's 
Life  of  Brock,  p.  239  ;  Auchinleck's  Hist,  of  War,  p.  52. 

^  Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p.  239  ;  Breckenridge's  Hist,  of 
War,  p.  34  ;  Christie's  Operations,  p.  69  ;  Thomson's 
Sketches,  p.  25.  Mr.  James  lyMil.  Occur.,  i.  pp.  61,  62) 
denies  that  any  regulars  were  there. 

*  Gen.  Hull  to  Sec.  of  War,  Aug.  7  ;  McAfee,  p.  74. 
Vol.  XL— 13 


detachment  retreated  in  disorder.  Major  Van 
Horn  made  every  exertion  to  form,  and  prevent 
the  retreat  that  was  possible  for  a  brave  and 
gallant  ofiicer,  but  Avithout  success. 

By  the  return  of  killed  and  wounded,  it  will 
be  perceived  that  the  loss  of  oflicers  has  been 
uncommonly  great.  Their  efforts  to  rally  their 
companies  was  the  occasion  of  it. 

I  am,  very  respectfully,  &c., 

WiLLiAJvr  Hull,  Brig. -Gen. 

Hon.  Mr.  Etjstis,  Secretary  of  War. 

'  McAfee,  p.  74.—=  Gen.  Hull  to  Sec.  of  War,  Aug.  7. 

'  Christie's  Operations,  p.  69  ;  Armstrong's  Notices,  i. 
p.  25;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  61;  Brock's  Life  of 
Brock,  p.  289. — "^  Returns  appended  to  Gen.  Hull's  Dis- 
patch, Aug.  7  ;  Breckenridge's  Hist,  of  War,  p.  34  ; 
Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  25  ;  Sketches  of  the  War,  p.  21  ; 
McAfee,  p.  74.  Armstrong  {Notices,  i.  p.  25)  says  Van 
Horn  lost  sixty  privates,  beside  officers.  Mr.  Headley  (Second 
War,  i.  p.  79)  says,  "  Only  about  one  half  (one  hundred)  re- 
turned to  the  army."  Davis  (Hist,  of  Late  War,  p.  34) 
says,  "  7  officers  and  19  privates  were  killed."  Mr.  Per- 
kins (Hist,  of  Late  War,  p.  83)  says  thirty  were  wounded. 


CHAPTER    XYIII. 


Aug^ust  9,  1§12. 

THE     ACTION     AT     MAGUAGA 


The  defeat  of  the  detacliment  under 
Major  Van  Horn,  to  wliich  reference 
has-  been  made  in  a  former  chapter,^ 
had  been  followed  by  a  still  greater 
disaster — the  sudden  and  mortifying  re- 
treat of  the  American  army  from  Can- 
ada, and  its  reoccupation  of  the  fort  at 
Detroit^ — when  General  Hull  immedi- 
ately determined  to  make  a  second  at- 
tempt to  open  the  communication  with 
the  River  Raisin,  and  to  escort  the  pro- 
vision-train, which  had  been  encamped 
there  under  Captain  Henry  Brush.'' 

For  this  purpose  the  Fourth  regi- 
ment of  regular  troops ;  two  small  de- 
tachments from  the  First  regiment,  un- 
der Lieutenant  Stansbury  and  Ensign 
McLabe ;  detachments  from  the  Ohio 
and  Michigan  Volunteers ;  a  corps  of 
artillerists,  with  a  six-pounder  and  a 
howitzer,  under  Lieutenant  Eastman ; 
and  two  small  detachments  of  cavalry, 
under  Captain  Sloan  of  the  Ohio  Vol- 
unteers— the  whole  numbering  six  hun- 
dred men,  under  Lieutenant-colonel  Mil- 
ler of  the  Fourth  regiment — were  de- 
tached on  the  eighth  of  August ;  and, 
on  the  afternoon  of  that  day,  the  party 
left   Detroit.*      Marching  through  the 


'  Vide  Chap.  XVI. — '  Christie's  Operations,  &c.,  p.  70  ; 
Armstrong's  Notices,  i.  p.  32  ;  McAfee's  War  in  West,  p. 
77. — '  Slietches  of  the  War,  p.  21 ;  Armstrong's  Notices, 
i.  p.  26;  Davis'  Hist,  of  War,  p.  34;  O'Connor's  Hist,  of 
War,  p.  40.—''  Gen.  Hull  to  Sec.  of  War,  Aug.  13. 


woods,  in  two  parallel  columns,  with  an 
advanced  guard  in  front,  the  progress 
of  the  detachment  was  very  slow  ;^  and 
at  four  in  the  afternoon  of  the  ninth, 
the  detachment  had  proceeded  no  far- 
ther than  Maguaga,  an  Indian  village, 
about  fourteen  miles  from  Detroit.^ 

At  this  time  Captain  Snelling,  of  the 
Fourth  regiment,  being  in  command  of 
the  advance — the  main  body,  in  two 
columns,  being  half  a  mile  in  the  rear — 
a  heavy  fire  was  opened  on  the  former^ 
by  an  unseen  enemy,  who  had  been 
awaiting  the  approach  of  the  detach- 
ment for  several  hours  ;  *  and  who  had 
concealed  himself  in  the  bushes  with  so 
much  success  that  his  presence  was  not 
suspected  until  the  fire  was  opened  on 
the  troops.^ 

It  appears  that  early  in  the  morning 
intelligence  of  the  approach  of  the  de- 
tachment had  been  taken,  by  the  In- 


1  Gen.  Hull  to  Sec.  of  War,  Aug.  IB.  Maj.  Richardson 
{Narraiive,  cited  by  Mr.  Auchinleck)  says  the  progress  of  the 
party  was  retarded  by  the  difficulty  in  transporting  the  ar- 
tillery.—=  Gen.  Hull  to  Sec.  of  War,  Aug.  13  ;  Perkin's 
Hist,  of  War,  p.  83.—^  Gen.  Hull  to  Sec.  of  War,  Aug.  13  ; 
Sketches  of  the  War,  p.  21 ;  Armstrong's  Notices,  i.  p.  27. 

*  Maj.  Richardson's  Narrative,  cited  by  Mr.  Auchinleck. 

'  Armstrong's  Notices,  i.  p.  27  ;  Headley's  Second  War, 
1.  p.  80.  Mr.  Headley  {Hist.  Second  War,  i.  p.  80),  follow- 
ing the  errors  of  many  of  his  predecessors,  and  adding  to 
them  others  of  his  own,  gives  a  glowing  account  of  a 
breastwork,  and  of  an  attack  on  it ;  but  Maj.  Richardson, 
and  those  who  were  present,  as  far  as  I  have  seen  their 
statements,  make  no  reference  to  any  such  work  ;  and 
speak  only  of  lai/inff  on  the  ground,  for  concealment. 


Chap.  XVIIL] 


THE  ACTION  AT  MAGUAGA. 


99 


dian  scouts,  to  Brownstown,  where  was 
posted  a  large  body  of  troops,  which 
had  been  detached  by  Colonel  Proctor, 
for  the  purpose  of  cutting  off  the  com- 
munication between  Detroit  and  the 
States.  This  party  was  composed  of 
"  about  one  hundred  of  the  Forty-first, 
the  same  number  of  militia,  and  about 
two  hundred  and  fifty  Indians,"  under 
the  command  of  Captain  Muir,  of  the 
Forty-first  regiment;^  and,  on  receiving 
the  information  referred  to,  it  moved 
out  to  meet  the  American  detachment ; 
took  post  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  in 
front  of  Maguaga ;  and  awaited  the  ap- 
proach of  its  enemy .^  While  thus  con- 
cealed, before  the  Americans  came  in 
sight,  this  party  was  strengthened  by 
the  arrival  of  Lieutenant  Bullock,  with 
twenty  men  from  the  grenadiers  of  the 
Forty-first,  twenty  men  from  the  light- 
infantry,  and  twenty  battalion-men,  who 
had  been  sent  from  Amherstburo',  for 
that  purpose,  by  Colonel  Proctor — 
making  the  enemy's  force  not  less  than 
five  hundred  and  twenty-five  men,  in- 
cluding ofiicers.^  The  Indians,  under 
the  leadership  of  Tecumtha,  occupied 
the  left,  their  white  auxiliaries  the  right 
of  the  position  ;*  and  a  single  shot  from 
the  former,  "  followed  by  a  heavy  and 
desultory  fire,"  first  apprised  the  Ameri- 
can detachment  of  the  presence  of  their 
enemj^^ 

Captain  Snelling  and  the  advance  re- 
ceived and  returned  the  fire  with  great 


'  Auchinleck's  Hist.,  p.  52. — '  Maj.  Kichardson's  Nar- 
rative.—^ Ibid.  Mr.  Brock  {Life  of  Brock,  p.  240)  falls 
into  an  error  in  saying  the  force  was  only  325  men  in  all ; 
and  Mr.  James  {3Iil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  65)  has  committed  the 
same  bhmder. — '  Gen.  Hull  to  Sec.  of  War,  Aug.  13. 

'  Maj.  Richardson's  Narrative. 


gallantry ;  maintaining  their  position, 
with  the  utmost  firmness,  until  the 
main  body  had  formed  in  order  of 
battle  and  advanced  to  his  support. 
Firing  as  he  advanced,  Lieutenant-col- 
onel Miller  gradually  moved  forward, 
until  he  had  nearly  reached  the  enemy, 
when  a  charge  was  ordered  and  vigor- 
ously executed.^  At  this  time  a  body 
of  Indians,  who  had  been  detached  to 
the  extreme  right  of  the  enemy's  line, 
was  driven  from  its  position  by  the 
American  troops ;  and,  in  its  retreat, 
was  mistaken,  by  its  white  auxiliaries, 
for  a  body  of  Americans.  The  conse- 
quence of  this  unfortunate  mistake  was 
the  opening  of  a  fire  on  it,  by  the  regu- 
lars on  its  left ;  while,  misled  by  this 
aggressive  act  of  their  fiieuds,  the  In- 
dians "  returned  the  fire  with  equal 
spirit,"  and  an  internal  contest,  between 
the  two  arms  of  the  Royal  service,  was 
for  some  time  kept  up.^ 

In  the  mean  time  the  Americans 
pushed  forward ;  and  the  regulars  in 
the  enemy's  line  — closely  pressed  in 
front  by  the  American  bayonets,  while, 
as  they  falsely  supposed,  from  their  con- 
test with  their  savage  allies,  their  rear 
was  also  threatened — fell  back,  in  con- 
fuaion^  and  left  the  field  to  be  contest- 
ed by  Tecumtha  and  his  Indians.^  Cap- 
tain Muir  succeeded,  however,  in  rally- 
ing his  troops  on  the  brow  of  a  hill, 
about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  distant  from 
his  first  position ;  but,  a  few  minutes 
afterwards,  some  firing  was  heard  in  the 


'  Gen.  Hull  to  Sec.  of  War,  Aug,  13  ;  Perkins'  Hist. 
War,  p.  83  ;  Breckemidge's  Hist,  of  War,  p.  86  ;  Arm- 
strong's Notices,  i.  p.  27. — "  Maj.  Richardson's  Narrative. 

'  Ibid. ;  James'  Military  Occurrences,  i.  p.  65 ;  Arm- 
strong's Notices,  p.  27. 


100 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


woods  on  his  left,  when  he  fell  back  a 
second  time  "  at  the  double  quick,"  as 
one  of  his  officers  significantly  remarks 
— leavinff  the  Indians  to  fis^ht  the  bat- 
tie,  or  to  run,  as  they  thought  best.-^ 

The  example  which  had  been  placed 
before  the  savages,  by  the  regular 
troops,  was  not  imitated ;  and  the  gal- 
lant chief  and  his  warriors  disdained  to 
retreat  while  a  hope  remained.  With 
the  greatest  obstinacy,  therefore,  they 
maintained  the  action,  long  after  the 
regulars  had  retired ;  and  when  the  an- 
tagonistic bayonets  could  no  longer  be 
resisted  they  retired  with  the  greatest 
suUenness.^ 

When  the  enemy  retreated  he  was 
pursued  upwards  of  two  miles,  when  the 
care  of  the  wounded,  the  approach  of 
night,  and  the  danger  of  an  ambuscade, 
induced  Lieutenant-colonel  Miller  to 
order  the  troops  to  suspend  the  pur- 
suit.^ 

The  force  of  the  two  parties  has  been 


referred  to  already.  Of  the  Americans, 
ten  regulars  and  eight  volunteers  were 
hilled^  and  forty-five  regulars  and  twelve 
volunteers  were  wounded}  Of  the  en- 
emy's force,  the  regulars — who  were 
scarcely  in  action  —  lost  twenty-four 
men,  killed  and  wounded,^  while  the 
loss  of  the  militia  and  the  Indians  has 
not  been  recorded.  It  is  said,  however, 
that  about  forty  of  the  latter  were  found 
dead  on  the  field  ;  which  indicates  a 
very  heavy  aggregate  loss.^ 

The  communication  having  thus  been 
opened,  Lieutenant-colonel  Miller  sent  a 
messenger  to  Detroit  with  a  request  for 
provisions  and  reinforcements  to  assist 
in  removing  the  wounded.  A  second 
messenger  carried  the  same  request ; 
but,  instead  of  the  provisions  and  re- 
lief, an  order  was  received  directing  tlie 
detachment  to  return  to  Detroit^  leaving 
the  route  to  the  States  entirely  without 
protection^  and  sacrificing,  at  a  blow, 
the  fruits  of  this  hard-earned  victory.* 


DOCUMENT 


GENERAL   HULL  S   DISPATCH   TO   THE    SECKETARY 
OF   WAR. 

Detroit,  August  13,  1812. 
Sir  : — The  main  body  of  the  army  having  re- 
crossed  the  river  at  Detroit,  on  the  night  and 
morninoc  of  the  8th  inst.,  six  hundred  men  were 


'  Maj.  Richardson's  Narrative  ;  Armstrong's  Notices,  i. 
p.  27.—'  Gen.  Hull  to  Sec.  of  War,  Aug.  13  ;  Brock's 
Life  of  Broclv,  p.  240 ;  Perkins'  Hist.  War,  p.  83  ;  Breck- 
einidge's  Hist,  of  War,  p.  36  ;  Armstrong's  Notices,  i.  p. 
28  ;  Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  27.—'  Gen.  Hull  to  Sec.  of 
War,  Aug.  13  ;  Perkins'  Hist.  War,  p.  83. 


immediately  detached,  under  the  command  of 
Lieutenant-colonel  Miller,  to  open  the  communi- 
cation to  the  River  Raisin,  and  protect  the  pro- 
visions, which  were  under  the  escort  of  Captain 
Brush.  This  detachment  consisted  of  the  Fourth 
United  States  regiment  and  two  small  detach- 
ments, under  the  command  of  Lieutenant  Stans- 


'  Gen.  Hull  to  Sec.  of  War,  Aug.  13,  1812  ;  Perkins' 
Hist.  War,  p.  83. 

^  Maj.  Eichardson's  Narrative. 

3  Gen.  Hull  to  Secretary  of  War,  Aug.  13,  1812. 

''  Armstrong's  Notices,  i.  pp.  29,  30 ;  McAfee,  pp. 
79,  80. 


Chap.  XVIII.] 


DOCUMENT. 


101 


bury  and  Eusign  M'Labe,  of  the  First  regiment ; 
detachments  fi-om  the  Ohio  and  Michigan  Vol- 
unteers, a  corps  of  artillerists,  with  one  six- 
pounder  and  a  howitzer,  under  the  command 
of  Lieutenant  Eastman,  and  a  part  of  Captains 
Smith  and  Sloan's  cavalry,  commanded  by  Cap- 
tain Sloan,  of  the  Ohio  Volunteers.  Lieutenant- 
colonel  Miller  marched  from  Detroit  on  the 
afternoon  of  the.  8th  instant,  and  on  the  9th, 
about  4  o'clock  p.  m.,  the  van-guard,  command- 
ed by  Captain  Snelling,  of  the  Fourth  United 
States  regiment,  was  fired  on  by  an  extensive 
line  of  British  troojJs  and  Indians  at  the  lower 
part  of  Maguaga,  about  fourteen  miles  from 
Detroit.  At  this  time  the  main  body  was 
marching  in  two  columns,  and  Captain  Snelling 
maintained  his  position  in  a  most  gallant  man- 
ner, under  a  very  heavy  fire,  untU  the  line  was 
formed  and  advanced  to  the  ground  he  occu- 
pied, when  the  whole,  excepting  the  rear-guard, 
was  brought  into  action.  The  enemy  were 
formed  behind  a  temporary  breastwork  of  logs, 
the  Indians  extending  in  a  thick  wood  on 
their  left.  Lieutenant-colonel  Miller  ordered 
his  whole  line  to  advance,  and  when  within  a 
small  distance  of  the  enemy,  made  a  general 
discharge,  and  proceeded  with  charged  bayo- 
nets, when  the  whole  British  line  and  Indians 
commenced  a  retreat.  They  were  j^ui'sued  in  a 
most  vigorous  manner  about  two  miles,  and  the 
pursuit  discontinued  only  on  account  of  the  fa- 
tigue of  the  troops,  the  approach  of  evening, 
and  the  necessity  of  retui-ning  to  take  care  of 
the  wounded.  The  judicious  arrangements 
made  by  Lieutenant-colonel  Miller,  and  the  gal- 
lant manner  in  which  they  were  executed,  justly 
entitle  him  to  the  highest  honor.  From  the 
moment  the  line  commenced  the  fire,  it  contin- 
ually moved  on,  and  the  enemy  maintained 
their  position  until  forced  at  the  point  of  the 
bayonet.  The  Indians  on  the  left,  under  the 
command  of  Tecumseh,  fought  with  great  ob- 
stinacy, but  were  continually  forced  and  com- 
pelled to  retreat.  The  victory  was  complete  in 
every  part  of  the  line,  and  the  success  would 
have  been  more  brilliant  had  the  cavalry  charged 
the  enemy  on  the  retreat,  when  a  most  favora- 
ble opportunity  presented.  Although  orders 
were  given  for  the  purpose,  unfortunately  they 
were  not  executed.    Majors  Van  Horn  and  Mor- 


rison, of  the  Ohio  Volunteers,  were  associated 
wdth  Lieutenant-colonel  Miller,  as  field-officers 
in  this  command,  and  were  highly  distinguished 
by  their  exertions  in  forming  the  line,  and  the 
firm  and  intrepid  manner  they  led  their  respec- 
tive commands  to  action. 

Captain  Baker,  of  the  First  Unked  States 
regiment.  Captain  Brevort,  of  the  Second,  and 
Captain  Hull,  of  the  Thirteenth,  my  aid-de-camp 
and  Lieutenant  Whistler,  of  the  First,  requested 
permission  to  join  the  detachment  as  volunteers. 
Lieutenant-colonel  Miller  assigned  commands  to 
Captain  Baker  and  Lieutenant  Whistler ;  and 
Captains  Brevort  and  Hull,  at  his  request,  at- 
tended his  person,  and  aided  him  in  the  general 
arrangements.  Lieutenant-colonel  Miller  has 
mentioned  the  conduct  of  these  officers  in  terms 
of  high  approbation.  In  addition  to  the  cap- 
tains who  have  been  named.  Lieutenant-colonel 
MUler  has  mentioned  Captains  Burton  and  Ful- 
ler, of  the  Fourth  regiment.  Captains  Saunders 
and  Brown,  of  the  Ohio  Volunteers,  and  Cap- 
tain Delandre,  of  the  Michigan  Volunteers, 
who  were  attached  to  his  command,  and  distin- 
guished by  their  valor.  It  is  impossible  for  me, 
in  this  communication,  to  do  justice  to  the  offi- 
cers and  soldiers  who  gained  the  victory  M'hich 
I  have  described.  They  have  acquired  high 
honor  to  themselves,  and  are  justly  entitled  to 
the  gratitude  of  their  country. 

Major  Muir,  of  the  Forty-first  regiment,  com- 
manded the  British  in  this  action.  The  regu 
lars  and  volunteers  consisted  of  about  four  hun- 
dred, and  a  lai'ger  number  of  Indians.  Major 
Muir  and  two  subalterns  were  wounded,  one  of 
them  sLoce  dead.  About  forty  Indians  were 
found  dead  on  the  field,  and  Tecumseh,  their 
leader,  was  slightly  wounded.  The  number  of 
wounded  Indians  who  escaped  has  not  been 
ascertained.  Four  of  Major  Muir's  detachment 
have  been  made  prisoners,  and  fifteen  of  the 
Forty-first  regiment  killed  and  wounded.  The 
militia  and  volunteers  attached  to  his  command 
were  in  the  severest  part  of  the  action,  and  their 
loss  must  have  been  great — it  has  not  yet  been 
ascertained.  I  have  the  honor  to  be. 
Your  most  obedient  servant, 

W.  Hull,  Brig. -Gen. 

Commanding  N.  W.  Army. 

Hon.  W.  EusTis,  Secretary  of  War. 


102 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


Return  of  Tcilled  and  wounded  in  the  action  fought 
near  Maguaga,  August  9,  1812. 

Fourth  United  States  Regiment. — Ten  non- 
commissioned officers  and  privates  killed,  and 
foi'ty-five  wounded ;  Captain  Baker,  of  the  First 
regiment  of  infantry ;  Lieutenant  Larabee,  of 
the  Fourth ;  Lieutenant  Peters,  of  the  Fourth ; 


Ensign  Whistler,  of  the  Seventeenth,  doing  duty 
in  the  Fourth ;  Lieutenant  Silly,  and  an  ensign, 
Tvhose  name  has  not  been  returned  to  me,  were 
wounded. 

In  the  Ohio  and  Michigan  Volunteers,  eight 
were  killed  and  thirteen  wounded. 

W.  Hull. 


CHAPTER    XIX. 

August  13,  1§12. 

THE     CAPTURE     OF     THE     ALERT. 


SooK  after  the  declaration  of  war  the 
frigate  Mssex  sailed  from  New  York, 
under  command  of  Captain  David  Por- 
ter.^ After  cruising  to  the  southward, 
for  some  weeks,  she  run  up  to  the  north- 
ward again,  capturing  several  merchant 
ships  during  her  cruise.^ 

On  the  thirteenth  of  August,  while 
she  was  sailing  under  disguise, — having 
her  gun-deck  ports  in,  topgallant-masts 
housed,  and  sails  trimmed  slovenly, — 
she  made  a  strange  sail  to  windward.® 
The  stranger  made  chase ;  and,  proba- 
bly, deceived  by  the  disguise  of  the 
Essex.,  and  by  her  apparent  unwilling- 
ness to  engage,  the  former  ran  down  on 
her  weather-quarter,  set  British  colors, 
gave  three  cheers,  and  opened  her  fire.* 

Without  farther  ceremony  the  Essex 
knocked  out  her  ports,  and  returned 
the  fire.  The  stranger  threw  in  two  or 
three  broadsides ;  but  the  surprise  with 
which  her  crew  witnessed  the  effect  of 
her  rashness  was  such  that  it  deserted 

'  Cooper's  Naval  Hist.,  ii.  p.  53  ;  Clark's  Naval  Hist., 
p.  137.—''  Cooper,  ii.  p.  53.—'  Ibid. 

'  Capt.  Porter  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Aug.  17  ;  Clark's  Naval 
Hist.,  p.  137  ;  Thomson's  Hist,  of  War,  p.  37  ;  James' 
Naval  Occurrences,  p.  81 ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  53. 


her  guns,  and  ran  below  for  safety.^ 
Within  eight  minutes  after  the  action 
commenced  the  stranger  struck  her 
colors;^  and  Lieutenant  Finch®  having 
been  sent  on  board,  reported  her  to  be 
His  Britannic  Majesty's  ship  Alei%  of 
eighteen  guns,  commanded  by  Captain 
T.  L.  P.  Laugharne  ;  that  she  had  seven 
feet  water  in  her  hold ;  and  that  she 
was  in  danger  of  sinking.* 

The  Essex  mounted  forty-six  guns — 
forty  thirty-two-pound  carronades  and 
six  long  twelves — and  a  complement  of 
about  three  hundred  and  twenty-five 
men.^  The  Alert  —  which  had  been 
built  for  the  coal  trade,  and  purchased 
into  the  royal  navy  in  1804^ — mounted 
twenty  eighteen-pound  carronades  and 
six  smaller  guns,  with  a  crew  of  one 
hundred    and    thirty    men    and  boys,'^ 


■  Cooper,  ii.  p.  53. — ^  Capt.  Porter  to  Sec.  of  Navy, 
Aug.  17  ;  Clark,  p.  137  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  53  ;  Sketches  of 
the  War,  p.  105. — '  Since  Commodore  Bolton. 

*  Capt.  Porter  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Aug.  17  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p. 
53  ;  Sketches  of  the  War,  p.  105  ;  Perkins'  Hist,  of  War, 
p.  122.—'  James'  Warden  Kefuted,  Table  I. 

°  James'  Naval  Occurrences,  p.  82. — '  Thomson's  Hist, 
of  War,  p.  37  ;  James'  Warden  Eefuted,  Table  I.  Mr. 
James  (Naval  Occur.,  p.  81)  contends  that  she  had  only 
eighty-six  in  her  crew. 


Chap.  XX.] 


THE  lilASSACRE  AT  CHICAGO. 


103 


The  latter  had  three  men  wounded ; 
the  former,  "both  in  the  vessel  and  her 
crew,  was  uninjured.-^ 

Althouo;h  the  ffreat 
tween  the  two  ships, 
armaments    and    crews, 


difference  he- 
both  in  their 
rendered   this 


capture  less  interesting  than  it  other- 


wise would  have  been ;  the  fact  that 
the  Ale?'f  was  the  first  national  vessel 
of  war  which  struck  her  colors  since 
the  declaration  of  war,^  invests  the 
affair  with  peculiar  interest,  and  it  has 
been  noticed  in  this  work  for  that 
reason. 


DOCUMENT. 


CAPTAIN   POKTEE   TO    SECKETART  OF  THE  NATT. 

At  Sea,  Au^st  17,  1812. 
SiE : — I  have  the  honor  to  inform  you  that 
upon  the  thirteenth,  His  Britannic  Majesty's 
slooi>of-war  Alert,  Captain  T.  L.  P.  Laugharne, 
ran  down  on  our  weather-quarter,  gave  three 
cheers,  and  commenced  an  action  (if  so  trifling 
a  skirmish  deserves  the  name) ;  and,  after  eight 
minutes  firing  struck  her  colors,  with  seven  feet 
water  in  her  hold,  much  cut  to  pieces,  and  three 
men  wounded. 


I  need  not  inform  you  that  the  officers  and 
crew  of  the  Essex  behaved  as  I  trust  all  Ameri- 
cans will  in  such  cases,  and  it  is  only  to  be  re- 
gretted that  so  much  zeal  and  activity  could  not 
have  been  displayed  on  an  occasion  that  would 
have  done  them  more  honor.  The  Essex  has 
not  received  the  slightest  injury. 

The  Alert  was  out  for  the  purpose  of  taking 
the  Hornet. 

I  have  the  honor,  <fcc., 

D.   POETEE. 
Hon.  Paul  Hamilton. 


CHAPTER    XX. 

AuiTUSt  15,  1§12. 

THE  MASSACRE  AT  CHICAGO. 


Whejt  the  war  with  Great  Britain 
broke  out  in  June,  1812,  what  has  since 
become  the  large  and  enterprising  city 
of  Chicago,  in  Illinois,  was  but  a  small 
trading  village,  with  a  military  post, 
which  was  known  as  Fort  Dearborn. 
This  outpost  was  garrisoned  with  fifty- 
four     men,    commanded     by     Captain 


I  Capt.  Porter  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Aug.  17  ;  Clark,  p.  137  ; 
O'Connor's  Hist,  of  War,  p.  45  ;  Breckenridge's  Hist,  of 
War,  p.  48 ;  lliomson's  Hist,  of  War,  p.  37  ;  Cooper,  ii. 
p.  53  ;  Sketches  of  the  War,  p.  105. 


Heald,  Lieutenant  Helm,  and  Ensign 
Ronan ;  beside  whom  were  the  wife  of 
the  commandant,  a  trader  named  John 
Kinzie,  and  his  family,  and  a  few  Cana- 
dian voyageurs,  and  their  wives  and 
children.^  They  were  surrounded  by 
the  Indian  tribes  of  the  West,  and, 
although  the  neighboring  savages  were 
among  those  who  had  opposed  Harmar, 


"  Cooper,  ii.  p.  53. — "^  Brown's  Hist,  of  Illinois,  pp.  304, 
305  ;  Perkins'  Annals  of  the  West,  p.  601. 


104 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


St.  Clair,  and  Wayne,  and  Lad  yielded 
to  the  influence  of  Tecumtli^  and  the 
Prophet,  they  were,  generally,  on  ami- 
cable terms  with  the  garrison,^  and  be- 
came, ultimately,  the  means  of  securing 
the  lives  of  the  remnant  which  was  saved. 
On  the  afternoon  of  the  ninth  of 
August,  1812,Winnemeg  (^The  Catfish^^ 
a  friendly  Potawatomie  chief,  arrived  at 
the  fort  with  intelligence  of  the  loss  of 
Michilimacinac,  and  with  orders  from 
General  Hull  "to  evacuate  the  post,  if 
practicable,  and,  in  that  event,  to  dis- 
tiibute  the  property  belonging  to  the 
United  States,  in  the  fort,  and  in  the 
factory  or  agency,  to  the  Indians  in  the 
neighborhood,"^  This  injudicious  order 
was  in  keeping  with  much  that  General 
Hull  had  done  since  the  declaration  of 
war ;  and,  in  the  absence  of  more  posi- 
tive proof  to  the  contrary,  it  must  be 
attributed  to  a  constitutional  incapacity 
in  that  officer.  After  delivering  his 
message,  Winnemeg  sought  Mr.  Kinzie, 
— who  had  removed  his  family  to  the 
fort  for  safety, — and  informed  him  that 
he  was  acquainted  with  the  character 
of  the  message  which  he  had  brought ; 
that  it  was  dangerous  to  remove  from 
the  fort ;  and,  as  the  garrison  had  plenty 
of  ammunition,  and  provisions  for  six 
months,  he  urged  Mr.  Kinzie  to  use  his 
influence  with  the  commandant  to  re- 
main at  the  post  until  reinforcements 
could  be  sent  to  his  assistance.  At  the 
same  time,  he  insisted,  if  Captain  Heald 
would  not  listen  to  his  advice,  that  the 
garrison  should  march  at  once^  before 

■  Brown's  History  of  Illinois,  p.  305. 

'  Capt.  Heald's  Dispatch,  "  Pittsburg,  Oct.  23."  Mrs, 
Kinzie  (Wau-bun,  p.  210)  says  it  was  received  on  the  sev- 
enth ;  and  Mr.  Brown  {Hist.  Illinois,  p.  306)  concurs. 


the  neighboring  Indians  were  informed 
of  the  order ;  and  that  the  fort  be  left 
as  it  then  was,  in  order  that  time  might 
be  gained  while  the  Indians  would  be 
engaged  in  pilfering  and  carrying  off 
the  stores.^  Unfortunately  this  sensi- 
ble advice  was  not  followed — Captain 
Heald  resolving  to  obey  his  orders, 
without  regard  to  consequences,  not- 
withstanding the  earnest  remonstrances 
of  his  officers,  of  Mr.  Kinzie,  of  the 
faithful  Winnemeg,  and  even  of  the 
privates  of  his  command.^  The  In- 
dians, also,  were  not  without  intelli- 
gence of  the  misfortunes  which  had 
befallen  the  American  arms, — a  mes- 
sage from  Tecumth^  having  conveyed 
to  them  an  account  of  the  fall  of  Mich- 
ilimacinac, the  defeat  of  Major  Van 
Horn,  the  retreat  of  General  Hull  from 
Canada,  and  the  probable  capture  of 
his  army,^ — and  they  had  shown  greater 
signs  of  uneasiness  than  usual.* 

With  an  infatuation  which  was  equal- 
led only  by  General  Hull's  indiscretion 
in  issuing  the  order.  Captain  Heald  dis- 
regarded these  incontestable  evidences 
of  the  animosity  of  the  Indians,  and 
resolved  to  hold  a  council  with  them 
preparatory  to  his  withdrawal  from  the 
fort ;  and,  on  the  thirteenth  of  August, 
the  inhabitants  of  the  neighboring  vil- 
lages met  for  that  purpose.^     Captain 


'  Mrs.  Kinzie's  Wau-bun,  p.  211  ;  Brown's  Illinois,  p. 
306.  Capt.  Heald  {Dispatch,  Oct.  23)  says,  "The  neigh- 
boring Indians  got  the  information  as  early  as  I  did,  and 
came  from  all  quarters  to  receive  the  goods,"  &c. — '  Mrs. 
Kinzie's  Wau-bun,  pp.  211-214  ;  Brown's  Illinois,  pp.  306, 
307.— »  Brown's  Illinois,  p.  307,  note;  McAfee,  p.  101. 

<  Mrs.  Kinzie's  Wau-bun,  p.  215. — '  As  it  is  said  to  have 
been  held  on  the  day  preceding  the  distribution,  it  must 
have  been  on  the  13th.  Capt.  Heald  makes  no  allusion 
to  a  Council  in  his  dispatch ;  while  Mrs.  Kinzie,  Mr 
Brown,  and  others,  suppose  it  was  held  on  the  twelfth. 


Chap.  XX.] 


THE  MASSACRE  AT  CHICAGO. 


105 


Healcl  had  been  informed,  througli  liis 
officers,  that  the  young  chiefs  intended 
to  kill  him,  while  in  council ;  and,  from 
that  reason,  the  latter  refused  to  ac- 
compauy  him  to  the  place  of  meeting. 
The}'  adopted,  however,  a  most  effect- 
ual preventative  against  the  intended 
treachery,  by  taking  command  of  the 
two  block-houses  of  the  fort  which 
overlooked  the  esplanade  on  which  the 
council  had  assembled,  by  throwing 
open  the  ports,  and  by  running  out  the 
guns  of  the  fort  so  as  to  command  every 
part  of  the  ground ;  and  the  proceed- 
ings of  the  council  were  not  interrupted 
by  any  act  of  bad  faith.^  Captain 
Heald  informed  the  Indians  that  he 
intended  to  distribute  the  goods,  stores, 
and  ammunition,  with  which  the  garri- 
son was  well  supplied,  on  the  following 
day;  that  the  garrison  and  white  in- 
habitants would  then  evacuate  the 
works  ;  and  that  if  they  would  furnish 
an  escort  to  Fort  Wayne  they  should 
be  liberally  rewarded  when  he  arrived 
there,  in  addition  to  the  presents  which 
he  was  about  to  give  them.  With  the 
most  liberal  professions  of  friendship 
and  good- will,  the  Indians  agreed  to  do 
as  they  had  been  requested,  and  the 
council  broke  up.^ 

After  the  Captain  had  returned  to 
the  fort  Mr.  Kinzie  made  another  at- 
tempt to  induce  the  commandant  to  re- 
consider his  resolution;  but  the  only 
modification  he  would  make  was  to  or- 
der the  whiskey  to  be  emptied  iuto  the 
creek,  and  the  gunpowder  to  be  thrown 
into   the  well;    and  on  the  next  day 

'  Mis.  Kinzie' s  Wau-bun,  p.  216  ;   Brown's  Illinois,  p. 
308.—=  Mrs.  Kinzie's  Wau-bun,  p.  216  ;   Perkins'  Annals 
of  tbe  West,  p.  605. 
Vol.  II.— 14 


{Aug.  14)  the  blankets,  broadcloths, 
calicoes,  paints,  &c.,  were  distributed  in 
accordance  with  the  aa^reement  at  the 
council.^ 

On  the  preceding  day,  after  the 
promise  for  the  distribution  had  been 
made.  Captain  Wells — the  brother  of 
Mrs.  Heald — came  to  the  fort  with  a 
party  of  friendly  Indians,^  to  prevent,  if 
possible,  the  evacuation  of  the  fort,  or, 
if  that  could  not  be  done,  to  assist  in 
securing  the  safety  of  the  garrison  and 
its  neighbors.^  This  gentleman  had 
lived  among  the  Indians  from  his  child- 
hood; had  become  a  chief  among  them, 
and  was  perfectly  acquainted  with  their 
character  and  habits.  While  at  Fort 
Wayne  he  had  heard  of  the  order 
which  had  been  issued  for  the  evacua- 
tion of  the  fort;  and  he  had  hurried 
across  the  country  to  prevent,  if  possi- 
ble, what  he  knew  would  be  a  danger- 
ous undertaking.*  In  the  evening  the 
whiskey  was  emptied  into  the  creek ; 
the  gunpowder,  flints,  (fee,  were  thrown 
into  the  well ;  and  the  spare  arms,  after 
having  been  broken,  were  also  consign- 
ed to  the  same  place.^      It  had   been 

1  Capt.  Heald's  Dispatch,  Oct.  23  ;  McAfee's  Hist,  of 
War  in  West,  p.  98.  Mrs.  Kinzie  (Wau-bun,  p.  218), 
Dr.  Peck  {Pe?-kins'  Annals  of  the  West,  p.  606),  and  Mr. 
Brown  (Hist,  of  Illinois,  p.  308),  suppose  this  was  done  on 
the  thirteenth. 

^  The  number  and  character  of  this  party  have  been 
disputed.  Capt.  Heald  {Dispatch,  Oct.  23)  says  it  em- 
braced "about  thirty,  lliamis."  Mrs.  Kinzie  (Wau-bun,  p. 
218)  says,  "  with,  fifteen  friendly  Miamis,"  with  which  Mr. 
Brown  (Hist.  Illinois,  p.  309)  and  Dr.  Peck  (Annals,  p.  606) 
concur.  McAfee  (Hist.,  p.  98)  says  he  brought  "about 
fifty  Miamis."  Gen.  Armstrong  (Notices  of  the  War,  i.  p. 
39)  says,  '^afew  lliamis,"  in  which  Mr.  James  (Mil.  Occur., 
i.  p.  67)  and  Mr.  Thomson  (Sketches  of  the  War,  p.  28)  con- 
cur. Walter  Jordan  (Letter  to  his  wife,  Oct.  19)  says  he 
had  "  one  hundred  Confute  Indians." — '  Capt.  Heald's  Dis- 
patch, Oct.  23. — ■*  Mrs.  Kinzie's  Wau-bun,  p.  219 ;  Perkins' 
Annals,  p.  606.—°  Capt.  Heald's  Dispatch,  Oct.  23. 


106 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  ll. 


designed  tliat  the  Indians  should  be 
kept  in  ignorance  of  this  breach  of 
faith  on  the  part  of  the  garrison,  but 
they  were  disappointed;-^  and  at  a  sec- 
ond council,  which  was  held  on  the 
fourteenth,  the  chiefs  expressed  great 
indignation,  while  it  was  with  great 
difficulty  that  the  braves  were  prevent- 
ed from  falling  on  the  whites  while 
they  sat  in  the  council,  by  the  more 
influential  of  their  number.^ 

The  most  incredulous  could  now  see 
that  the  surrounding  tribes  had  re- 
solved on  revenge  ;  and  Captain  Heald, 
even,  was  not  left  without  the  most 
convincing  evidence  of  that  sad  fact. 
On  the  evening  of  the  fourteenth,  the 
Black  Partridge,  one  of  the  principal 
chiefs,  asked  to  see  the  Captain,  and 
entered  his  quarters,  addressing  him  in 
these  words :  "  Father,  I  come  to  deliv- 
er to  you  the  medal  I  wear.  It  was 
given  me  by  the  Americans,  and  I  have 
Ion  Of  worn  it,  in  token  of  our  mutual 
friendship.  But  our  young  men  have 
resolved  to  stain  their  hands  in  the 
blood  of  the  whites ;  and,  as  I  cannot 
restrain  them,  I  will  not  wear  a  token 
of  j)eace  while  I  am  compelled  to  act 
as  an  enemy."  After  handing  the  med- 
al to  the  Captain,  the  chief  retired,  and 
thenceforth  the  fate  of  the  garrison  was 
sealed.^ 

On  the  morning  of  the  fifteenth — the 
day  appointed  for  the  evacuation  of  the 
fort — Mr.  Kinzie  placed  his  family, 
nurse,  clerk,  and  two  servants,  with 
two  Indians   as  their   protectors,  in   a 

'  Mrs.  Kinzie's  Wau-bun,  pp.  219,  220;  Brown's  nii- 
nois,  p.  308. — ^  Brown's  Illinois,  pp.  308-310  ;  Perkins' 
Annals,  p.  606. — '  Mrs.  Kinzie's  Wau-bun,  p.  420 ;  Brown's 
Illinois,  p.  310. 


boat,  in  order  that  they  might  proceed 
to  St.  Joseph's  by  water— a  precaution 
which  he  had  adopted  at  the  suggestion 
of  To-pee-nee-bee,  a  friendly  chief,  who 
warned  him  of  the  intentions  of  the 
Indians ;  while,  with  his  eldest  son,  he 
prepared  to  accompany  the  troops,  in 
order,  by  his  influence,  to  pacify  the 
savages  as  much  as  possible.  The  boat 
was  subsequently  detained,  however,  by 
a  message  from  the  same  chief,  and  Mr. 
Kinzie's  family  were  compelled  to  wit- 
ness many  of  the  horrors  of  the  massa- 
cre which  followed.-^ 

At  nine  o'clock  on  the  fifteenth  of 
August  the  garrison  left  the  fort,*^  with 
colors  flying,  and  the  music  playing  the 
Dead  Marcli?  Captain  Wells,  with  his 
'face  painted  hlack^  moved  out,  with 
part  of  his  friendly  Indians,  in  advance  ; 
the  little  garrison,  and  the  wagons — con- 
taining the  women,  children,  and  stores 
— following ;  and  the  remainder  of  the 
friendly  Indians  brought  up  the  rear  of 
the  sad  procession.^  The  countenances 
of  all  who  were  in  it  betrayed  the  senti- 
ments which  they  entertained ;  and  as 
the  column  moved  down  the  bank  of 
the  creek  and  along  the  shore  of  the 
lake — the  escort  of  Potawatomies  mov- 
ing with  it,  in  front  and  on  its  flank — 
the  knowledge  of  its  impending  fate 
appeared  to  be  impressed  on  every 
movement  and  in  every  face. 

When  the  column  reached  the  point 
"  where  commenced  a  range  of  sand 
hills   intervening   between  the  prairie 

'  Mrs.  Kinzie's  Wau-bun,  pp.  422,  423  ;  Mrs.  Helm's 
Narrative. — ^  Capt.  Heald's  Dispatch,  Oct.  23. 

'  Mrs  Kinzie's  Wau-bun,  p.  223. — *  Brown's  Illinois, 
p.  310 ;  Perkins'  Annals,  p.  608.—'  Capt.  Heald's  Dis- 
patch, Oct.  23  ;  Brown's  Illinois,  p.  310  ;  McAfee,  p.  99. 


Chap.  XX.] 


THE  MASSACRE  AT  CHICAGO. 


107 


and  the  beach," ^  the  Indian  escort  kept 
on  the  prairie,  while  the  column  itself 
continued  to  move  on  the  lake-shore 
beneath — the  sand  hills  concealing  the 
movements  of  the  former  from  their  in- 
tended victims  below.^  The  column 
had  marched  about  a  mile  and  a  half, 
in  this  manner,^  when  Captain  Wells, 
who  had  been  in  advance,  rode  back, 
and  shouted,  "  They  are  about  to  attack 
us ;  form  instantly,  and  charge  upon 
them."  Almost  at  the  same  moment  a 
volley  was  showered  down  from  among 
the  sand  hills,  without  injuring  any  one.* 

The  troops  were  instantly  formed  into 
line,  and  charged  up  the  bank,  in  doing 
which  one  man  was  killed ;  ^  while  the 
friendly  Indians  instantly  fled,  notwith- 
standina^  the  strenuous  efforts  which 
Captain  Wells  employed  to  induce 
them  to  stand  their  ground.®  The  con- 
test, as  is  usual  in  such  cases,  was  but  a 
series  of  individual  exploits — no  con- 
certed movement  being  possible  under 
the  circumstances.  The  fifty-four  regu- 
lars and  twelve  civilians,  who  formed 
the  party ,^  were  engaged  with  four  or 
five  hundred  savages,^  and  notwith- 
standing the  little  party  fought  with 
the  utmost  desperation,  fifteen  minutes 
closed  the  conflict.' 

At   this   time   the   remnant    of   the 


'  Mrs.  Kinzie's  Wau-bun,  p.  223. — '  Capt.  Heald's  Dis- 
patch, Oct.  23. — '  Ibid.;  Mrs.  Kinzie's  Wau-bun,  p.  224  ; 
Brown's  Illinois,  p.  311.  Walter  Jordan  says,  '^ half  a 
mile." — *  Mrs.  Kinzie's  Wau-bun,  p.  224;  McAfee,  p.  99. 

'  Capt.  Heald's  Dispatch,  Oct.  23  ;  Brown's  Illinois,  p. 
311. — °  Mrs.  Helm's  Narrative,  cited  by  Mrs.  Kinzie  ; 
Brown's  Illinois,  p.  311. — ^  Capt.  Heald's  Dispatch,  Oct. 
23  ;  McAfee,  p.  99 ;  James'  Military  Occur.,  i.  p.  67. 

^  Capt.  Heald's  Dispatch,  Oct.  23.  McAfee  (p.  99)  says, 
"five  or  six  hundred."     Walter  Jordan  says,  "six  hundred." 

°  Capt.  Heald's  Dispatch,  Oct.  23  ;  Brown's  Illinois,  p. 
311  ;  McAfee,  p.  99. 


whites  had  taken  possession  of  a  mound 
on  the  prairie,  whither  the  Indians  did 
not  follow  them.  On  the  contrary,  the 
latter  also  assembled  on  the  top  of  the 
bank — between  the  troops  and  the  wag- 
ons which  had  been  left  on  the  shore — 
and,  after  some  consultation,  they  made 
signs  to  Captain  Heald  to  approach 
them.  He  did  so,  alone,  and  was  met 
by  the  Blackbird,  one  of  the  chiefs, 
who,  after  shaking  hands,  requested  the 
Captain  to  surrender,  and  promised  to 
spare  the  lives  of  the  prisoners  if  he 
would  do  so.  After  reflecting  a  few 
minutes.  Captain  Heald  agreed  to  do 
so — forgetting,  however,  or  not  appre- 
ciating, the  necessity  of  a  provision  for 
the  protection  of  the  wounded} 

The  prisoners  were  immediately  con- 
veyed to  the  camp  near  the  fort ;  ^  and 
there  appears  to  be  no  evidence  that  the 
capitulation  was  not  faithfully  adhered 
to  by  the  victorious  savages.  While 
the  negotiations  were  still  pending,^  one 
young  warrior,  whose  zeal  overcame  his 
integrity,  forgot  the  claims  of  human- 
ity, and  twelve  helpless  children,  who 
occupied  one  of  the  wagons,  fell  a  saci-i- 
fice  to  his  murderous  hatchet.*  Captain 
Wells,  who  sat  on  his  horse,  near  the 
scene  of  this  terrible  slaughter,  injudi- 
ciously shouted,  "  If  this  be  your  game, 
I  will  kill  too  ! "  and,  turning  his  horse, 
dashed  towards  the  Indian  camp,  where 
the  squaws  and  children  had  been  left. 
Several  of  the  most  swift-footed  of  the 
savages  immediately  started  in  pursuit ; 


'  Capt.  Heald's  Dispatch,  Oct.  23  ;  Mrs.  Helm's  Narra- 
tive ;  Bro\vn's  Illinois,  p.  312  ;  Breckenridge's  Hist,  of 
War,  p.  37.-2  Capt.  Heald's  Dispatch,  Oct  23  ;  McAfee, 
p.  100. — '  Mrs.  Helm's  Narrative. 

'  Ibid. ;  Brown's  Illinois,  p.  312 ;  Perkins'  Annals,  p.  610. 


108 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


and  the  fire  of  numerous  rifles,  from  all 
quarters,  was  sent  after  him.  Laying 
himself  flat  on  the  neck  of  his  horse,  he 
liad  nearly  passed  beyond  the  range  of 
tlie  fire,  when  one  ball,  more  truly 
aimed  than  the  others,  took  effect,  kill- 
ing his  horse  and  wounding  himself. 
Two  of  his  friends,  Winnemeg  and 
Wau-ban-see,  endeavored  to  save  him 
from  the  fury  of  his  pursuers ;  and 
were  supporting  him,  after  having  dis- 
engaged him  from  his  horse,  when  an- 
other, Pee-so-tum,  less  friendly,  stabbed 
him  in  the  back.^ 

Other  instances  of  individual  courage 
are  equally  deserving  notice,  among 
whom  are  that  of  Mrs.  Helm — the 
daughter  of  Mr.  Kinzie,  and  wife  of 
Lieutenant  Llelm — who  engaged  in  a 
personal  struggle  with  an  Indian,  and 
was  rescued  by  the  Black  Partridge;^ 
that  of  Mrs.  Heald,  who,  when  she  was 
approached  by  an  Indian,  with  uplifted 
tomahawk,  looked  him  in  the  face  with 
a  smile,  and  said,  "  Surely,  you  will  not 
kill  a  squaw  ? "  saving  her  life,  although 
during  the  action  she  received  seven 
wounds ;  ^  that  of  Mrs.  Corbin,  a  sol- 
dier's wife,  who  had  resolved  to  ^  die 
rather  than  be  taken  prisoner,  and  "  lit- 
erally suffered  herself  to  be  cut  to 
pieces,"  while  resisting  the  attempts 
which  were  made  to  take  her;*  that  of 
Mrs.  Holt,  a  sergeant's  wife,  who,  after 
her  husband  had  been  wounded,  took 
his  sword,  and  so  skilfully  defended 
herself,  on  horseback,  that  she  elicited 


'  Mis.  Helm's  Narrative  ;  Brown's  Illinois,  pp.  312,  313. 

"  Letter  of '  'An  Officer, ' '  in  Niles'  Register,  iv.  p.  82  ;  Mrs. 
Helm's  Narrative  ;  Brown's  Illinois,  pp.  311,  312. — '  BIrs. 
Helm's  Narrative;  Brown'sIllinois,pp.315,316  ;  McAfee,  p. 
100. — *  Mrs.  Helm's  Narrative  ;  Brown's  Illinois,  p.  312. 


the  admiration  of  the  Indians,  as  she 
dashed  over  the  prairie  amidst  their 
shouts  of  "  The  brave  woman !  do  not 
hurt  her  !"^  and  that  of  Ensign  Ronan, 
who,  after  administering  a  bitter  retort 
on  his  commander,  fell  under  the  blows 
of  several  enemies.^ 

The  close  of  this  tragedy,  however, 
is  the  most  grievous.  The  wounded 
having  been  excluded  from  the  provis- 
ions of  the  agreement,  as  the  Indians 
understood  it^  the  unfortunate  men  who 
were  wounded  were  immediately  butch- 
ered and  scalped;^  while  upon  the  re- 
mains of  Captain  Wells  the  most  refined 
barbarities  were  exercised.* 

Beside  the  twelve  children,  two 
women,  all  the  civilians  (except  Mr, 
Kinzie  and  his  son).  Captain  Wells, 
Ensign  Ronan,  Surgeon  Van  Voorhies, 
and  twenty-six  regulars,  were  killed.® 
Those  who  were  taken  prisoners  wei-e 
divided  among  the  -sectors,®  and,  after 
suffering  many  hardships,  generally  re- 
turned to  their  homes.  ? 

In  this  terrible  affair  it  is  difficult  to 
decide  who  was  most  culpable — General 
Hull  or  Captain  Heald.  The  unwise 
order  which  was  issued  by  the  former, 
was,  probably,  the  original  cause  of  the 
massacre  ;  but  the  obstinate  perverse- 
ness  of  the  latter,  in  persisting  to  move 
from  the  fort,  while  the  destruction  of 
his  command  was  certain, — to  say  noth- 
ing of  the  bad  faith  which  he  displayed 
in  destroying  the  ammunition,  arms,  and 

1  Mrs.  Helm's  Narrative. — "^  Ibid.;  Brown's  Illinois,  p. 
311. — '  Mrs.  Helm's  Narrative  ;  Perkins'  Annals,  p.  610. 

*  Walter  Jordan's  letter  to  his  wife,  Fort  Wayne,  Oct. 
19 ;  Communication  of  ''An  Officer,"  in  Niles'  Eeglster,  iv. 
p.  82 ;  Mrs.  Helm's  Narrative  ;  Brown's  Illinois,  p.  313  ; 
McAfee,  p.  100.—'  Capt.  Heald' s  Dispatch,  Oct.  23  ;  Breck- 
enridge's  Hist,  of  War,  p.  37. — °  Brown's  Illinois,  p.  315. 


Chap.  XX.] 


DOCUMENT. 


109 


whiskey/ — was,    evidently,   tbe   imme- 
diate and  moving  cause. 

Some  of  the  survivors  of  this  affair — 
Mrs.  Heald  among  them — have,  until 
recently,  lingered  among  us — some  of 
them  may  still  survive ;  and  the  prairie 
and  the  beach,  the  creek  and  the  broad 
lake,  still  mark  the  scene  of  this  sad 
catastrophe.  Not,  however,  in  their 
original  condition  do  any  of  these  land- 
marks exist.  A  busy  city,  with  its 
thousand  souls,  now  occupies  the  sand 
hills  and  the  lovely  prairie ;  while  the 
lofty  and  noble  terminus  of  a  net-work 
of  railroads, — each    carrying   life,   and 


light,  and  health  throughout  the  coun- 
try,— the  busy  wharves,  and  the  ever- 
changing  port-scenes  of  one  of  the  em- 
poriums of  the  mighty  West,  have  taken 
the  place  of  the  winding  creek  and  the 
sequestered  margin  of  the  lovely  lake. 
How  few  there  are,  among  the  enter- 
prising citizens  of  this  beautiful  young 
city,  as  they  press  forward  after  the 
phantoms  of  life,  ever  cast  a  thought 
on  the  dangers  and  privations  of  the 
generation  who  preceded  them,  in  the 
great  struggle  between  the  aborigines 
and  the  settlers,  between  barbarism 
and  civilization. 


DOCUME:^rT. 


EXTRACT   FEOM   CAPTAIN   HEALD  S    DISPATCH. 

Pittsburg,  October  23,  1812. 
On  the  9th  of  August  I  received  orders  from 
General  Hull  to  evacuate  the  post,  and  proceed 
with  my  command  to  Detroit  by  land,  leaving 
it  at  my  discretion  to  dispose  of  the  public 
property  as  I  thought  proper.  The  neighbor- 
ing Indians  got  the  information  as  early  as  I 
did,  and  came  in  fi-om  aril  quaiters  in  order  to 
receive  the  goods  in  the  factory-store,  which 
they  understood  were  to  be  given  them.  On 
the  13th,  Captain  Wells,  of  Fort  Wayne,  ar- 
rived \^'itli  about  thirty  Miamis,  for  the  purpose 
of  escorting  us  in,  by  the  request  of  General 
Hull.  On  the  14th,  I  delivered  the  Indians  all 
the  goods  in  the  factory-store  and  a  considera- 
ble quantity  of  provisions  Avhich  we  could  not 
take  away  with  us.  The  surplus  arms  and  am- 
munition I  thought  proper  to  destroy,  fearing 
they  would  make  bad  use  of  it,  if  put  in  their 
possession.  I  also  destroyed  all  the  liquor  on 
hand,  soon  after  they  began  to  collect.  The 
collection  was  unusually  large  for  that  place, 

'  It  is  said  that  Black  Hawk  stated  that  the  troops 
would  not  have  been  attacked,  but  for  this  reason. 


but  they  conducted  with  the  strictest  propriety 
till  after  I  left  the  fort.  On  the  15th,  at  nine 
A.  M.,  we  commenced  our  march  ;  a  part  of  the 
Miamis  were  detached  in  front,  the  remainder 
in  our  rear  as  guards,  under  the  direction  of 
Captain  Wells.  The  situation  of  the  country 
rendered  it  necessary  for  us  to  take  the  beach, 
with  the  lake  on  our  left,  and  a  high  sand  bank 
on  our  right,  at  about  one  hundred  yards'  dis- 
tance. We  had  proceeded  about  a  mile  and  a 
half,  when  it  was  discovered  the  Indians  were 
prepared  to  attack  us  from  behind  the  bank.  I 
immediately  marched  up  with  the  company  to 
the  top  of  the  bank,  Avhen  the  action  com- 
menced ;  after  firing  one  round,  we  charged, 
and  the  Indians  gave  way  in  front  and  joined 
those  on  our  flanks.  In  about  fifteen  minutes 
they  got  possession  of  all  our  horses,  j^rovision, 
and  baggage  of  every  description,  and,  finding 
the  Miamis  did  not  assist  us,  I  drew  off  the  few 
men  I  had  left,  and  took  possession  of  a  small 
elevation  in  the  open  prairie,  out  of  shot  of  tlie 
bank  or  any  other  cover.  The  Indians  did  not 
follow  me,  but  assembled  in  a  body  on  the  top 
of  the  bank,  and,  after  some  consultation  among 
themselves,  made  signs  for  me  to  approach 
them.     I  advanced   towards   them,  alone,  and 


110 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


was  met  by  one  of  the  Potawatomie  chiefs 
called  the  Black-bird,  with  an  interpreter.  Af- 
ter shaking,  hands,  he  requested  me  to  sm-ren- 
der,  promising  to  sj^are  the  lives  of  all  the  pris- 
oners. On  a  few  moments'  consideration,  I  con- 
cluded it  would  be  most  prudent  to  comply 
with  his  request,  although  I  did  not  put  entire 
confidence  in  his  promise.  After  delivering  up 
our  arms,  Ave  were  taken  back  to  their  encamp- 
ment near  the  fort,  and  distributed  among  the 
different  tribes.  The  next  morning  they  set 
fire  to  the  fort,  and  left  the  place,  taking  the 
prisoners  with  them.  Their  number  of  warriors 
was  between  four  and  five  hundred,  mostly  of 
Potawatomie  nation ;  and  their  loss,  from  the 
best  information  I  could  get,  was  about  fifteen. 
Our  strength  was  fifty-four  regulars  and  twelve 
militia,  out  of  which  twenty-six  regulars  and  all 
the  militia  were  kUled  in  the  action,  with  two 
women  and  twelve  children.  Ensign  George 
Ronan  and  Doctor  Isaac  V.  Van  Voorhis,  of  my 
company,  with  Captain  Wells,  of  Fort  Wayne, 


are,  to  my  great  sorrow,  numbered  among  the 
dead.  Lieutenant  Lina  T.  Helm,  with  twenty- 
five  non-commissioned  officers  and  privates,  and 
eleven  women  and  children,  were  prisoners,  when 
we  separated.  Mrs.  Heald  and  myself  were 
taken  to  the  mouth  of  the  River  St.  Joseph, 
and  being  both  badly  wounded,  were  permitted 
to  reside  with  Mr.  Burnet,  an  Indian  trader. 
In  a  few  days  after  our  arrival  there,  the  Indians 
all  went  off"  to  take  Fort  Wayne,  and  in  their 
absence  I  engaged  a  Frenchman  to  take  us  to 
Michilimacinac  by  water,  where  I  gave  myself 
up  as  a  prisoner  of  war,  with  one  of  my  ser- 
geants. The  commanding  officer.  Captain  Rob- 
erts, ofifered  me  every  assistance  in  his  power 
to  render  our  situation  comfortable  while  we  re- 
mained there,  and  to  enable  us  to  proceed  on 
our  journey.  To  him  I  gave  my  parole  of  hon- 
or, and  reported  myself  to  Colonel  Proctor, 
who  gave  us  a  passage  to  Buffalo ;  from  that 
place  I  came  by  the  way  of  Presque  Isle,  and 
arrived  here  yesterday. 


CHAPTER    XXI. 

Aug:ust  15  to  16,  1§12. 

THE  SURRENDER  OF  DETROIT. 


The  invasion  of  Canada  by  the  army 
of  tlie  ISTortliwest,  under  General  Hull, 
has  been  referred  to  in  a  preceding 
chapter  of  this  work;^  and  the  loss  of 
Michilimacinac  and  its  effect,  on  the  op- 
erations of  the  army,  have  also  received 
a  passing  notice.^  At  a  subsequent  day, 
from  the  liberation  of  the  Indian  tribes, 
who  fell  on  his  rear  and  flanks;^  from 
the  reinforcement  of  the  enemy,  in 
front  ;*   and   from   the   occupation,  by 


'  Vide  pp.  94,  96.— ^  Vide  Chap.  XV. 

'  Sir  Geo.  Prevost  to  Earl  Bathurst,  Aug.  26  ;  Gen.  Hull 
to  Sec.  of  War,  Aug.  26.—*  Gen.  Hull  to  Sec.  of  War, 
Aug.  26  ;  Col.  Cass  to  Sec.  of  War,  Sept.  10  ;  Clark's 
Campaign  of  1812,  pp.  360,  361. 


the  enemy,  of  all  his  lines  of  communi- 
cation with  the  States,-^  General  Hull 
had  considered  it  prudent  to  withdraw 
from  Canada,  and  fall  back  on  Detroit ; 
and  on  the  seventh  and  eis^hth  of  Au- 
gust,  the  army  crossed  the  river,  and 
encamped  at  Detroit,  leaving  only  a 
small  garrison  of  three  hundred  men, 
on  the  opposite  bank  of  the  river,  a  few 
miles  below.^ 

The  occupation  by  the  enemy  of  the 
only  line    of  communication  with   the 

'  Gen.  Hull  to  Sec.  of  War,  Aug.  26  ;  Smith's  Life  of 
Cass,  p.  42  ;  Clark's  Campaign  of  1812,  p.  364. 

2  Gen.  Hull  to  Sec.  of  War,  Aug.  26  ;  Sheldon's  History 
of  Michigan,  p.  396. 


Chap.  XXI.] 


THE  SURRENDER  OF  DETROIT. 


Ill 


States,  immediately  arrested  tlie  atten- 
tion of  the  Commander,  and  several  ef- 
forts were  made  to  remove  him,  without 
effect.^  At  length,  on  the  thirteenth 
of  August,  General  Sir  Isaac  Brock 
reached  Maiden,  with  a  small  party  of 
three  hundred  regulars  and  militia;^ 
and  on  the  fifteenth  he  summoned  Gen- 
eral Hull  to  surrender  the  post  and  its 
garrison  to  the  arms  of  Great  Britain, 
which  was  refused.^  On  the  receipt  of 
General  Hull's  answer,  General  Brock 
opened  a  fire  on  the  town,  from  the 
batteries  which  had  been  thrown  up  by 
Captain  Dixon,  on  the  opposite  side  of 
the  river,  which  was  continued  until 
evening,*  at  which  time  the  enemy's 
shipping  moved  up  the  river,  towards 
the  town,  and  anchored  off  Spring 
Wells,  about  three  miles  below  the 
fort.^ 

Early  on  the  morning  of  the  six- 
teenth the  cannonade  was  renewed,® 
while  General  Brock,  with  about  seven 
hundred  and  thirty  troops,  and  six  hun- 
dred Indians,  under  Tecumtha,^  crossed 
the  river,  at  Spring  Wells,  under  cover 
of  the  Queen  Charlotte  and  Hunter? 
Having  effected  a  landing,  without  op- 
position,* the  troops  formed  in  column, 

I  Vide  Chapters  XVI,,  XVn. 

^  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  68  ;  Brocli's  Life  of  Brocli, 
pp.  241,  242  ;  Clark's  Camp,  of  1812,  p.  361  ;  Gen.  Brock 
to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  Aug.  17. — ^  Gen.  Brock  to  Gen.  HuU, 
and  the  reply  of  the  latter,  Aug.  15. 

*  James,  i.  p.  69  ;  Christie,  p.  71 ;  Brock's  Life  of  Brock, 
p.  247  :  Gen.  Hull  to  Sec.  of  War,  Aug.  16  ;  Col.  Cass  to 
Sec.  of  War,  Sept.  10. 

'  Gen.  Hull  to  Sec.  of  War,  Aug.  16.—"'  Sketches  of  the 
War,  p.  46  ;  Col.  Cass  to  Sec.  of  War,  Sept.  10. 

'  James,  i.  p.  69  ;  Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p.  247  ;  Chris- 
tie, p.  71 ;  Gen.  Brock  to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  Aug.  17  ;  Mc- 
Afee, p.  88. — ^  Brock's  Brock,  p.  247  ;  Christie,  p.  71 ; 
Perkins,  p.  86 ;  Col.  Cass  to  Sec.  of  War,  Sept.  10.—°  Chris- 
tie, p.  71  ;  Perkins,  p.  86 ;  Lanman's  Michigan,  p.  197. 


upon  the  beach,  and,  at  ten  o'clock,  it 
advanced  towards  the  town,  the  river 
protecting  its  right  flank  and  the  In- 
dians on  its  left.-^ 

At  that  time  the  fort  at  Detroit  was 
a  regular  rectangular  work,  composed 
of  four  curtains  and  four  bastions,  and 
was  composed,  in  part,  of  earth.  The 
parapet  was  eleven  feet  high,  twenty- 
six  feet  wide  at  the  base,  and  twelve  at 
the  top  ;  the  ditch  was  twelve  feet  wide 
at  the  bottom,  and  six  feet  deep,  with  a 
row  of  cedar  pickets,  twelve  feet  high, 
at  the  bottom  ;  and  the  whole  were  in 
good  repair.  Twenty-eight  pieces  of 
artillery  were  mounted ;  an  ample  sup- 
ply of  small  arms,  ammunition,  stores, 
<fec.,  were  in  its  magazines,^  and  ten 
hundred  and  sixty  effective  troops,  ex- 
clusive of  detachments,  were  assembled 
within  the  works.^ 

Against  these,  as  has  been  said,  seven 
hundred  and  thirty  whites  and  six  hun- 
dred Indians,  with  five  pieces  of  artil- 
lery—  three  and  six  pounders — had 
moved  ;  and  as  the  column  approached 
the  town,  a  commanding  eminence, 
strengthened  with  a  picket  and  two 
twenty-four  pounders,  the  whole  com- 
manded by  Colonel  Findley,  by  the 
General's  order,  were  abandoned  by  the 
Americans,  who  retired  to  the  fort.* 

When  the  column  had  reached  a 
point  within  a  mile  and  a  half  from  the 
town  it  was  halted  ;  the  works  were 
reconnoitred;    and,  in    consequence    of 

'  James,  i.  p.  69  ;  O'Connor's  Hist,  of  War,  p.  38  ;  Col. 
Cass  to  Sec.  of  War,  Sept.  10  ;  McAfee,  p.  88. 

=  Sketches  of  the  War,  p.  47  ;  Headley,  1.  p.  84. 

»  Col.  Cass  to  Sec.  of  War,  Sept.  10.  Gen.  Hull  states 
the  number  at  800. — *  Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p.  248  ; 
James,  i.  p.  70  ;  Sketches  of  the  War,  p.  46  ;  Col.  Cass  to 
Secretary  of  War,  Sept.  10. 


112 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


the  weakness  of  tlie  fort,  on  the  land 
side,  preparations  were  immediately 
made  for  an  assault.^  For  this  purpose 
the  troops  were  immediately  prepared  ; 
but,  before  the  several  columns  could 
be  formed,  and  before  a  single  shot  had 
been  fired,  a  boat,  with  a  flag,  was  dis- 
patched from  the  fort  to  Sandwich; 
and  another,  borne  by  Captain  Hull, 
approached  the  column,  with  proposals 
from  General  Hull  for  an  immediate 
capitulation  of  the  town.^ 

The  surprise  of  the  garrison  at  this 
sudden  and  unexplained  surrender  by 
the  commanding  general  was  shared  by 
the  enemy,  and  he  took  immediate  steps 
to  secure  the  honors  which  had  fallen 
into  his  hands.  Lieutenant-colonel  Mc- 
Douell  of  the  militia,  and  Major  Glegg 
of  the  Forty-ninth  regiment,  immediate- 
ly accompanied  the  flag  to  the  head- 
quarters of  General  Hull,^  where,  "  tliey^ 
in  a  few  'minutes^  dictated  the  terms  of 
capitulation,"*  and  the  entire  "Army  of 
the  Northwest" — including  a  detach- 
ment which  had  been  sent  out  under 
Colonels  McArthur  and  Cass — together 
with  the  Territory  of  Michigan,^  "  were 
surrendered  to  the  British  arms,  with- 

'  Christie,  p.  71 ;  Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p.  248  ;  Gen. 
Brock  to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  Aug.  17. 

"  Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p.  248  ;  McAfee,  p.  89. 

'  Christie,  p.  71  ;  Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p.  248  ;  Gen. 
Brock  to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  Aug.  17. — ■•  Christie,  p.  72  ;  Ar- 
ticles of  Capitulation,  Aug.  16.—'  James,  i.  p.  70 ;  Gen. 
Brock  to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  Aug.  17. 


out  the  efl^usion  of  a  single  drop  of  Brit- 
ish blood."  ^ 

Thirty-three  pieces  of  artillery — some 
of  them  a  part  of  the  train  which  was 
taken  with  General  Burgoyne,  at  Sara- 
toga, in  lYYY  ;  the  Adams ^  brig  of  war; 
an  immense  quantity  of  stores  of  all 
kinds ;  twenty-five  hundred  muskets ; 
and  a  stand  of  colors,  with  about  twen- 
ty-five hundred  prisoners,  were  among 
the  trophies  of  this  victory.^  It  is  not 
within  the  scope  of  this  work  to  discuss 
the  question  of  General  Hull's  surren- 
der, farther  than  its  effects  on  the  coun- 
try, that  has  been  done  by  those  whose 
duty  it  was,  in  other  works ;  it  is  not 
improper  to  state,  in  the  language  of  a 
well-informed  British  author,  that  "  as 
there  was  a  great  deficiency  of  arms  in 
the  Upper  Province,  wherewith  to 
equip  the  militia,  the  twenty-five  hun- 
dred stand  of  American  became  a  valu- 
able acquisition.  To  this  surrender," 
he  continues,  "  the  after  preservation  of 
Upper  Canada,  at  least,  may,  in  a  great 
measure,  be  ascribed,  as  it  caused  a  de- 
lay of  nearly  a  whole  year  in  the  suc- 
cessful meditated  invasion,  and  secured 
the  support  {to  the  Bntisli)  of  some 
of  the  Indian  tribes,  who  were  hesi- 
tating as  to  the  side  they  should  es- 
pouse." * 

'  Christie,  p.  72. — =  Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p.  248  ;  Gen. 
Brock  to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  Aug.  17  ;  Auchinleck's  Hist,  of 
War,  p.  59.—'  Brock's  Life  of  Gen.  Brock,  p.  248. 


docume:^ts. 


GENERAL   HULL  S    DISPATCH   TO   THE   SECKETAET 
OF   WAR. 

Montreal,  September  8,  1812. 

Sir  : — The  inclosed  dispatch  was  prepared  on 
my  arrival  at  Fort  George,  and  it  was  my  in- 
tention to  have  forwarded  it  from  that  place  by 
Major  Witherell,  of  the  Michigan  Volunteers. 
I  made  application  to  the  commanding  officer  at 
that  post  and  was  refused,  he  stating  that  he 
was  not  authorized,  and  General  Brock  was 
then  at  York.  "We  were  immediately  embark- 
ed for  this  place,  and  Major  Witherell  obtained 
liberty  at  Kingston  to  go  home  on  parole. 

This  is  the  first  opportunity  I  have  had  to 
forward  the  dispatches. 

The  Fourth  United  States  regiment  is  des- 
tined for  Quebec,  with  a  part  of  the  First.  The 
whole  consist  of  a  little  over  three  hundred. 

Sir  George  Prevost,  without  any  request  on 
my  part,  has  offered  to  take  my  j)arole  and  per- 
mit me  to  proceed  to  the  States. 

Lieutenant  Anderson,  of  the  Eighth  regi- 
ment, is  the  bearer  of  my  dispatches. 

He  Avas  formerly  a  lieutenant  in  the  artillery, 
and  resigned  his  commission  on  account  of  be- 
ing appointed  Marshal  of  the  Territory  of  Mich- 
igan. 

During  the  campaign  he  has  had  a  command 
in  the  artillery.;  and  I  recommend  him  to  you 
as  a  valuable  officer. 

He  is  i^articularly  acquainted  with  the  state 
of  things  previous,  and  at  the  time  when  the 
capitulation  took  place.  He  will  be  able  to  give 
you  correct  information  on  any  points  about 
which  you  may  think  proper  to  inquire, 
I  am,  very  respectfully,  &c., 

William  Hull. 


Fort  George,  August  26,  1812. 
Sir: — Inclosed  are  the  articles  of  capitulation 
by  which  the  Fort  of  Detroit  has  been  surren- 
VoL.  11—15 


dered  to  Major-general  Brock,  commanding  His 
Britannic  Majesty's  forces  in  Upper  Canada, 
and  by  which  the  troops  have  become  prisoners 
of  war.  My  situation  at  jsresent  forbids  me 
from  detailing  the  particular  causes  which  have 
led  to  this  unfortunate  event.  I  will,  however, 
generally  observe,  that  after  the  surrender  of 
Michilimacinac,  almost  every  tribe  and  nation 
of  Indians,  excepting  a  part  of  the  Miamis  and 
Delawares,  north  from  beyond  Lake  Superior, 
west  from  beyond  the  Mississippi,  south  from 
the  Ohio  and  Wabash,  and  east  from  every  part 
of  Upper  Canada,  and  from  all  the  intermediate 
country,  joined  in  open  hostility,  under  the  Brit- 
ish standard,  against  the  array  I  commanded, 
contrary  to  the  most  solemn  assurances  of  a 
large  portion  of  them,  to  remain  neutral :  even 
the  Ottawa  chiefs  from  Arbecrotch,  who  formed 
the  delegation  to  Washington  the  last  summer, 
in  whose  friendship  I  know  you  had  great  con- 
fidence, are  among  the  hostile  tribes,  and  several 
of  them  distinguished  leaders.  Among  the  vast 
number  of  chiefs  who  led  the  hostile  bands, 
Tecumseh,  Marpot,  Logan,  Walk-in-the-water, 
Split-log,  &c.,  are  considered  the  principals. 
This  numerous  assemblage  of  savages,  under 
the  entire  influence  and  direction  of  the  British 
commander,  enabled  him  totally  to  obstruct  the 
only  communication  which  I  had  with  my  coun- 
try. This  communication  had  been  opened  from 
the  settlements,  in  the  State  of  Ohio,  two  hun- 
dred miles  through  a  wilderness,  by  the  fatigues 
of  the  army,  which  I  marched  to  the  frontiers 
on  the  River  Detroit.  The  body  of  the  lake 
being  commanded  by  the  British  armed  ships, 
and  the  shores  and  rivers  by  gun-boats,  the 
army  was  totally  deprived  of  all  communication 
by  water.  On  this  extensive  road  it  depended 
for  transportation  of  provisions,  military  stores, 
medicine,  clothing,  and  every  other  supply,  on 
pack-horses.  AU.  its  operations  were  successful 
until  its  arrival  at  Detroit ;  and  in  a  few  days  it 
passed  into  the  enemy's  country,  and  all  oppo- 


114 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


sition  seemed  to  fall  before  it.  One  month  it 
remained  in  jJossession  of  this  country,  and  was 
fed  from  its  resources.  In  different  directions, 
detachments  penetrated  sixty  miles  in  the  set- 
tled i^art  of  the  province,  and  the  inhabitants 
seemed  satisfied  with  the  change  of  situation, 
which  appeared  to  be  taking  place.  The  militia 
from  Amherstburg  were  daily  deserting,  and 
the  whole  country,  then  under  the  control  of 
the  array,  was  asking  for  protection.  The  In- 
dians, generally,  in  the  first  instance,  appeared 
to  be  neutralized,  and  determined  to  take  no 
part  in  the  contest.  The  Fort  of  Amherstburg 
was  eighteen  miles  below  my  encamj^ment.  Not 
a  single  cannon  or  mortar  was  on  wheels  suit- 
able to  carry  before  that  place.  I  consulted  my 
oflicers,  whether  it  was  expedient  to  make  an  at- 
tempt on  it  with  the  bayonet  alone,  without  can- 
non to  make  a  break  in  the  first  instance.  The 
council  I  called,  was  of  the  opinion  it  was  not. 
The  greatest  industry  was  exerted  in  making 
preparation,  and  it  was  not  until  the  Yth  of  Au- 
gust that  two  twenty-four  j^ounders  and  three 
howitzers  were  prepared.  It  was  then  my  in- 
tention to  have  proceeded  on  the  enterprise. 
While  the  operations  of  the  army  were  delayed 
by  these  preparations,  the  clouds  of  adversity 
had  been  for  some  time  and  seemed  still  thick- 
ly to  be  gathering  around  me.  The  surrender 
of  Michilimacinac  opened  the  northern  hive  of 
Indians,  and  they  were  swarming  down  in  every 
direction.  Reinforcements  from  Niagara  had 
arrived  at  Amherstburg,  under  the  command  of 
Colonel  Proctor.  The  desertion  of  the  militia 
ceased.  Besides  the  reinforcements  that  came 
by  water,  I  received  information  of  a  very  con- 
siderable force,  under  the  command  of  Major 
Chambers,  on  the  River  Le  French,  with  four 
field-pieces,  and  collecting  the  militia  on  his 
route,  evidently  destined  for  Amherstburg ;  and 
in  addition  to  this  combination,  and  increase  of 
force,  contrary  to  all  my  expectations,  the  Wyan- 
dots,  Chippewas,  Ottawas,  Potawatomies,  Mun- 
sees,  Delawares,  &c.,  with  whom  I  had  the  most 
friendly  intercourse,  at  once  passed  over  to  Am- 
herstburg, and  accepted  the  tomahawk  and 
scalping-knife.  There  being  now  a  vast  number 
of  Indians  at  the  British  post,  they  were  sent  to 
the  River  Huron,  Brownstown,  and  Maguaga, 
to  intercept  my  communication.     To  open  this 


communication,  I  detached  Major  Van  Horn,  of 
the  Ohio  Volunteers,  with  two  hundred  men,  to 
proceed  as  far  as  the  River  Raisin,  under  an  ex- 
pectation he  would  meet  Captain  Brush,  with 
one  hundred  and  fifty  men,  volunteers  from 
the  State  of  Ohio,  and  a  quantity  of  provisions 
for  the  army.  An  ambuscade  was  formed  at 
Brownstown,  and  Major  Van  Horn's  detach- 
ment defeated,  and  returned  to  camp  without 
effecting  the  object  of  the  expedition. 

In  my  letter  of  the  Yth  instant,  you  have  the 
particulars  of  that  transaction,  with  a  return  of 
the  killed  and  wounded.  Under  this  sudden 
and  unexpected  change  of  things,  and  having 
received  an  express  from  General  Hall,  com- 
manding opposite  the  British  shore,  on  the 
Niagara  River,  by  which  it  appeared  that  there 
was  no  prospect  of  any  co-operation  from  that 
quarter,  and  the  two  senior  officers  of  the  artillery 
having  stated  to  me  an  opinion  that  it  would  be 
extremely  difficult,  if  not  impossible,  to  pass  the 
Turkey  River  and  River  Aux  Canard  with  the 
twenty-four-jjounders,  and  that  they  could  not 
be  transported  by  water,  as  the  Queen  Char- 
lotte, which  carried  eighteen  twenty-four-pound- 
ers, lay  in  the  River  Detroit,  above  the  mouth 
of  the  River  Aux  Canard ;  and  as  it  ajipeared 
indispensably  necessary  to  open  the  communi- 
cation to  the  River  Raisin  and  the  Miami,  I 
found  myself  compelled  to  suspend  the  opera- 
tion against  Amherstburg,  and  concentrate  the 
main  force  of  the  army  at  Detroit.  Fully  in- 
tending at  that  time,  after  the  communication 
was  opened,  to  recross  the  river  and  pursue  the 
object  at  Amherstburg,  and  strongly  desirous 
of  continuing  protection  to  a  very  large  number 
of  the  inhabitants  of  Upper  Canada,  who  had 
voluntarily  accepted  it,  under  my  proclamation, 
I  established  a  fortress  on  the  banks  of  the 
river,  a  little  below  Detroit,  calculated  for  a 
garrison  of  three  hundred  men.  On  the  even- 
ing of  the  Yth  and  morning  of  the  8th  instant, 
the  army,  excepting  the  garrison  of  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  infantry,  and  a  corps  of  artiller- 
ists, all  under  the  command  of  Major  Denny,  of 
the  Ohio  Volunteers,  recrossed  the  river,  and 
encamped  at  Detroit.  In  pursuance  of  the  ob- 
ject of  opening  the  communication,  on  which  I 
considered  the  existence  of  the  army  dejiending, 
a  detachment  of  six  hundred  men,  under  the 


Chap.  XXI.] 


DOCUMENTS. 


115 


command  of  Lieutenant-colonel  Miller,  was  im- 
mediately ordered.  For  a  particular  account 
of  the  proceedings  of  this  detachment,  and  the 
memorable  battle  which  was  foiaght  at  Maguaga, 
which  reflects  the  highest  honor  on  the  Ameri- 
can arms,  I  refer  you  to  my  letter  of  the  13th 
instant,  a  duplicate  of  which  is  inclosed,  marked 
G.  Nothing,  however,  but  honor  was  acquired 
by  this  victory ;  and  it  is  a  painful  consideration 
that  the  blood  of  seventy-five  gallant  men  could 
only  open  the  communication  as  far  as  the 
points  of  their  bayonets  extended.  The  neces- 
sary care  of  the  sick  and  wounded,  and  a  very 
severe  storm  of  rain,  rendered  their  return  to 
camp  indispensably  necessary  for  their  own 
comfort.  Captain  Brush,  with  his  small  detach- 
ment, and  the  provisions,  being  still  at  the 
River  Raisin,  and  in  a  situation  to  be  destroyed 
by  the  savages,  on  the  13th  instant,  in  the  even- 
ing, I  permitted  Colonels  McArthur  and  Cass 
to  select  from  their  regiment  four  hundred  of 
their  most  eftective  men,  and  proceed  an  upjjer 
route  through  the  woods,  which  I  had  sent  an 
express  to  Captain  Brush  to  take,  and  had  di- 
rected the  militia  of  the  River  Raisin  to  accom- 
l^any  him  as  a  reinforcement.  The  force  of  the 
enemy  continually  increasing,  and  the  necessity 
of  opening  the  communication,  and  acting  on 
the  defensive,  becoming  more  apparent,  I  had, 
previoiis  to  detaching  Colonels  McArthur  and 
Cass,  on  the  11th  instant,  evacuated  and  de- 
stroyed the  fort  on  the  opposite  bank.  On 
the  13th,  in  the  evening.  General  Brock  ar- 
rived at  Amherstburg,  about  the  hour  Colonels 
McArthur  and  Cass  marched,  of  which,  at  that 
time,  I  had  received  no  information.  On  the 
loth  I  received  a  summons  from  him  to  surren- 
der Fort  Detr^t,  of  which  the  paper  marked  A 
is  a  copy.  My  answer  is  marked  B.  At  this 
time  I  had  received  no  information  from  Col- 
onels McArthur  and  Cass.  An  express  was  im- 
mediately sent,  strongly  escorted,  with  orders 
for  them  to  return.  On  the  ISth,  as  soon  as 
General  Brock  received  my  letter,  his  batteries 
opened  upon  the  town  and  fort.,  and  continued 
until  eveninsf.  In  the  evening  aU.  the  British 
ships  of  war  came  nearly  as  far  up  the  river  as 
Sandwich,  three  miles  below  Detroit.  At  day- 
Hght,  on  the  16th  (at  which  time  I  had  re- 
ceived no  information  from  Colonels  McAi-thur 


and  Cass,  my  ex^sresses,  sent  the  evening  before, 
and  in  the  night,  having  been  prevented  from 
passing,  by  numerous  bodies  of  Indians),  the 
cannonade  recommenced,  and  in  a  short  time  I 
received  information  that  the  British  army  and 
Indians  were  landing  below  the  Spring  Wells, 
imder  the  cover  of  their  shijss  of  Avar.  At  this 
time  the  whole  effective  force  at  my  disposal,  at 
Detroit,  did  not  exceed  eight  hundred  men 
Being  new  troops  and  unaccustomed  to  a  camp- 
life  ;  having  performed  a  laborious  march ;  hav- 
ing been  engaged  in  a  number  of  battles  and 
skirmishes,  in  which  many  had  fallen,  and  more 
had  received  wounds,  in  addition  to  which,  a 
large  number  being  sick  and  unprovided  with 
medicine,  and  the  comforts  necessary  for  their 
situation  ;  are  the  general  causes  by  which  the 
strength  of  the  army  was  thus  reduced.  The 
fort  at  this  time  was  filled  Avith  women,  chil- 
di'en,  and  the  old  and  decrepit  people  of  the 
tOAvn  and  country;  they  Avere  imsafe  in  the 
toAvn,  as  it  was  entirely  open  and  exposed  to 
the  enemy's  batteries.  Back  of  the  fort,  above 
or  below  it,  there  was  no  safety  for  them  on 
account  of  the  Indians.  In  the  first  instance 
the  enemy's  fire  was  principally  directed  against 
our  batteries ;  towards  the  close  it  was  directed 
against  the  fort  alone,  and  almost  eA-ery  shot 
and  shell  had  tlieir  effect. 

It  now  became  necessary  either  to  fight  the 
enemy  in  the  field ;  collect  the  whole  force  in 
the  fort ;  or  propose  terms  of  capitulation.  I 
could  not  have  carried  into  the  field  more  than 
six  hundred  men,  and  left  any  adequate  force  in 
the  fort.  There  Avere  landed  at  that  time,  of 
the  enemy,  a  regular  force  of  much  more  than 
that  number,  and  twice  the  number  of  Indians. 
Considering  this  great  inequality  of  force,  I  did 
not  think  it  expedient  to  adopt  the  first  meas- 
ure. The  second  must  have  been  attended  Avith 
a  great  sacrifice  of  blood  and  no  possible  ad- 
vantage, because  the  contest  could  not  haA-e 
been  sustained  more  than  a  day  for  the  want  of 
powder,  and  but  a  very  feAv  days  for  the  Avant 
of  provisions.  In  addition  to  this.  Colonels  Mc- 
Arthm-  and  Cass  would  have  been  in  a  most 
hazardous  situation.  I  feared  nothing  but  the 
last  alternative.  I  have  dared  to  adopt  it.  I 
well  know  the  high  responsibility  of  the  measure, 
and  I  take  the  whole  responsibUity  upon  my- 


116 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  H. 


self.  It  was  dictated  by  a  sense  of  duty,  and  a 
full  conA'iction  of  its  expediency.  The  bands  of 
savages  which  had  then  joined  the  British  force 
were  numei-ous  beyond  any  former  example. 
Their  numbers  have  since  increased,  and  the 
history  of  the  barbarians  of  the  north  of  Eurojoe 
does  not  furnish  examples  of  more  greedy  vio- 
lence than  these  savages  have  exhibited.  A 
large  portion  of  the  brave  and  gallant  officers 
and  men  I  commanded,  would  cheerfully  have 
contested  until  the  last  cartridge  had  been  ex- 
pended and  the  bayonets  worn  to  the  sockets. 
I  could  not  consent  to  the  useless  sacrifice  of 
such  brave  men,  when  I  knew  it  was  impossible 
for  me  to  sustain  my  situation.  It  was  impossi- 
ble, in  the  nature  of  things,  that  an  army  could 
have  been  furnished  with  the  necessary  supplies 
of  provisions,  military  stores,  clothing,  and  com- 
forts for  the  sick,  on  pack-horses,  through  a  wil- 
derness of  two  hundred  miles,  filled  with  hostile 
savages.  It  Avas  impossible,  sir,  that  this  little 
army,  worn  down  by  fatigxie,  by  sickness,  by 
wounds  and  deaths,  could  have  supported  itself, 
not  only  against  the  collected  force  of  all  the 
northern  nations  of  Indians,  but  against  the 
united  strength  of  Upper  Canada,  whose  pojiu- 
lation  consists  of  more  than  twenty  times  the 
number  cont.ained  in  the  Territory  of  Michigan, 
aided  by  the  principal  part  of  the  regular  forces 
of  the  province,  and  the  wealth  and  influence  of 
the  Northwest  and  other  trading  establishments 
among  the  Indians,  which  have  in  their  employ- 
ment, and  imder  their  entire  control,  more 
than  two  thousand  white  men.  Before  I  close 
this  dispatch,  it  is  a  duty  I  owe  my  respectable 
associates  in  command.  Colonels  McArthur, 
Findlay,  Cass,  and  Lieutenant-colonel  Miller,  to 
express  my  obligations  to  them  for  the  prompt 
and  judicious  manner  they  have  performed  their 
respective  duties.  If  aught  has  taken  place  dur- 
ing the  campaign  which  is  honorable  to  the  army, 
these  officers  are  entitled  to  a  large  share  of  it. 
If  the  last  act  should  be  disapproved,  no  part  of 
the  censure  belongs  to  them.  I  have  likewise 
to  express  my  obligation  to  General  Taylor, 
who  has  performed  the  duty  of  quartermaster- 
general,  for  his  great  exertions  in  procuring 
every  thing  in  his  department  which  it  was  pos- 
sible to  furnish  for  the  convenience  of  the  army  ; 
likewise  to  Brigade-major  Jessup,  for  the  cor- 


rect and  punctual  manner  in  which  he  has  dis- 
charged his  duty  ;  and  to  the  army,  generally, 
for  their  exertions  and  the  zeal  they  have  mani- 
fested for  the  public  interest.  The  death  of  Dr. 
Foster,  soon  after  he  arrived  at  Detroit,  was  a 
severe  misfortune  to  the  army;  but  it  was  in- 
creased by  the  capture  of  the  Chachaga  packet, 
by  which  the  medicines  and  hospital  stores  were 
lost.  He  was  commencing  the  best  arrange- 
ments in  the  department  of  which  he  was  the 
principal  with  the  very  small  means  he  pos- 
sessed. I  was  likewise  deijrived  of  the  neces- 
sary services  of  CajDtain  Partridge  by  sickness, 
the  only  officer  of  the  corjjs  of  engineers  at- 
tached to  the  army.  All  the  officers  and  men 
have  gone  to  their  respective  homes,  excepting 
the  Fourth  United  States  regiment,  and  a  small 
part  of  the  First,  and  Captain  Dyson's  company 
of  artillery.  Captain  Dyson's  company  was  left 
at  Amherstburg,  and  the  others  are  Avith  me, 
prisoners — they  amount  to  about  three  hundred 
and  forty.  I  have  only  to  solicit  an  investigar 
tion  of  my  conduct,  as  early  as  my  situation  and 
the  state  of  things  will  admit ;  and  to  add  the 
farther  request,  that  the  government  will  not  be 
vmmindful  of  my  associates  in  captivity,  and  of 
the  families  of  those  brave  men  who  have  fallen 
in  the  contest. 

I  have  the  honor  to   be,  very  respectfully, 
your  most  obedient  servant, 

Wm.  Hull,  Brig.-Qen. 
Commanding  the  N.  W.  Army,  U.  S. 

Hon.  W.  EusTis,  Sec.  of  the  Depart,  of  War. 


11. 


SIK     ISAAC     BKOCK  S     DISPATCH     TO     THE     COM- 
MAinDEK-IN-CHIEF. 

Head-quarteks,  Detroit,  August  7. 
SiE : — I  have  had  the  honor  of  informing  your 
Excellency,  that  the  enemy  effected  his  passage 
across  the  Detroit  River  on  the  12th  ult.,  with- 
out opposition  ;  and  that,  after  establishing  him- 
self at  Sandwich,  he  had  ravaged  the  country 
as  far  as  the  Moravian  town.  Some  skirmishes 
occurred  between  the  troops  under  Lieutenant- 
colonel  St.  George  and  the  enemy,  upon  the 
River  Canard,  which  uniformly  terminated  in  his 
being  repulsed  with  loss.    I  had  judged  it  proper 


Chap.  XXL] 


DOCIBIEXTS. 


117 


to  detach  a  force  down  the  River  Thames,  capa- 
ble of  acting  in  conjunction  with  the  garrison  of 
Amherstburg  offensively ;  but  Captain  Cham- 
bers, whom  I  had  appointed  to  direct  this  de- 
tachment, experienced  difficulties  that  frustrated 
my  intentions.  The  intelhgence  received  from 
that  quarter  admitting  of  no  delay,  Colonel 
Proctor  was  directed  to  assume  the  command, 
and  his  force  was  soon  after  increased  with 
sixty  rank  and  file  of  the  Forty-first  regiment. 

In  the  mean  time  the  most  strenuous  meas- 
iires  were  adopted  to  counteract  the  machina- 
tions of  the  evil  disposed,  and  I  soon  experi- 
enced the  gratification  of  receiving  voluntary 
offers  of  service  from  that  portion  of  the  em- 
bodied mUitia  the  most  easily  collected.  In 
the  attainment  of  this  important  point,  gentle- 
men of  the  first  character  and  influence  showed 
an  example  highly  creditable  to  them ;  and  I 
cannot,  on  this  occasion,  avoid  mentioning  the 
essential  seiwice  I  derived  from  John  McDonnell, 
Esq.,  His  Majesty's  Attorney-general,  M'ho,  from 
the  beginning  of  the  war,  has  honored  me  with 
his  services  as  my  Provincial  aid-de-camp.  A  suf- 
ficiency of  boats  being  collected  at  Long  Point 
for  the  conveyance  of  three  hundred  men,  the 
embarkation  took  place  on  the  8th  instant, 
and  in  five  days  arrived  in  safety  in  Amherst- 
burg. 

I  found  that  the  judicious  arrangement  which 
had  been  adopted  immediately  upon  the  arrival 
of  Colonel  Proctor  had  compelled  the  enemy  to 
retreat,  and  take  shelter  under  the  guns  of  his 
fort ;  that  officer  commenced  operations  by  send- 
ing strong  detachments  across  the  river,  with  a 
view  of  cutting  off  the  enemy's  communication 
with  his  reserve. 

This  produced  two  smart  skirmishes,  on  the 
5th  and  9th  instant,  in  both  of  which  the  enemy's 
loss  was  very  considerable,  while  ours  amounted 
to  three  killed  and  thirteen  wounded,  among  the 
latter  I  have  particularly  to  regret  Captain  Muir 
and  Lieutenant  Sutherland  of  the  Forty-first 
regiment :  the  former  an  officer  of  great  experi- 
ence, and  both  ardent  in  His  Majesty's  service. 
Batteries  had  likewise  been  commenced  oppo- 
site Fort  Detroit,  for  one  eighteen-pounder,  two 
twelves,  and  two  five-and-a-half  inch  mortars,  all 
of  which  opened  on  the  evening  of  the  loth 
(having  previously  summoned  Brigadier-general 


Hull  to  surrender),  and  although  opposed  by  a 
well-directed  fire  from  seven  twenty-four  2J0und- 
ers,  such  was  their  construction,  under  the  able 
direction  of  Captain  Dixon,  of  the  Royal  Engi- 
neers, that  no  mjury  was  sustained  from  its 
effect. 

The  force  at  my  disj)osal  being  collected,  in 
the  course  of  the  5th,  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Sandwich,  the  embarkation  took  place  a  little  af- 
ter daylight  on  the  following  morning,  and  by  the 
able  arrangements  of  Lieutenant  Dewar,  of  the 
quartermaster-general's  department,  the  whole 
was  in  a  short  time  landed,  without  the  smallest 
confusion,  at  Spring  Wells,  a  good  position,  three 
miles  west  of  Detroit.  The  Indians,  who  had  in 
the  mean  time  effected  their  landing  two  miles 
below,  moved  forward,  and  occupied  the  woods 
about  a  mile  and  a  half  on  our  left.. 

The  force  which  I  instantly  directed  to  march 
against  the  enemy  consisted  of  thirty  Royal  ar- 
tillery, two  hundred  and  fifty  Forty-first  regi- 
ment, fifty  Royal  Xewfoundland  regiment,  four 
hundred  militia,  and  about  six  hundred  In- 
dians, to  which  wei"e  attached  three  six-pound- 
ers and  two  three-poimders.  The  services  of 
Lieutenant  Troughton,  commanding  the  Royal 
artillery,  an  active  and  intelligent  officer,  being 
required  in  the  field,  the  direction  of  the  bat- 
tei'ies  was  intrusted  to  Captain  Hall,  of  the 
marine  dejjartment,  and  I  cannot  withhold  my 
entire  approbation  of  their  conduct  on  this  oc- 
casion. 

I  crossed  the  river  with  an  intention  of  wait- 
ing in  a  strong  position  the  effect  of  our  force 
upon  the  enemy's  camp,  and  in  hopes  of  com- 
pelling him  to  meet  us  in  the  field  ;  but  receiv- 
ing information  ujjon  landing,  that  Colonel  Mc- 
Arthur,  an  officer  of  high  reputation,  had  left 
the  garrison  three  days  before  with  a  detach- 
ment of  five  hundred  men,  and  hearing  soon 
afterwards  that  his  cavalry  had  been  seen  that . 
morning  three  miles  in  our  rear,  I  decided  on 
an  immediate  attack.  Accordingly,  the  troops 
advanced  to  within  one  mile  of  the  fort,  and 
having  ascertained  that  the  enemy  had  taken 
little  or  no  precaution  towards  the  land  side,  I 
resolved  on  an  assault,  while  the  Indians  pene- 
trated his  camp.  Brigadier-general  Hull,  how- 
ever, prevented  this  movement,  by  proposing  a 
cessation  of  hostilities,  for  the  purpose  of  pre- 


118 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


paring  terms  of  capitulation.  Lieutenant-colonel 
John  McDonnell  and  Captain  Glegg  were  ac- 
cordingly deputed  by  me  on  this  mission,  and 
returned  within  an  hour  with  the  conditions, 
which  I  have  the  honor  herewith  to  transmit. 
Certain  considerations  afterwards  induced  me 
to  agree  to  the  two  supplementary  articles. 

The  force  thus  surrendered  to  His  Majesty's 
arms  cannot  be  estimated  at  less  than  twenty- 
five  hundred  men.  In  this  estimate,  Colonel 
McArthur's  detachment  is  included,  as  he  sur- 
rendered agreeably  to  the  terms  of  capitulation, 
in  the  course  of  the  evening,  with  the  exception 
of  two  hundred  men,  whom  he  left  escorting  a 
valuable  convoy  at  some  little  distance  in  his 
rear ;  but  there  can  be  no  doubt  the  olBcer 
commanding  will  consider  himself  equally  bound 
by  the  capitulation. 

The  enemy's  aggregate  force  was  divided  into 
two  troops  of  cavalry ;  one  comjjany  of  artillery 
regulars ;  the  Fourth  United  States  regiment ; 
detachments  of  the  First  and  Third  United 
States  regiments,  volunteers ;  three  regiments 
of  the  Ohio  militia ;  one  regiment  of  the  Michi- 
gan Territory. 

Thirty-three  pieces  of  brass  and  iron  ordnance 
have  already  been  secured. 

When  this  contest  commenced,  many  of  the 
Indian  nations  were  engaged  in  the  active  war- 
fare with  the  United  States,  notwithstanding 
the  constant  endeavors  of  this  government  to 
dissuade  them  from  it.  Some  of  the  principal 
chiefs  happened  to  be  at  Amherstburg,  trying 
to  procure  a  supply  of  arms  and  ammunition, 
which  for  years  had  been  withheld,  agreeably 
to  the  instructions  received  fz'om  Sir  James 
Craig,  and  since  repeated  by  your  Excellency. 

From  that  moment  they  took  a  most  active 
part,  and  appeared  foremost  on  every  occasion ; 


they  were  led  yesterday  by  Colonel  Elliot  and 
Captain  M'Kee,  and  nothing  could  exceed  their 
order  and  steadiness.  A  few  prisoners  were 
taken  by  them,  during  the  advance,  whom  they 
treated  with  every  humanity ;  and  it  afibrds  me 
much  pleasure  in  assuring  your  Excellency  that 
such  was  their  forbearance  and  attention  to 
what  was  required  of  them,  that  the  enemy  sus- 
tained no  other  loss  of  men  than  what  was  oc- 
casioned by  the  fire  of  our  batteries. 

The  high  sense  I  entertain  of  the  abilities 
and  judgment  of  Lieutenant-colonel  Myers  in- 
duced me  to  appoint  him  to  the  imi^ortant  com- 
mand at  Niagara ;  it  was  with  reluctance  that 
I  deprived  myself  of  his  assistance,  but  had  no 
other  expedient ;  his  duties,  as  head  of  the  quar- 
termaster-general's department,  were  performed 
to  ray  satisfaction  by  Lieutenant-colonel  Nicholls, 
Quartermaster-general  of  the  militia. 

Captain  Glegg,  my  aid-de-carap,  will  have  the 
honor  of  delivering  this  dispatch  to  your  Excel- 
lency ;  he  is  charged  with  the  colors  taken  at 
the  capture  of  Fort  Detroit,  and  those  of  the 
Fourth  United  States  regiment. 

Captain  Glegg  is  capable  of  giving  your  Ex- 
cellency every  information  respecting  the  state 
of  this  province,  and  I  shall  esteem  myself  highly 
indebted  to  your  Excellency  to  afford  him  that 
protection  to  which  his  merit  and  length  of  ser- 
vice give  him  a  powerful  claim. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  &c., 

Isaac  Bkock,  Maj.-Gen. 

P.  S. — I  have  the  honor  to  inclose  a  copy  of 
a  proclamation  which  I  issued  immediately  on 
taking  possession  of  this  country. 

I  should  have  mentioned  in  the  body  of  my 
dispatch  the  capture  of  the  Adams ;  she  is  a  fine 
vessel,  and  recently  repaired,  but  without  arms. 


CHAPTER     XXII. 


Aug^ust  19,  l§i2. 
THE     CAPTUEE     OF    THE    GU  ERR  IE  RE. 


On  the  nineteentli  of  August,  1812, 
the  Constitution^  commanded  by  Cap- 
tain Isaac  Hull,  was  cruising  in  latitude 
41°  42'  X.,  longitude  55°  48'  "vr.  ;^  when, 
at  two  in  the  afternoon,  a  sail  was  made, 
bearing  east-southeast,  and  to  leeward, 
but  her  character  could  not  be  made 
out.2 

All  sail  was  instantly  made,  in  chase ; 
and  so  rapidly  did  the  Constitution 
come  up  with  her,  that  at  three  o'clock 
it  was  plainly  seen  that  she  was  a  ship 
on  the  starboard  tack,  under  easy  sail, 
close  hauled  ;^  and  at  half-past  three 
she  was  seen  to  be  a  frigate,  little  doubt 
being  entertained  that  she  was  an  en- 
emy.'* 

The  Constitution  continued  on  her 
course  until  she  had  come  within  three 
miles  of  the  stranger,^  when  Captain 
Hull  ordered  the  lig-ht  sails  to  be  taken 
in,  the  courses  hauled  up,  and  the  ship 
prepared  for  action.^  At  the  same  time 
the  stranger  was  made  ready  for  action, 
and  had  laid  her  main-topsail  aback, 
waiting  for  the  Constitution  to   come 


1  Capt.  Hull  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Aug.  30.  Capt.  Dacres 
state.s  the  position  to  have  been  Lat.  40°  20'  n.,  Lon.  55°  w. 

"  Capt.  Hull  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Aug.  30 ;  Particulars  of 
the  late  action,  &c.,  in  "  The  War,"  i.  p.  46. 

'  Capt.  Hull  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Aug.  80  ;  Cooper's  Naval 
Hist.,  ii.  p.  55.—^  Capt.  Hull  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Aug.  30  ; 
Particulars,  &c. — '  Capt.  Hull  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Aug.  30  ; 
Cooper,  ii.  p.  55. — *  Capt.  Hull  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Aug.  30  ; 
Clark's  Hist.  Navy,  p.  133. 


down.^  This  unequivocal  challenge^  by 
the  stranger,  caused  Captain  Hull  to 
prepare  for  action  with  the  greater 
care.^  He  ordered  her  topgallant-sails 
to  be  furled,  and  stowed  all  her  light 
stay-sails  and  her  flying-jib.^  Shortly 
afterwards  she  took  a  second  reef  in 
her  top-sails,  hauled  up  her  courses, 
sent  down  her  royal-yards,  cleared 
for  action,  and  beat  to  quarters,  her 
crew  receiving  the  order  with  three 
cheers.* 

As  soon  as  the  Constitution  was 
ready,  she  bore  down  with  the  inten- 
tion to  bring  the  enemy  to  close  action, 
without  the  usual  preliminary  manoeu- 
vres f  but  as  she  approached,  at  five 
o'clock,  the  latter  hoisted  three  British 
ensigns,  fired  a  broadside,  filled  away, 
and  wore,  firing  a  broadside  on  the 
other  tack,  without  doing  any  damage.® 
Three-quarters  of  an  hour  were  spent 
by  the  stranger  in  attempting  to  obtain 
a  position  in  Avhich  she  could  rake  the 
Constitution^   during   which    time   the 


'  Capt.  Hull  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Aug.  30  ;  Capt.  Dacres  to 
Adm'l  Sawyer,  Sept.  7  ;  Particulars,  &c. 

"  Cooper,  ii.  p.  55. — '  Particulars,  &c.;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  55. 

■*  Particulars,  &c. — '  Capt.  Hull  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Aug. 
30  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  55. 

°  Capt.  Hull  to  Secretary  of  Navy,  Aug.  30.  Capt. 
Dacres  {to  Adm'l  Sawyer,  Sept.  7)  says  this  was  done  at  ten 
minutes  past  four. 

'  Capt.  Hull  to  Secretary  of  Navy,  Aug.  30  ;  Capt. 
Dacres  to  Adm'l  Sawyer,  Sept.  7  ;  Particulars,  &c. 


120 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


latter  had  fired  but  few  guns/  content- 
ing lierself  with  manceuvriug  in  such 
a  manner  as  defeated  the  attempts  of 
the  enemy  to  secure  the  weather- 
guage.^ 

At  a  few  minutes  before  six  o'clock 
the  stranger  bore  up  and  ran  off  under 
her  top-sails  and  jib,  with  the  wind  on 
her  quarter;^  and  the  Constitution^  ac- 
cepting the  invitation  which  this  ma- 
noeuvre conveyed,  immediately  set  her 
fore-sail  and  maintop-gallant-sail,  and 
ran  alongside.*  At  five  minutes  before 
six,  the  ships  being  alongside,  within 
half  pistol-shot,  the  fire  became  general 
and  very  heavy  from  the  entire  force 
of  both  ships.® 

The  Constitution's  guns  were  double- 
shotted,  with  round  and  grape  shot;^ 
and  so  well  were  they  managed,  that, 
within  fifteen  minutes  after  the  fire  was 
opened,  the  stranger  had  lost  her  mizzen- 
mast,  her  main-yard  was  in  the  slings, 
and  her  hull,  rigging,  and  sails  were 
torn  to  pieces.'^  This  disaster  enabled 
the  Constitution  to  run  ahead  of  the 
stranger,  and  by  luffing  short  round  on 
her  bows,  to  subject  the  latter  to  a  de- 
structive raking  fire,  as  well  as  to  a 
very  destructive  fire  from  the  topmen 
of  the  former,  in  which  both  the  officers 
and  the  men  of  the  stranger  suffered 


'Particulars,  &c.;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  55. — '  Capt.  Hull  to 
Sec.  of  Navy,  Aug.  30  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  55. 

'  Capt.  Hull  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Aug.  30  ;  Particulars,  &c. 

*  Capt.  Hull  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Aug.  30  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  55. 
'  Capt.  Hull's  Dispatch,  Aug.  30.     Others  state  it  was 

five  minutes  after  six  {Particulars,  &c.),  and  Capt.  Dacres 
{Dispatch,  Sept.  7)  that  it  was  at  five  o'clock. 

•  Capt.  Hull's  Dispatch,  Aug.  30  ;  Clark's  Naval  Hi.st., 
p.  133. — '  Capt.  Hull's  Dispatch,  Aug.  30  ;  Particulars, 
&c.;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  55.  Capt.  Dacres  says  the  mizzen-mast 
went  over  at  twenty  minutes  past  five. 


very  severely.^  This  manoeuvre  was 
facilitated  by  the  operation  of  the 
wreck  of  her  mizzen-mast  on  the  move- 
ments of  the  stranger — the  mast  having 
gone  over  the  weather-side  the  top  act- 
ed as  a  complete  back-water,  and  the 
head  of  the  ship  was  brought  up  to  the 
wind,  in  spite  of  every  effort  of  the 
helmsman  to  prevent  it.^  At  this  time, 
also,  from  the  effects  of  this  manoeuvre, 
the  Constitution  fell  foul  of  the  stran- 
ger— the  bowsprit  of  the  latter  running 
into  the  larboard-quarter  of  the  former 
— and  both  crews  prepared  to  board  .^ 
The  stranger  turned  up  all  hands  from 
below,  and  mustered  forward ;  *  while 
Lieutenant  Morris,  of  the  Constitution^ 
endeavored  to  lash  both  ships  together.® 
The  fire  from  the  small-arms  of  both 
vessels  was  now  exceedingly  severe^ — 
Lieutenant  Morris,  Master  Ay  1  win,  and 
Lieutenant  Brush  of  the  marines,  hav- 
ing received  severe  wounds — and  both 
parties  hesitated  to  move  in  the  face  of 
such  a  fire,  with  the  heavy  sea  which 
was  then  on.® 

About  the  same  time  the  sails  of  the 
Constitution  filled,  and  she  shot  ahead 
of  the  stranger;'^  when  the  foremast  of 
the  latter  went  over,  carrying  with  it 
her  mainmast,  and  leaving  her  a  help- 
less wreck  in  the  trough  of  the  sea.^ 

Her  enemy  having  thus  been  entirely 


'  Capt.  Hull's  Dispatch,  Aug.  30  ;  Capt.  Dacres'  Dis- 
patch, Sept.  7. — '  James'  Naval  Occurrences,  p.  99. 

'Capt.  Hull's  Dispatch,  Aug.  30;  Particulars,  &c.; 
James'  Naval  Occur.,  pp.  99,  100. — "Capt.  Dacres'  Dis- 
patch, Aug.  30  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  55. — ^  Cooper,  ii.  p.  55. 
This  officer  was  well  known  afterwards  as  Commodore 
Morris. — "Cooper,  ii.  p.  56;  James'  Naval  Occur.,  pp. 
99,  100. — ■"  Particulars,  &c.;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  56. 

^  Capt.  Hull's  Dispatch,  Aug.  30;  Capt.  Dacres'  Dis- 
patch, Sept.  7 ;  Cooper,  ii  p.  56. 


IBM 


mi  MwmEEM  wm  mmmiTmim  mb  mi  Qmimmm 


■  ,iTy//,'P.'iN;sllrT.~.^ 


Chap.  XXIL] 


THE  CAPTURE  OF  THE  GUERRIERE. 


121 


disabled,  the  Constitution  hauled  aboard 
her  tacks,  ran  oif  a  short  distance,  se- 
cured her  masts,  and  rove  new  ria:o^ino:.^ 
At  seven  o'clock  she  wore  round,  and 
took  a  favorable  position  for  raking, 
when  a  jack,  which  had  been  fastened 
on  the  stump  of  the  stranger's  mizzen- 
mast,  was  lowered,  a  gun  was  fired  to 
leeward,  and  she  surrendered.*^ 

Third-lieutenant  Georsre  C.  Read  was 

O 

sent  on  board  the  prize,  and  quickly  re- 
turned with  the  information  that  she 
was  the  Guerriere^  rating  thirty-eight 
guns,  and  commanded  by  Captain  J.  A. 
Dacres.^ 

The  Constitution  remained  near  her 
prize  all  night,  and  at  daylight  the  offi- 
cer in  charge  hailed,  to  say  the  Guer- 
riere  had  four  feet  water  in  the  hold, 
and  that  there  was  danger  of  her  sink- 
ing.* The  prisoners,  and  some  of  the 
movables  were  immediately  removed  to 
the  Constitution;^  and  that  duty  hav- 
ing been  performed,  at  thi-ee  in  the 
afternoon  the  prize  crew  was  with- 
di'awn,  after  having  set  the  wreck  on 
fire,  and  within  a  few  minutes  after- 
wards she  blew  up.^ 

There  is  no  subject  connected  with  the 
history  of  our  country  which  has  been 
more  fiei'cely  contested  than  this ;  and 
almost  every  branch  of  it  has  been 
made  the  subject  of  violent  discussion. 

The  relative  force  of  the  two  ships 
has  been  misrepresented  on  either  side. 
The  Constitution^  although  rsiting  forty- 
four    guns,    actually    mounted    thirty 


>  Capt.  Hull's  Dispatch,  Aug.  30;    Capt.  Dacres'  Dis- 
patch, Sept.  7. — ^  Particulars,  &c  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  56. 

^  Capt    Hull's   Dispatch,  Aug.  30;    Particulars,  &«.; 
Cooper,  ii.  p   56. — '  Particulars,  &c. — *  Ibid. ;   Cooper,  ii. 
p.  56.  -"  Particulars,  &c. ;  Claris,  p.  134. 
Vol.  ii.   -16 


twenty-four  pounders  on  the  gun-deck, 
twenty-four  thirty-two  pound  carron- 
ades,  and  two  eighteen-pounders  on  the 
quarter-deck  and  forecastle — a  total  of 
fifty-six  ;^  while  the  Guerriere^  although 
rating  thirty-eight  guns,  was  pierced  for 
ffty-four^  and  carried  forty-nine^  one 
of  which  was  a  light  boat-carronade,^ 
Her  gun-deck  metal  was  eighteen- 
pounders,  while  the  remainder  of  her 
equipment  was  the  same  as  that  of  the 
Constitution? 

The  relative  weight  of  their  broad- 
sides has  also  been  disputed — British 
writers  maintaining  that  the  weight  of 
the  Constitution's  broadside  was  seven 
hundred  and  sixty-eight  pounds,  while 
that  of  the  Gxierriere  was  only  five 
hundred  and  seventeen.*  On  the  other 
hand,  it  is  said  that  the  armament  of 
the  Guerriere  was  French — ^the  vessel 
having  been  a  prize  to  the  Blanche^  in 
1806^ — and  that  French  eighteens  car- 
ried nineteen  and  a  half  j)ounds  shot ; 
while  the  American  twenty-fours  sel- 
dom exceeded  twenty-two  pounds.® 

The  relative  strength  of  the  crews  was 
greatly  in  favor  of  the  Constitution^ 
when  mere  numbers  are  considered ; 
while  in  the  efficiency  and  experience 
of  her  men,  the  Guerriere  had  the  ad- 
vantage. The  experienced  crew  of  the 
latter,  then  on  duty,  numbered  two 
hundred  and  sixty-three,  including  ten 
Americans,  who  were  generously  ex- 
cused from  fio^htino;  ao^aiust  their  coun- 


'  James'  Naval  Occurrences,  p.  108  ;  Cooper,  i.  p.  149. 
^  Cooper,  ii.  pp.  57,  58.     James  {Naval  Occur.,  pp.  104, 
105)  says  she  mounted  only  forty- seven. 

"  Cooper,  ii.  p.  58. — ■*  James'  Warden  Refuted,  Table  I. 
'  Capt.  Lavie  to  Lord  Keith,  July  26,  1806. 
'  Cooper,  ii.  p.  58 ;  Clark,  p.  136. 


122 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


trymen;^  the  crew  of  the  Constitution^ 
many  of  them  raw  hands,  numbered 
four  hundred  and  sixty-eight.^ 

The  duration  of  the  action^  also,  dif- 
fers, according  to  the  writers  of  the 
two  nations — the  British,  after  Captain 
Dacres,  insisting  that  the  vessels  fought 
tiuo  liours  and  tioelve  minutes;^  while 
the  Americans,  generally,  maintain,  with 
Captain  Hull,  that  they  fought  but 
thirty  minutes} 

The  damage  which  the  Guerriere  re- 
ceived in  her  hull  was  very  great,  about 
thirty  shot  having  taken  effect  on  her 
larboard  side,  about  five  coppers  down, 
and  a  large  hole  had  been  made  under 
her  starboard  counter;^  the  Constitu- 
tion also  suffered  severely — her  lower 
masts  having  been  severely  wounded, 
and  her  rigging  very  much  cut  up.® 

The  loss  of  the  Constitution  was. 
Lieutenant  Brush  of  the  marines,  and 
six  men,  hilled'  and  Lieutenant  Morris, 
Master  Aylwin,  four  seamen,  and  one 
marine,  wounded:'^  that  of  the  Guer- 
■7'iere  was,  one  oflScer  and  fourteen  men, 
hilled;    Captain  Dacres,  three  officers. 


J  James'  Warden  Refuted,  Table  I.;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  58  ; 
James'  Naval  Occur.,  pp.  106,  107. — "  James'  Naval 
Occur.,  p.  109. — '  James'  Warden  Refuted,  Table  I.  ; 
James'  Naval  Occur.,  pp.  100,  101  ;  Auchinleck's  Hist, 
of  War,  p.  68.— •*  Capt.  Hull's  Dispatch,  Aug.  30  ;  O'Con- 
nor's Hist,  of  War,  p.  42  ;  Perkins'  Hist,  of  War,  p.  121 ; 
Clark,  p.  133. — 'Capt.  Dacres'  defence  before  the  Court- 
martial. — ^  Capt.  Dacres'  Dispatch,  Sept.  7. — '  "  Returns," 
appended  to  Capt.  Hull's  Dispatch,  Aug.  30. 


and  thirty-two  vai^.\\  wounded  severel/y ; 
two  officers  and  sixteen  men,  luounded 
slightly  ;  ^  and  two  officers  and  twenty- 
two  men,  missing? 

After  the  action  the  Constitution  re- 
turned to  Boston,  carrying  with  her  the 
intelligence  of  her  triumph.  At  this 
distant  day  it  is  not  easy  to  convey  to 
the  reader  a  correct  idea  of  the  deep 
impression  which  the  capture  of  this 
frigate  produced  both  in  Europe  and 
America.  The  constant  success  with 
which  the  naval  flao'  of  Great  Britain 
had  been  accompanied,  had  filled  the 
people  of  America  with  anxiety,  and 
those  of  Great  Britain  with  a  dearree  of 
overbearing  insolence  which  was  unbe- 
coming an  enlightened  nation.  In  fact. 
Captain  Dacres  himself  had,  a  short 
time  before,  issued  an  insolent  chal- 
lenge to  Commodore  Rogers  and  the 
President^  or  any  other  ship  of  her 
class,  little  supposing  that  he  would  so 
soon  receive  the  punishment  which  he 
merited.  The  Congress  of  the  United 
States  voted  its  thanks  and  fifty  thou- 
sand dollars  in  lieu  of  prize-money  ;  the 
Corporation  of  New  York  presented 
the  freedom  of  the  city  to  Captain 
Hull ;  and  the  heroes  of  the  action 
were  received  with  open  arms  wherever 
they  went. 

'  "Returns,"  appended  to  Capt.  Dacres'  Dispatch, 
Sept.  7. — '  "Returns,"  appended  to  Capt.  Hull's  Dis- 
patch, Aug.  30. 


DOCUME]^TS. 


I. 

CAPTAIN  HULL  TO  THE  SECRETARY  OF  THE  NAYT. 

U.  S.  Frigate  Constitution,  off  Boston  Light,  ) 
August  80,  1812.  I 

Sir  : — I  have  the  honor  to  inform  you,  that 
on  the  19th  instant,  at  two  p.m.,  being  in  lati- 
tude 41°  41',  longitude  55°  48',  with  the  Co7i- 
stitution  under  my  command,  a  sail  was  discoY- 
ered  from  the  masthead,  bearing  e.  by  s.  or 
E.  s.  E. ;  but  at  such  a  distance,  we  could  not 
tell  what  she  was.  AH  sail  was  instantly  made 
in  chase,  and  soon  found  we  came  up  with 
her.  At  three  P.  M.,  could  plainly  see  she  was  a 
ship,  on  the  starboard-tack,  under  easy  sail,  close 
on  a  wind.  At  halt-past  three  p.  m.,  made  her 
out  to  be  a  frigate.  Continued  the  chase  until 
we  were  within  about  three  miles,  when  I  or- 
dered the  light  sails  taken  in,  the  courses  hauled 
up,  and  the  ship  cleai-ed  for  action.  At  this 
time  the  chase  had  backed  her  maintop-sail, 
waiting  for  us  to  come  down.  As  soon  as  the 
Constitution  was  ready  for  action,  I  bore  down 
with  an  intention  to  bring  her  to  close  action 
immediately ;  but  on  our  coming  within  gun- 
shot, she  gave  us  a  broadside  and  filled  away 
ami  wore,  giving  us  a  broadside  on  the  other 
tack,  but  without  effect,  her  shot  falling  short. 
She  continued  wearing  and  mancEUvring  for 
about  three-quarters  of  an  hour,  to  get  a  raking 
position,  but  finding  she  could  not,  she  bore  up, 
and  run  under  lier  topsails  and  jib,  with  the  wind 
on  the  quarter.  I  immediately  made  sail,  to 
bring  the  ship  up  with  her,  and  five  minutes  be- 
fore six  p.  M.,  being  alongside,  within  half  pistol- 
shot,  W' e  commenced  a  heavy  fire  from  all  our 
guns,  double-shotted  with  round  and  grape, 
and  so  well  directed  were  they,  and  so  warmly 
k.ept  up,  that  in  sixteen  minutes  his  mizzen-mast 
went  by  the  board,  and  his  main-yard  in  the 
slings,  and  the  hull,  rigging,  and  sails  very 
much  toi-n  to  pieces.  The  fire  was  kept  up 
with  equal  warmth  for  fifteen  minutes  longer, 
yhen  his  mainmast  and  foremast  went,  taking 
with  them  every  spar  except  the  bowsprit.     On 


seeing  this,  we  ceased  firing,  so  that  in  thirty 
minutes  after  we  got  fairly  alongside  the  enemy 
she  suri-endered,  and  had  not  a  spar  standing, 
and  her  hull  below  and  above  water  so  shat- 
tered, that  a  few  more  broadsides  must  have 
carried  her  do-nn. 

After  informing  that  so  fine  a  ship  as  the 
Guerriere,  commanded  by  an  able  and  expe- 
rienced oiEcer,  had  been  totally  dismasted,  and 
otherwise  cut  to  pieces,  so  as  to  make  her  not 
worth  towing  into  port,  in  the  short  space  of 
thirty  minutes,  you  can  have  no  doubt  of  the 
gallantry  and  good  conduct  of  the  officers  and 
ship's  company  I  have  the  honor  to  command. 
It  remains,  therefore,  for  me  to  assure  you  that 
they  all  fought  with  great  bravery  ;  and  it  gives 
me  great  pleasure  to  say,  that  from  the  smallest 
boy  in  the  ship  to  the  oldest  seaman,  not  a  look 
of  fear  was  seen.  They  all  went  into  action, 
giving  three  cheers,  and  requesting  to  be  laid 
close  alongside  the  enemy. 

Inclosed  I  have  the  honor  to  send  you  a  list 
of  killed  and  wounded  on  board  the  Constitu- 
tion, and  a  report  of  the  damages  she  has  sus- 
tained ;  also,  a  list  of  the  killed  and  wounded 
on  board  the  enemy,  with  his  quarter-bill,  &c. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  with  very  great  re- 
spect, sir,  your  obedient  servant, 

Isaac  Hull. 
The  Hon.  Paul  Hamilton,  &c. 


Killed    and  wounded    on   board   the   United  States 

frigate   Constitution,   Isaac  Mull,   Esq.,    Captain, 

in  the  action  with  His  Britannic  Majesty''s  frigate 

Guerriere,  James  JR.  Dacres,  Esq.,  Captain,  on  th-e 

^Qth  August,  1812. 

Killed. — W.  S.  Brush,  Lieutenant  of  Marines, 

and  six  seamen. 

'Wounded. — Lieutenant  C.  Morris,  Master  J. 

C.  Alwyn,  four  seamen,  one  marine. 

Total  killed  and  wounded,  fourteen. 

Isaac  Hull,  Gaptaiii. 

T.  J.  Cheav,  Purser. 

United  States  Frigate  CoNSfiTuxiON, 
AugMl  21,  1812. 


124 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


II. 

CAPTAIN   DACRe's   DISPATCH    TO   ADm'l    SAWTEK. 

Boston,  September  7,  1812. 
Sir  : — I  am  sorry  to  inform  you  of  the  cap- 
ture of  His  Majesty's  late  sliip  Guerriere^  by  the 
American  fi-igate  Constitution,  after  a  severe 
action,  on  the  19th  of  August,  in  latitude  40° 
20'  N.,  and  longitude  55°  W.  At  two  P.  m., 
being  by  the  wind  on  the  starboard-tack,  we 
saw  a  sail  on  our  weather-beam,  bearing  down 
on  us.  At  three,  made  her  out  to  be  a  man- 
of-war  ;  beat  to  quarters,  and  j^i'epared  for  ac- 
tion. At  four,  she  closing  fast,  wore  to  prevent 
her  raking  us.  At  ten  minutes  past  four,  hoist- 
ed our  colors,  and  fired  several  shot  at  her ;  at 
twenty  minutes  past  four,  she  hoisted  her  colors, 
and  returned  our  fire ;  Avore  several  times  to 
avoid  being  raked,  exchanging  broadsides.  At 
five,  she  closed  on  our  starboard-beam,  both 
keeping  up  a  heavy  fire  and  steering  free,  his 
intention  being  evidently  to  cross  our  bow.  At 
twenty  minutes  past  five,  our  mizzen-mast  went 
over  the  starboard-quarter,  and  brought  the 
ship  up  in  the  wind ;  the  enemy  then  placed 
himself  on  our  larboard-bow,  raking  us,  a  few 
only  of  our  bow-guns  bearing,  and  his  grape 
and  riflemen  sweeping  our  deck.  At  forty 
minutes  past  five,  the  ship  not  answering  her 
helm,  he  attempted  to  lay  us  on  board ;  at  this 
time  Mr.  Grant,  who  commanded  the  forecastle, 
was  carried  below  badly  wounded.  I  immedi- 
ately ordered  the  marines  and  boarders  from 
the  main-deck ;  the  master  was  at  this  time 
shot  through  the  knee,  and  I  received  a  severe 
wound  in  the  back.  Lieutenant  Kent  was  lead- 
ing on  the  boarders,  when  the  ship  coming  to, 
we  brought  some  of  our  bow-guns  to  bear  on 
her,  and  had  got  clear  of  our  opponent ;  when, 
at  twenty  minutes  past  six,  our  fore  and  main 
masts  went  over  the  side,  leaving  the  shij)  a  per- 
fect unmanageable  wreck.  The  frigate  shooting 
ahead,  I  was  in  hopes  to  clear  the  wreck,  and 
get  the  ship  under  command,  to  renew  the  ac- 
tion; but  just  as  we  had  cleared  the  wreck,  our 
spritsail-yard  went,  and  the  enemy  having  rove 
new  braces,  &c.,  wore  round  within  pistol-shot 
to  i-ake  us,  the  ship  lying  in  the  trough  of  the 
sea,  and  rolling  her  main-deck  guns  under 
water,  and  all  attempts  to  get  her  before  the 


wind  being  fruitless ;  when,  calling  my  few  re- 
maining ofiicers  together,  they  Avere  all  of  opin- 
ion that  any  farther  resistance  would  be  only  a 
needless  waste  of  lives,  I  ordered,  though  re- 
luctantly, the  colors  to  be  struck. 

The  loss  of  the  ship  is  to  be  ascribed  to  the 
early  fall  of  her  mizzen-mast,  which  enabled  our  . 
opponent  to  choose  his  position.  I  am  son-y  to 
say,  we  sufiered  severely  in  killed  and  wound- 
ed ;  and  mostly  while  she  lay  on  our  bow,  from 
her  grape  and  musketry ;  in  all,  fifteen  killed 
and  sixty-three  wounded,  many  of  them  severe- 
ly. None  of  the  wounded  oflBcers  quitted  the 
deck  till  the  firing  ceased. 

The  frigate  proved  to  be  the  United  States 
ship  Constitution,  of  thirty  twenty-four  pound- 
ers on  her  main-deck,  and  twenty-four  thirty- 
two  pounders,  and  two  eighteen-pounders  on 
her  upper  deck,  and  four  hundred  and  seventy- 
six  men.  Pier  loss  in  comparison  with  ours  is 
trifling,  about  twenty ;  the  first-lieutenant  of 
marines  and  eight  killed,  and  first-lieutenant, 
and  master  of  the  ship,  and  eleven  men  wound- 
ed ;  her  lower  masts  badly  wounded,  and  stern 
much  shattered ;  and  very  much  cut  up  about 
her  rigging. 

The  Guerriere  was  so  cut  up  that  all  attempts 
to  get  her  in  Avould  have  been  useless.  As  soon 
as  the  wounded  were  got  out  of  her,  they  set 
her  on  fire ;  and  I  feel  it  my  duty  to  state,  that 
the  conduct  of  Captain  Hull  and  his  officers,  to 
our  men,  has  been  that  of  a  brave  enemy  ;  the 
greatest  care  being  taken  to  prevent  our  men 
losing  the  smallest  trifle,  and  the  greatest  atten- 
tion being  paid  to  the  wounded ;  who,  through 
the  attention  and  skill  of  Mr.  Irvine,  surgeon,  I 
hope  will  do  well. 

I  hope,  though  success  has  not  crowned  our 
eiForts,  you  will  not  think  it  presmnptuous  in 
me  to  say,  the  greatest  credit  is  due  to  the 
officers  and  ship's  company  for  their  exertions, 
particularly  when  exposed  to  the  heavy  raking 
fire  of  the  enemy.  I  feel  particularly  obliged 
for  the  exertions  of  Lieutenant  Kent,  who, 
though  wounded  early  by  a  splinter,  continued 
to  assist  me.  In  the  second-lieutenant  the  ser- 
vice has  suffered  a  severe  loss.  Mr.  Scott,  the 
master,  though  wounded,  was  particularly  at- 
tentive, and  used  every  exertion  in  clearing  the 
wreck,  as  did  the  warrant  officers.     Lieutenant 


Chap.  XXIII.] 


THE  SIEGE  OF  FORT  WAYNE. 


125 


Nicholl  of  the  Royal  marines,  and  his  party  sup- 
ported the  lionorable  character  of  their  corps, 
and  they  suffered  severely.  I  must  recommend 
Mr.  Snow,  master's-mate,  who  commanded  the 
foremost  main-deck  guns,  in  the  absence  of 
Lieutenant  Pullman  (and  the  whole  after  the 
fall  of  Lieutenant  Reddy),  to  your  protection, 
he  having  received  a  severe  wound  from  a  splin- 
ter. I  must  point  out  Mr.  Garley,  acting-purser, 
to  your  notice,  who  volunteered  his  services  on 
deck,  and  commanded  the  after  quarter-deck 
guns,  and  was  particularly  active,  as  well  as  Mr. 
Bannister,  midshipman. 

I  hope,  in  considering  the  circumstances,  you 
will  consider  the  ship  intrusted  to  my  charge 
properly  defended.  The  unfortunate  loss  of  our 
masts ;  the  absence  of  the  third-lieutenant,  sec- 
ond-lieutenant of  marines,  three  midshipmen, 
and  twenty-four  men,  considerably  weakened 
our  crew,  and  we  only  mustered  at  quarters 
two  hundred  and  forty-four  men  and  nineteen 
boys,  on  coming  into  action.  The  enemy  had 
such  an  advantage  from  his  marines  and  rifle- 
men, when  close,  and  his  superior  sailing  en- 
abled him  to  choose  his  distance. 

I  inclose  herewith  a  list  of  killed  and  wound- 


ed on  board  the  Guerriere  ;  and  have  the  honor 

to  be,  &c., 

Jas.  R.  Dacbes. 


List  of  officers^  seamen,  and  marines,  Icilled  and 
wounded,  on  hoard  His  Majesty''s  ship  Guerriere, 
&c.  {ofwhicli  the  names  are  given,  comprising) — 

Killed. — The  second-lieutenant,  seven  petty 
officers  and  able  seamen,  three  ordinary  seamen, 
one  landsman,  one  sergeant,  and  two  privates 
of  marines — total,  fifteen. 

Wounded  dangerously.— 'Be\ en  petty  officers 
and  able  seamen,  five  ordinary  seamen,  and  five 
private  marines — total,  seventeen. 

Wounded  severely. — The  captain,  master,  two 
master's-mates,  five  petty  officers  and  able  sea- 
men, four  ordinary  seamen,  one  landsman,  and 
five  private  marines — total,  nineteen. 

Wounded  slightly. — The  first-lieutenant,  one 
midshipman,  nine  petty  officers  and  able  sea- 
men, three  landsmen,  one  boy,  and  three  pri- 
vate marines — total,  eighteen. 

Fifteen  killed,  sixty-four  woimded ;  total, 
seventy-eight. 

John  R.  Dacres, 
John  Irvine,  Surgeon. 


CHAPTER     XXIII. 

September  1  to  12,  1§12. 

THE      SIEGE      OF      FORT     WAYNE. 


The  great  energy,  enlarged  views, 
aucl  patriotic  designs  of  Tecumtha  have 
been  referred  to  in  a  former  chapter  of 
this  work;^  and  the  capture  of  Michili- 
macinac,^  of  Fort  Dearborn  {Chicago)^ 
and  of  Detroit,*  have  also  been  made 
the  subjects  of  especial  notice.  This 
series  of  disasters  had  confirmed  the 
opposition    of    the    Northwestern    In- 


Vide  Chap.  XIV.— =  Vide  Chap.  XV. 
'  Vide  Chap.  XX.— «  Vide  Chap.  XXI. 


clians,  and  very  few  remained  friendly 
with  the  United  States.  The  plans  of 
Tecumtha,  for  the  expulsion  of  the 
whites  from  the  Northwest,  appeared 
to  be  drawing  to  a  close ;  and  the  few 
remaining  posts  served  rather  as  monu- 
ments of  the  forbearance  of  the  Indi- 
ans, than  as  means  of  protection  to  the 
settlers. 

Among  these,  and  the  most  import- 
ant of  them,  were  Forts  Wayne  and 
Harrison ;    and    against   them   simulta- 


126 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


neous  movements  were  planned  by  the 
energetic  chief.  The  Winnebagoes  and 
that  part  of  the  Miamis  who  had  de- 
tei-mined  on  hostility,  were  to  attack 
Fort  Harrison,  and,  if  possible,  to  take 
it  by  surprise ;  while  against  Fort 
Wayne  the  Potawatoniies  and  Ottawas, 
with  a  detachment  of  British  regulars, 
under  Major  Muir,  were  the  designated 
assailants.  The  first  of  September  was 
the  time  which  was  appointed  for  the 
attack  on  the  works,  and  the  Indians 
were  promptly  on  the  spot ;  while  the 
British  auxiliaries,  with  a  reinforcement 
of  Indians,  had  left  Maiden  on  the  eigh- 
teenth of  August,  and  were  rapidly  ap- 
proaching the  fort. 

In  the  mean  time  the  government 
and  the  people  had  taken  steps  to  re- 
lieve the  foi'ts  and  to  oppose  the  prog- 
ress of  the  enemy ;  and  on  the  third  of 
September  a  strong  force,  under  Gen- 
eral William  H.  Harrison,  had  reached 
Piqua,  eighty  miles  from  Cincinnati,  on 
its  march  against  the  savages.  On  the 
same  day  the  General  detached  a  body 
of  troops  for  the  relief  of  the  fort,  be- 
side which  a  regiment  of  volunteers 
from  Ohio  had  advanced,  with  the  same 
object,  as  far  as  Shane's  Ferry,  on  the 
St.  Mary's.  The  main  body  of  the 
army  moved  on  the  sixth.  Reinforce- 
ments, under  Major  Richard  M.  John- 
son and  others,  joined  the  army  as  it 
progressed ;  and  on  the  eighth  of  Sep- 
tember the  entire  command  numbered 
upwards  of  twenty-two  hundred  effec- 
tive men.  On  the  evening  of  the  ninth 
it  overtook  the  regiment  of  Ohio  vol- 
unteers, before  referred  to ;  and  the 
entire  force  moved  cautiously  and  slow- 
ly forward  towards  the  fort,  encamp- 


ing, on  the  evening  of  the  eleventh 
of  September,  about  twenty  miles 
from  it. 

During  the  progi'ess  of  the  army,  the 
gai-i'ison  within  the  fort  was  harassed 
by  the  enemy.  Until  the  day  ajipoint- 
ed  for  the  assault  (^Sept.  ^.st)^  the  sav- 
ages in  the  neighborhood  professed 
great  friendship,  probably  with  a  hope 
of  securing  the  fort  by  surprise,  in 
which,  however,  they  were  disappoint- 
ed. But  they  had  closely  invested  it, 
notwithstanding  this  disappointment ; 
and  with  all  the  ingenuity  of  which 
they  were  master  they  had  prosecuted 
the  siege.^  To  overcome  the  advan- 
tage which  the  artillery  had  given  to 
the  garrison,  the  Indians  had  bored  out 
several  large  logs  and  had  secured  them 
with  iron  bands,  as  substitutes  for  a 
siege-train  ;^  but  it  does  not  appear  that 
this  novel  siege-train  was  employed  by 
its  ingenious  possessors. 

The  party  fi'om.  Maiden,  after  en- 
countering many  difficulties,  approach- 
ed the  fort  by  way  of  the  Miami,  and 
iiad  nearly  reached  it,  when  intelligence 
of  the  movements  of  General  Harrison 
and  his  army  was  received  through  its 
scouts.  Major  Muir  immediately  halt- 
ed his  force  and  awaited  farther  intelli- 
gence, which  was  soon  afterwards  re- 
ceived ;  when  he  immediately  retired 
by  the  route .  on  which  he  had  ad- 
vanced, and  returned  to  Maiden.^ 


'  Dv.  Peck  (Aiinals  of  the  West,  p.  619)  says  the  fort  was 
invested  on  the  28lh  August;  Breckenridge  {Hist,  of  War, 
p.  58),  on  the  sixth  of  September ;  Thomson  {Hist,  of  War, 
p.  56),  on  the  fifth  of  September. 

2  Thomson's  Sketches  of  War,  p.  56. 

"  Narrative  of  Maj.  Richardson,  in  Aiichinleck's  His- 
tory of  the  War  ;  Armstrong's  Notices,  i.  p.  54. 


Chap.  XXIV.] 


THE  SIEGE  OF  FORT  HARRISON. 


127 


At  length,  about  two  hours  before 
sunset,  on  the  twelfth  of  September, 
the  army  reached  the  fort,  but  the  be- 
siegers had  disappeared ;  and  nothing 
remained  for  it  to  do  but  to  send  small 
parties  out  on  expeditions  against  a 
fugitive  and  more  nimble  enemy,  with 
no  other  result  than  the  destruction  of 
the  villages  and  cornfields  of  the  neigh- 
boring Indians.^ 

The  fort,  around  which  tlie  move- 
ments referred  to  took  j)lace,  was  on 
the  spot  where  General  Harmar  met 
the  savages  in  1790.  It  was  delio^ht- 
fully  situated,  on  an  eminence  on  the 
soutb  bank  of  the  Miami  of  the  Lake, 
immediately  below  the  junction  of  the 
St.  Mary's  and  the  St.  Joseph's.  It  was 
well   constructed    of  block-kouses    and 


picketing;  and  was  well  adapted  to 
withstand  any  attack  from  a  savage  en- 
emy, although,  a  British  force  could  not 
have  been  long  resisted.  At  the  time  of 
the  siege  which  is  the  subject  of  this 
chapter,  it  contained  a  full  supply  of 
stores  and  provisions,  witli  a  garrison 
of  about  seventy  men,  and  four  small 
field-pieces,  the  wliole  commanded  by 
Captain  Khea. 

It  is  not  recorded  that  any  damage 
was  done  to  the  fort,  or  that  either 
party  sustained  any  loss. 

[Note. — The  greater  part  of  this  short  narra- 
tive has  been  taken  from  McAfee's  "  History 
of  the  War  in  the  TFes^,"  published  in  Lexington, 
Kentucky,  in  1816.  Except  where  other  works 
have  been  cited,  therefore,  that  work  has  been 
my  only  authority.] 


CHAPTER    XXIY 


September  4  to  6,  1§12. 


THE     SIEGE      OF     FORT     HARRISON. 


The  plan  of  operations  which  Tecum- 
th^  had  adopted,  and  the  attack  on 
Fort  Wayne,  in  accordance  with  that 
plan,  have  been  referred  to  in  another 
chapter;^  and  it  only  remains,  on  that 
subject,  to  notice  the  attack  on  Fort 
Hari'ison,  wdiich  formed  part  of  the 
same  plan  of  operations. 

This  frontier  post  was  on  the  bank 
of  the  Wabash,  a  short  distance  above 


'  Breckeniidge,  p.  58  ;  Thomson,  p.  57  ;  Perkins'  His- 
tory of  Wai-,  p.  97.  Dr.  Peck  (Perkins  Annals  of  the 
West,  p.  619)  says  the  army  reached  the  fort  on  the 
sixteenlli. 

2  Vide  Chapter  XXIII. 


the  present  town  of  Terre  Haute,  Inrli- 
ana.-^  It  was  garrisoned  with  a  small 
party  of  the  Seventh  regiment  of  in- 
fantiy,  under  the  command  of  Captain 
Zachary  Taylor,  who,  with  his  command, 
had  suffered  severely  from  sickness;  and, 
at  the  time  of  the  action  now  under  con- 
sideration, only  ten  to  fifteen  effective 
men  were  within  its  lines.^ 

On  Thursday  evening,  the  third   of 
September,  two  young  men — settlers  in 


'  Perliins'  Annals  of  the  West,  p.  619. 
^  Capt.  Taylor  to  Gov.  Harrison,  Sept.  10,  1812  ;  Thum 
son's  Sketches,  p.  54. 


128 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  IL 


that  vicinity — were  killed  and  scalped 
in  the  immediate  neighborhood  of  the 
fort;^  and  late  in  the  evening  of  the 
next  day,  some  thirty  or  forty  Indians, 
and  about  ten  squaws,  from  the  Proph- 
et's town,  came  to  the  fort  and  desired 
admission.^  TheyAvere  generally  chiefs 
of  the  several  nations  composing  that 
band  of  fanatics,  among  whom  was 
Joseph  Lenar ;  they  carried  a  white 
■flao- ;  and  one  of  their  number  informed 
Captain  Taylor  that  they  desired  an  in- 
terview for  the  purpose  of  obtaining 
something  to  eat.^ 

As  Captain  Taylor  had  been  warned 
of  the  approach  of  this  party,  and  of  its 
hostile  intentions,  by  the  neighboring 
Miamis,  before  it  had  reached  the  fort, 
the  arms  of  the  garrison  were  examined 
at  retreat-beating,  found  to  be  in  good 
order,  and  the  supply  of  cartridges  in 
the  boxes  increased  to  sixteen  rounds 
per  man.*  Unusual  precautions  were 
also  taken  to  prevent  a  surprise,  as  the 
weakness  of  the  gari'ison  prevented  the 
detailing  of  more  than  six  privates  and 
two  non-commissioned  officers  for  guard 
duty ;  and  when  the  guards  were  set 
they  were  enjoined  to  be  vigilant  in 
the  discharge  of  their  duties.^ 

At  eleven  o'clock  the  fire  of  the  sen- 
tinels alarmed  the  commandant  and  the 
garrison,  when  it  was  discovered  that  a 
block-house,  which  formed  a  part  of  the 

1  Capt.  Taylor  to  Gov.  Harrison,  Sept.  10,  1812  ;  Thom- 
son's Sketches,  p.  54.  Mr.  McAfee  (Hist,  of  War  in  the 
West,  p.  153)  supposes  this  was  done  on  the  second;  and 
other  writers,  following  him,  have  fallen  into  the  same 
error. — *  McAfee,  p.  153  ;  Armstrong's  Notices,  i.  p.  55  ; 
Perkins'  Hist,  of  War,  p.  94 ;  Capt.  Taylor  to  Gov.  Har- 
ri.son,  Sept.  10. — 'Perkins'  Hist,  of  War,  p.  94;  Capt. 
Taylor  to  Gov.  Harrison,  Sept.  10  ;  Breckenridge's  Hist, 
of  War,  p.  66.— ■*  Perkins,  p.  94  ;  Capt.  'I'aylor  to  Gov. 
Harrison,  Sept.  10. — *  Ibid.;  Breckenridge's  Hist.,  p.  67. 


exterior  line  of  the  works,  had  been  set 
on  fii-e  by  the  Indians.-^  The  lower  part 
of  the  structure  was  occupied  by  the 
contractor  as  a  store-house  for  the  gar- 
I'ison's  supplies,  while  the  upper  part 
was  occupied  by  a  corporal  and  ten 
men,  as  an  alarm-post ;  and  its  destruc- 
tion would  not  only  deprive  the  garri- 
son of  provisions,  and  jeopardize  the 
barracks  which  adjoined  it,  but,  at  the 
same  time,  would  open  a  space  of  eigh- 
teen or  twenty  feet  in  the  outer  works 
of  the  fort.^  Orders  were,  accordingly, 
given  to  get  the  buckets  ready,  and  to 
extinguish  the  flames ;  but  so  slowly 
were  these  orders  obeyed,  that  the  fire 
had  communicated  with  a  barrel  of 
whiskey,  and  the  whole  interior  of  the 
block-house  was  in  flames,  and  beyond 
the  control  of  the  garrison,  before  any 
steps  were  taken  to  extinguish  them.^ 
In  fact,  the  entire  garrison  aj)pears  to 
have  been  filled  with  the  greatest 
alarm,  and  to  have  fallen  into  the  ut- 
most confusion ;  and  this,  with  the  yells 
of  the  savages, — who  had  been  joined 
by  several  hundreds  of  others,  who  had, 
probably,  been  concealed  in  the  imme- 
diate neighborhood,*  —  and  with  the 
cries  of  nine  women  and  children,  who 
had  taken  shelter  in  the  fort,  rendered 
the  situation  of  the  entire  fort  and  gar- 
rison somewhat  questionable.^ 

The  gallant  commandant,  amid  all 
this  confusion,  appears  to  have  retained 
his   presence   of   mind ;    and  he  imme- 

'  McAfee,  p.  153  ;  Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  54 ;  Perkins, 
p.  94 ;  Capt.  Taylor  to  Gov.  Harrison,  Sept.  10. 

*  Capt.  Taylor  to  Gov.  Harrison,  Sept.  10. 

'  Ibid.;  Perkins,  p.  94,  Breckenridge's  Hist.,  p.  67. 

■*  McAfee,  p.  153  ;  Armstrong's  Notices,  i.  p  55  ;  Biecli- 
enridge's  Hist.,  p.  67. — *  Capt.  Taylor  to  Gov.  Harrison, 
Sept.  10;  Breckenridge,  p.  67. 


Chap.  XXIV.] 


THE  SIEGE  OF  FORT  HARRISON. 


129 


cliately  ordered  that  portion  of  the  roof 
of  the  barracks  which  was  nearest  the 
l)ui'ning  block-house  to  be  thrown  down, 
and  the  end  of  the  barracks  to  be  kept 
wet ;  quieting  the  fears  of  the  men,  at 
the  same  time,  by  endeavoring  to  con- 
vince them  that  by  a  prompt  obedience 
to  this  oi'der,  the  barracks  might  be 
saved  and  the  enemy  repulsed,^  The 
success  of  this  eifort  fully  realized  the 
expectations  and  desires  of  the  com- 
mandant ;  and  every  man  appeared  to 
be  inspired  with  new  life.  With  a  de- 
gree of  deliberate  courage,  which  more 
nearly  approached  desperation,  the  in- 
valids and  convalescents  manned  the 
two  bastions  and  the  remaining  block- 
house, and  by  opening  and  keeping  up 
a  well-directed  fire  on  the  Indians,  they 
held  them  in  check,  and  protected  that 
portion  of  the  garrison  which  was  en- 
gaged in  checking  the  progress  of  the 
flames.^  The  men  who  were  able  to  do 
so,  with  Doctor  Clark  at  their  head, 
mounted  the  roof  of  the  barracks,  and, 
in  a  few  seconds,  threw  oflp  that  portion 
of  the  roof  which  was  in  jeopardy,  with 
the  loss  of  only  one  man  killed  and  two 
wounded.*  The  end  of  the  barracks, 
although  it  was  several  times  in  flames, 
was  effectually  preserved ;  and  the  space 
which  the  block-house  had  occupied  was 
all  which  was  exposed.*  ISTotwithstand- 
ing  the  enemy  kept  up  a  constant  and 
well-directed  fire  on  every  man  who 
showed  himself,  for  upwards  of  eight 
hours,  the  garrison  had  managed  to 
raise    a   temporary  breastwork,  before 

1  Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  55  ;  Capt.  Taylor  to  Gov.  Har- 
rison, Sept.  10. — "'  Capt.  Taylor  to  Gov.  Harrison,  Sept. 
10.— Mbid.;  Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  55;  Breckenridge's 
Hist.,  p.  67. — *  Capt.  Taylor  to  Gov.  Harrison,  Sept.  10. 
Vol.  11—17 


daylight,  and  every  effort  of  the  wily 
enemy  was  frustrated.^ 

A  constant  fire  was  kept  up  by  the 
savages  until  six  o'clock  on  the  morning 
of  the  fifth,  when  the  garrison  opened 
on  them,  "  with  some  effect,"  and  they 
immediately  removed  beyond  the  reach 
of  the  guns,  and  ceased  to  disturb  the 
gallant  captain  and  his  little  party .^ 

Not  to  be  entirely  disappointed,  how- 
ever, the  assailants  immediately  collect- 
ed the  horses,  cattle,  and  hogs  of  the 
neighboring  farmers,  shooting  the  hogs 
within  sight  of  the  garrison,  and  driving 
off  the  cattle.  The  horses  they  attempt- 
ed to  secure  ;  but  failing  to  accomplish 
this,  to  any  considerable  extent,  they 
immediately  shot  them,  also,  within 
sight  of  the  garrison.^ 

During  the  day  (Sept.  ^tJi)  the  garri- 
son strengthened  the  temporary  breast- 
work, which  had  been  erected  in  the 
opening  of  the  exterior  line,  which  the 
destruction  of  the  block-house  had  oc- 
casioned, by  erecting  a  row  of  strong 
pickets  within  it,  the  timbers  for  which 
were  obtained  by  tearing  down  the 
guard-house.*  The  savages,  after  hover- 
ing around  the  fort  all  the  day  and  suc- 
ceeding night,  decamped  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  sixth,  without  making  any 
farther  attempts  on  the  fort.^ 

The  little  garrison,  by  this  desperate 
and  successful  operation,  saved  the  post 
and  the  lives  of  those  who  had  sought 


'  Capt. Taylor  to  Gov.  Harrison,  Sept.  10  ;  Breckenridge, 
p.  67. — "Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  55;  Perkins,  p.  94; 
Capt.  Taylor  to  Gov.  Harrison,  Sept.  10. — '  Capt.  Taylor 
to  Gov.  Harrison,  Sept.  10  ;  Perkins,  p.  95. 

*  McAfee,  p.  153  ;  Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  55 ;  Per- 
kins, p.  95. 

'  Capt.  Taylor  to  Gov.  Harrison,  Sept.  10. 


130 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  11; 


refuge  within  the  lines ;  although  the 
destruction  of  the  block-house  deprived 
it  of  the  entire  stock  of  provisions 
which  had  been  provided  for  its  use, 
and  compelled  it  to  subsist  entirely  on 
green  corn,  until  a  fresh  supply  could 
reach  the  post  from  Vincennes.-^ 

The  number  of  the  entire  garrison 
did  not  exceed  fifty  ;^  those  who  were 
effective,  not  more  than  "ten  or  fifteen" 
men.^  That  of  the  enemy  comprised 
all  the  force  they  could  raise  in  that 
part  of  the  country,  and  they  had  as- 
sembled with  a  determination  to  take 
the  fort  either  by  stratagem  or  force.* 
The  loss  of  the  latter,  of  course,  is  not 
known;    the   garrison  lost   three   men 


killed  and  three  wounded^ — all  the  for- 
mer and  one  of  the  latter  while  dis- 
obeying or  disregarding  the  orders  of 
their  commander.^ 

Captain  Taylor  and  his  party  merited 
and  received  the  thanks  of  the  country 
for  their  gallant  and  successful  defence 
of  the  post.  The  Captain  received  a 
brevet  commission  as  Major — commen- 
cing, at  this  time,  that  series  of  brilliant 
exploits,  which  was  continued  until  the 
close  of  his  campaign  in  Mexico,  when 
a  grateful  and  admiring  jjeople  reward- 
ed him  by  bestowing  the  greatest  of  all 
human  honors — their  voluntary  suffra- 
ges for  the  office  of  President  of  the 
Republic. 


DOCUMEIN-T. 


LETTER  EROM  CAPTAIN  Z.  TAYLOR,  COMMANDING 
FORT  HARRISON,  INDIANA  TERRITORY,  TO  GEN- 
ERAL HARRISON. 

Fort  Haekison,  September  10. 
Dear  Sir: — On  Thursday  evening  the  3d 
instant,  after  retreat-beating,  four  guns  were 
heard  to  fire  in  the  direction  where  two  young 
men  (citizens  who  resided  here)  were  making 
hay,  about  four  hundred  yards'  distance  from 
the  fort.  I  was  immediately  impressed  with  an 
idea  that  they  were  killed  by  the  Indians,  as  the 
Miamis  or  Weas  had  that  day  informed  me  that 
the  Prophet's  party  would  soon  be  here  for  the 
purpose  of  commencing  hostilities ;  and  that 
they  had  been  directed  to  leave  this  place, 
which  we  were  about  to  do.  I  did  not  think  it 
prudent  to  send  out,  at  that  late  hour  of  the 
night,  to  see  what  had  become  of  them ;  and 


"  McAfee,  p.  154;  Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  55. 

2  McAfee,  p.  154. — °  Capt.  Taylor  to  Gov.  Harrison, 
Sept.  10.—*  McAfee,  p.  154 ;  Capt.  Taylor  to  Gov.  Har- 
rison, Sept.  10. 


their  not  coming  in,  convinced  me  that  I  was 
right  in  my  conjecture.  I  waited  until  eight 
o'clock  next  morning,  when  I  sent  out  a  corpo- 
ral, with  a  small  party,  to  find  them,  if  it  could 
be  done  without  running  too  much  risk  of  being 
drawn  into  an  ambuscade.  He  soon  sent  back 
to  inform  me  that  he  had  found  them  both 
killed,  and  wished  to  know  my  further  orders ; 
I  sent  the  cart  and  oxen,  had  them  brought  in 
and  buried ;  they  had  been  shot  with  two  balls, 
scalped,  and  cut  in  the  most  shocking  manner. 
Late  in  the  evening  of  the  4th  instant  old  Joseph 
Lenar,  and  between  thirty  and  forty  Indians, 
arrived  from  the  Prophet's  town,  with  a  white 
flag ;  among  whom  were  about  ten  women,  and 
the  men  were  composed  of  chiefs  of  the  different 
tribes  that  compose  the  Prophet's  party.  A 
Shawanoe  man,  that  spoke  good  English,  in- 
formed me  that  old  Lenar  intended  to  speak  to 
me  next  morning,  and  tiy  to  get  something  to 
eat.     At  retreat-beating  I  examined  the  men's 

'  Breckenridge's  History,  p.  67.—^  Capt.  Taylor  to  Gov. 
Harrison,  Sept..  10. 


Chap.  XXIV.] 


DOCUMENT. 


131 


arms,  and  found  them  all  in  good  order,  and 
completed  their  cartridges  to  sixteen  rounds 
per  man.  As  I  had  not  been  able  to  mount  a 
guard  of  more  than  six  privates  and  two  non- 
commissioned officers,  for  some  time  past,  and 
sometimes  part  of  them  every  other  day,  from 
the  unhealthiness  of  the  company,  I  had  not 
conceived  my  force  adequate  to  the  defence  of 
this  post,  should  it  be  vigorously  attacked,  for 
some  time  past.  As  I  had  just  recovered  from 
a  very  severe  attack  of  the  fever,  I  was  not  able 
to  be  up  much  through  the  night.  After  tattoo, 
I  cautioned  the  guard  to  be  vigilant,  and  order- 
ed one  of  the  non-commissioned  officers,  as  the 
sentinels  could  not  see  every  jaart  of  the  garri- 
son, to  walk  around  on  the  inside  during  the 
whole  night,  to  prevent  the  Indians  taking  any 
advantage  of  us,  provided  they  had  any  inten- 
tion of  attacking  us.  About  eleven  o'clock  I 
was  awakened  by  the  firing  of  one  of  the  senti- 
nels; I  sprang  up,  ran  out,  and  ordered  the 
men  to  their  posts ;  Avhen  my  orderly-sergeant 
(who  had  charge  of  the  upper  block-house) 
called  out  that  the  Indians  had  fired  the  lower 
block-house  (which  contained  the  property  of 
the  contractor,  which  was  deposited  in  the  low- 
er part,  the  upper  having  been  assigned  to  a 
corporal  and  ten  privates,  as  an  alarm  post). 
The  guns  had  began  to  fire  pretty  smartly  from 
both  sides.  I  directed  the  buckets  to  be  got 
ready  and  water  brought  from  the  well,  and  the 
fire  extinguished  immediately,  as  it  was  per- 
ceivable at  that  time ;  but  from  debility  or  some 
other  cause,  the  men  were  very  slow  in  execu- 
ting my  orders — the  word  fire  appeared  to  throw 
the  whole  of  them  into  confusion ;  and  by  the 
time  they  had  got  the  water  and  broken  open 
the  door,  the  fire  had  unfortunately  communi- 
cated to  a  quantity  of  whiskey  (the  stock  hav- 
ing licked  several  holes  through  the  lower  part 
of  the  building,  after  the  salt  that  was  stored 
there,  thi'ough  which  they  had  introduced  the 
fire  without  being  discovered,  as  the  night  was 
very  dark),  and  in  spite  of  every  exertion  we 
could  make  use  of,  in  less  than  a  moment  it  as- 
cended to  the  roof  and  baffled  every  effort  we 
could  make  to  extinguish  it.  As  that  block- 
house adjoined  the  barracks  that  made  part  of 
the  fortifications,  most  of  the  men  immediately 
gave  themselves  up  for  lost,  and  I  had  the  great- 


est difficulty  in  getting  my  orders  executed ; 
and,  sir,  what  from  the  raging  of  the  fire — the 
yelling  and  howling  of  several  hundred  Indians 
— the  cries  of  nine  women  and  children  (a  part 
soldiers'  and  a  part  citizens'  wives,  who  had 
taken  shelter  in  the  fort) — and  the  desponding 
of  so  many  of  the  men,  which  was  woi-se  than 
all — I  can  assure  you  that  my  feelings  were  very 
unpleasant — and,  indeed,  there  were  not  more 
than  ten  or  fifteen  men  able  to  do  a  great  deal, 
the  others  being  either  sick  or  convalescent ; 
and  to  add  to  our  other  misfortunes,  two  of  the 
stoutest  men  in  the  fort,  and  that  I  had  every 
confidence  in,  jumped  the  picket,  and  left  us. 
But  my  presence  of  mind  did  not  for  a  moment 
forsake  me.  I  saw,  by  throwing  off"  part  of  the 
roof  that  joined  the  block-house  that  was  on 
fire,  and  keeping  the  end  perfectly  wet,  the 
whole  row  of  buildings  might  be  saved,  and 
leave  only  an  entrance  of  eighteen  or  twenty 
feet  for  the  Indians  to  enter  after  the  house  was 
consumed  ;  and  that  a  temi^orary  bi'eastwork 
might  be  erected  to  prevent  their  even  entering 
there.  I  convinced  the  men  that  this  could  be 
accomplished,  and  it  ajjpeared  to  inspire  them 
with  new  life,  and  never  did  men  act  with  more 
firmness  or  desjaeration.  Those  that  were  able 
(while  the  others  kept  up  a  constant  fire  from 
the  other  block-house  and  the  two  bastions) 
mounted  the  roofs  of  the  houses,  with  Dr.  Clark 
at  their  head  (M'ho  acted  with  the  greatest  firm- 
ness and  presence  of  mind  the  whole  time  the 
attack  lasted,  which  was  seven  hours),  under  a 
shower  of  bullets,  and  in  less  than  a  moment 
threw  off"  as  much  of  the  roof  as  was  necessary. 
This  was  done  only  with  the  loss  of  one  man 
and  two  Avounded,  and  I  am  in  hopes  neither  of 
them  dangerous;  the  man  that  was  killed  was  a 
little  deranged,  and  did  not  get  off"  the  house  as 
soon  as  directed,  or  he  would  not  have  been 
hurt ;  and,  although  the  barracks  were  several 
times  in  a  blaze,  and  an  immense  quantity  of 
fire  against  them,  the  men  used  such  exertion 
that  they  kept  it  under,  and  before  day  raised  a 
temporary  breastwork  as  high  as  a  man's  head, 
although  the  Indians  continued  to  pour  in  a 
heavy  fire  of  ball  and  an  innumerable  quantity 
of  arrows  during  the  whole  time  the  attack 
lasted,  in  every  part  of  the  parade.  I  had  but 
one  other  man  killed,  nor  any  other  wounded 


132 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


inside  the  fort,  and  he  lost  his  life  by  being  too 
anxious ;  he  got  into  one  of  the  gallies  in  the 
bastions,  and  fired  over  the  pickets,  and  called 
out  to  his  comrades  that  he  had  kUled  an  In- 
dian, and  neglecting  to  stoop  down,  in  an  in- 
stant he  was  shot  dead.  One  of  the  men  that 
jumped  the  pickets,  returned  an  hour  before 
day,  and  running  up  towards  the  gate,  begged 
for  God's  sake  for  it  to  be  opened.  I  suspected 
it  to  be  a  stratagem  of  the  Indians  to  get  in,  as 
I  did  not  recollect  the  voice  ;  I  directed  the 
men  in  the  bastion,  where  I  happened  to  be,  to 
shoot  him,  let  him  be  who  he  \vould  ;  and  one  of 
them  fired  at  him,  but  fortunately  he  ran  up  to 
the  other  bastion,  where  they  knew  his  voice, 
and  Dr.  Clark  directed  him  to  lie  do^vn  close  to 
the  pickets,  behind  an  empty  barrel  that  hap- 
pened to  be  there,  and  at  daylight  I  had  him 
let  in.  His  arm  was  broke  in  a  most  shocking 
manner,  which  he  says  was  done  by  the  In- 
dians— which  I  suppose  was  the  cause  of  his  re- 
turning ;  I  think  it  probable  that  he  will  not 
recover.  The  other,  they  caught  about  one 
hundred  and  thirty  yards  from  the  garrison, 
and  cut  him  all  to  j^ieces.  After  keeping  up  a 
constant  fire  until  about  six  o'clock  the  next 
morning,  which  we  began  to  return  with  some 
eifect  after  daylight,  they  removed  out  of  the 
reach  of  our  guns.  A  party  of  them  drove  up 
the  horses  that  belonged  to  the  citizens  here, 
and  as  they  could  not  catch  them  very  readily, 
shot  the  whole  of  them  in  our  sight,  as  well  as 
a  number  of  their  hogs.  They  drove  off  the 
whole  of  the  cattle,  which  amounted  to  sixty- 
five  head,  as  well  as  the  public  oxen.  I  had  the 
vacancy  filled  up  before  night  (which  was  made 
by  the  burning  of  the  block-house),  with  a  strong- 
row  of  pickets,  which  I  got  by  puUing   down 


the  guard-house.  We  lost  the  whole  of  our 
provisions,  but  must  make  out  to  live  upon 
green  corn  until  we  can  get  a  supply,  which  I 
am  in  hopes  wiU  not  be  long.  I  believe  the 
whole  of  the  Miamis  or  Weas  were  among  the 
Prophet's  party,  as  one  chief  gave  his  orders  in 
that  language,  which  resembled  Stone  Eater's 
voice,  and  I  believe  Negro  Legs  was  there  like- 
wise. A  Frenchman  here  understands  their 
diflferent  languages;  and  several  of  the  Miamis 
or  Weas,  that  have  been  frequently  here,  were 
recognized  by  the  Frenchman  and  soldiers,  next 
morning.  The  Indians  sufi"ered  smartly,  but 
were  so  numerous  as  to  take  ofi"  all  that  were 
shot.  They  contmued  with  us  imtil  the  next 
morning,  but  made  no  farther  attempt  on  the 
fort,  nor  have  we  seen  any  thing  more  of  them 
since.  I  have  delayed  informing  you  of  my  sit- 
uation, as  I  did  not  like  to  weaken  the  garrison, 
and  I  looked  for  some  person  from  Vincennes, 
and  none  of  my  men  were  acquainted  with  the 
woods,  and  therefore  I  would  either  have  to 
take  the  road  or  river,  which  I  was  fearful  was 
guarded  by  small  parties  of  Indians  that  would 
not  dare  attack  a  company  of  rangers  that  was 
on  a  scout ;  but  being  disappointed,  I  have  at 
length  determined  to  send  a  coujale  of  my  men 
by  water,  and  am  in  hopes  they  will  arrive  safe. 
I  think  it  would  be  best  to  send  the  provisions 
under  a  pretty  strong  escort,  as  the  Indians  may 
attempt  to  jjrevent  their  coming.  If  you  carry 
on  an  expedition  against  the  Prophet  this  fall, 
you  ought  to  be  well  provided  with  every 
tiling,  as  you  may  calculate  on  having  every 
inch  of  ground  disputed,  between  this  and  there, 
that  they  can  defend  with  advantage. 

Wishing,  &c.,  Z.  Tayloe. 

His  Excellency,  Gov.  Harrison. 


CHAPTER    XXV. 


September  5  to  §,  1812. 

THE  ATTACK  ON  FORT  MADISON. 


At  Bellevne,  on  the  bank  of  tlie  Mis- 
sissippi River,  a  short  distance  from 
Saint  Louis,  at  the  time  of  which  we 
write,  was  one  of  those  outposts  which 
are  occasionally  established  for  some 
temporary  purpose  among  the  Indians.^ 
It  was  named  '"''  Fort  Madison^''  and  its 
garrison  was  a  small  party  of  the  First 
regiment  of  light-infantry,  under  the 
command  of  Lieutenants  Hamilton  and 
Vasques.^  The  site  of  the  "fort"  was 
exceedingly  ineligible,  —  on  its  south 
side  the  approach  of  an  enemy  was 
completely  sheltered  by  a  bank  of  the 
river ;  on  its  east  "  it  was  worse  yet ; " 
on  its  west  a  deep  water-course  afforded 
a  similar  shelter ;  and  on  the  north  was 
a  hill  which  completely  commanded  the 
work,^ — and  it  was  entirely  unfit  for 
any  purpose  of  defence  whatever. 

Late  in  the  afternoon,  on  the  fifth  of 
September,  1812,  it  was  suddenly  at- 
tacked by  a  body  of  upwards  of  two 
hundred  Winnebagoes.*  They  "  sneak- 
ed "  up  to  the  fort,  as  was  "  their  usual 
mode ; "  and  one  of  the  garrison,  named 
John  Cox,  was  shot  and  scalped  within 
twenty-five  paces  of  one  of  the  senti- 
nels, who    fired  on   them    as  they  ap- 


'  Sketches  of  the  War,  p.  77. — '  Lieut.  Hamilton's  Dis- 
patch, Sept.  10. — ^Ibid.;  Sketches  of  the  War,  p.  77; 
Niles'  Register,  iii.  p.  142. 

^  Lieut.  Hamiltou's  Dispatch,  Sept.  10  ;  Sketches  of 
the  War,  p.  77. 


proached.^  From  that  time  until  dark 
the  fire  was  kept  up  on  both  sides ; 
yet  the  shelter  which  both  enjoyed — 
the  garrison  from  the  fort,  and  the  en- 
emy from  the  banks  already  referred 
to — protected  both  from  any  loss.^ 

On  the  morning  of  the  sixth  the 
action  was  renewed ;  and,  from  every 
side,  the  enemy  poured  into  the  fort 
a  constant  shower  of  balls  and  buck- 
shot, while,  at  the  same  time,  another 
party  was  engaged  in  destroying  all 
the  live-stock  in  the  neighborhood.  At 
four  in  the  afternoon  the  enemy  ap- 
peared to  concentrate  his  force  under 
the  bank  of  the  liver,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  an  attack  in  that  quarter,  and 
upwards  of  four  hundred  shot  were 
speedily  thrown  into  the  fort.  One  of 
these  cut  the  flag-halyards,  and  the  col- 
ors floated  gently  down  to  the  ground, 
amid  the  shouts  of  triumph  which  the 
enemy  sent  up,  under  the  impression 
that  the  garrison  would  now  surrender.^ 

On  the  morning  of  the  seventh  the 
operations  were  commenced  by  a  dis- 
play, on  sticks,  of  the  head  and  heart 
of  John  Cox — the  former  painted  after 
the  fashion  of  the  savages.*  Imme- 
diately   afterwards    the    fir-e    was    re- 


'  Lieut.  Hamilton's  Dispatch,  Sept.  10  ;  Niles'  Register, 
iii.  p.  142. — 'Ibid. — 'Lieut.  Hamilton's  Dispatch,  Sept. 
10.— ■•  Ibid. 


134 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


newed,  and  it  was  steadily  continued 
during  the  entire  day.^  About  seven 
o'clock  a  boat  and  lier  cargo,  belonging 
to  a  Mr.  Graham,  were  set  on  fire  and 
destroyed;^  and,  soon  afterwards,  two 
boats  belonging  to  the  garrison,  and  a 
neighboring  house  and  buildings,  be- 
longing to  Mr.  Juliean,  were  also  de- 
stroyed.''^  During  the  day,  perceiving 
that  but  little  progress  had  been  made 
in  the  reduction  of  the  fort,  by  the 
means  already  employed,  the  enemy 
adopted  the  plan  of  attempting  to  do 
so  by  throwing  firebrands  on  the  roofs 
of  the  block-houses  and  barracks,  and 
by  discharging  arrows,  laden  with  com- 
bustibles, into  the  works.* 

The  moral  effect  of  this  expedient 
M^as  very  great,  and  the  little  garrison 
was  thrown  into  a  "little  panic."^  At 
this  moment  the  ingenuity  of  the  com- 
mander was  taxed  to  the  utmost,  not 
only  in  devising  means  to  prevent  the 
destruction  of  the  works,  but  in  sooth- 
ing the  minds  of  his  men,  and  in  allay- 
ing their  fears.  He  confesses  "  that  at 
this  moment  lie  felt  some  little  confu- 
sion," as  well  he  might,  but  he  imme- 
diately ordered  eight  old  gun-barrels 
"  to  he  made  into  squirts^''  and  holes  to 
be  broken  through  the  roofs  of  the 
buildings ;  when,  by  a  skilful  and  con- 
stant use  of  his  impromptu  syringes,  he 
was  "  able,  in  a  few  minutes,  to  make 
the  roofs  as  wet  as  if  there  had  fallen  a 
shower  of  rain,"  and  the  arrangements 
of  the  enemy  were  again  frustrated.^ 

'  Lieut.  Hamilton's  Dispatch,  Sept,  10  ;  Sl?:etches  of 
War,  p.  77. — =  Niles'  Register,  iii.  p.  142. — '  Lieut.  Ham- 
ilton's Dispatcli,  Sept.  10. — "  Niles'  Register,  iii.  p.  142  ; 
Sketches  of  the  War,  pp.  77,  78. — *  Lieut.  Hamilton's 
Dispatch,  Sept.  10.— »  Ibid. ;  Sketches  of  the  War,  p.  78  ; 
Niles'  Register,  iii,  pp.  142,  143. 


About  sunset  the  house  and  build- 
ings of  Mr.  McNabb,  a  neighboring  set- 
tler, were  set  on  fire,  and  the  vigilant 
commander  immediately  understood  that 
it  was  the  intention  of  the  enemy  to  de- 
stroy all  the  neighboring  buildings  in 
the  same  manner.  A  large  store-house 
stood  very  near  to  the  exterior  line  of 
the  fort,  and  Lieutenant  Hamilton 
feared  that  the  enemy  only  waited  a 
change  of  the  wind — when  the  destruc- 
tion of  that  building  would  jeopai-dize 
those  within  the  fort — in  their  deter- 
mined destruction  of  that  also.  As  the 
wind  had  then  fallen,  and  the  building 
could  tlien  be  burned,  without  any  haz- 
ard, the  Lieutenant  determined  to  an- 
ticipate their  movements  by  destroying 
it  himself.  For  this  purpose,  after  dark, 
he  dispatched  a  man,  with  port-fire  and 
other  materials,  and  the  building  was 
burned  to  the  ground  without  injuring 
the  fort.^ 

During  the  same  night  (^8ept.  ^tli) 
the  enemy  took  possession  of  an  old 
stable,  near  the  works,  and  "fortified  it;" 
and  at  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning  of 
the  eighth,  he  renewed  his  attack  on 
the  fort,  by  means  of  his  small  arms, 
arrows,  burning  brands,  and  prepared 
arrows.^  Two  cannon-shot,  directed  by 
Lieutenant  Vasques,  compelled  the  en- 
emy to  abandon  the  stable,  with  great 
precipitation ;  ^  while  the  gun-barrel 
syringes  preserved  the  buildings  from 
injury  from  the  combustibles  which 
were   thrown    by  him.*      The    conflict 

'  Lieut.  Hamilton's  Dispatch,  Sept.  10  ;  Sketches  of 
the  War,  p.  78. 

'  Lieut.  Hamilton's  Dispatch,  Sept.  10  ;  Niles'  Regis- 
ter, iii.  p.  143. 

'  Lieut.  Hamilton's  Dispatch,  Sept.  10. 

*  Sketches  of  the  War,  p.  78. 


Chap.  XXVI.] 


THE  EXPEDITION  TO  GANAKOQUI. 


135 


was  kept  up  with  the  greatest  resolu- 
tion until  ten  o'clock  on  the  same  night ; 
when,  probably,  discouraged  with  the 
poor  success  which  attended  his  efforts, 
the  enemy  disappeared,-^ 


The  loss  of  the  enemy  is  not  known ; 
the  only  loss  which  the  garrison  sus- 
tained, beside  the  death  of  Cox,  was 
the  slight  wound,  in  the  nose,  of  one  of 
the  men/ 


CHAPTER    XXVI. 

September  21,  1§12. 

THE    EXPEDITION     TO     GAE'ANOQUI. 


In"  all  wars  between  adjoining  coun- 
tries, the  most  active  of  the  combatants 
have  ever  been  those  who  live  on  the 
borders;  and  the  inhabitants  of  the 
Canadas  and  those  on  the  border  coun- 
ties within  the  United  States,  during 
the  last  war  with  Great  Britain,  were 
not  an  exception  to  the  general  rule. 

In  the  middle  of  September,  1812, 
Captain  Benjamin  Forsyth,  of  the  New 
York  Rifles,  having  learned  that  the 
King's  store-house  at  Gananoqui,  in  Can- 
ada, was  comparatively  unprotected,  he 
resolved  to  attack  it.  For  this  purpose 
he  organized  a  party  of  one  hundred 
and  four  men^ — seventy  of  them  being 
riflemen  and  thirty-four  militia — and, 
on  the  evening  of  the  twentieth  of  Sep- 
tember, he  embarked  at  Cape  Vincent, 
in  Jefferson  County,  'New  York,  for  that 
purpose. 

Gananoqui  then,  as  now,  was  a  small, 
but  flourishing  villao-e,  in  the  town  of 
Leeds,  in  Canada;  and  is  situated  on 
the  northern  bank  of  the  St.  Lawrence, 


'  Lieut.  Hamilton's  Dispatch,  Sept.  10,  The  author  of 
the  Sketches  (p.  78)  and  the  informant  of  Mr.  Niles  (iii.  p. 
143)  suppose  the  enemy  remained  there,  or  in  the  vicin- 
ity, some  days  longer. — ^  Mr.  Christie  {Military  Operations 
in  Canada,  p.  80)  says  it  numbered  one  hundred  and  fifty  men. 


at  the  mouth  of  the  Gananoqui  River, 
on  the  "Lake  of  the  Thousand  Isles."^ 

At  an  early  hour  in  the  morning  of 
the  twenty-first,  the  expedition  landed 
at  a  short  distance  from  the  villaofe, 
without  opposition ;  although  it  was 
seen  and  fired  on,  shortly  afterwards, 
by  a  party  of  regulars  and  about  fifty 
Canadian  militia,  about  a  hundred  and 
twenty-five  in  number.^  After  a  short 
engagement  the  enemy  fled  in  confu- 
sion, and  were  pursued  by  Captain  For- 
syth, until  the  former  reached  the  vil- 
lage, where  he  rallied  and  renewed  the 
engagement.  After  continuing  it  a  short 
time,  the  enemy  again  fled,*  leaving 
ten  of  his  party  dead  on  the  field,  be- 
sides the  wounded ;  and  eight  regulars 
and  several  militia,  prisoners,  in  the 
hands  of  the  victors.^ 

After  paroling  the  militia  who  had 

'  Lieut.  Hamilton's  dispatch,  Sept.  10. — "^  Smith's  Can- 
ada, ii.  p.  296. — '  Mr.  Christie  {Military  Operations,  p.  80) 
says  the  militia  were  fifty  in  number,  but  makes  no  allu- 
sion to  the  regulars.  As  several  regulai-s  were  among 
the  prisoners,  however,  it  is  evident  there  were  regulars 
in  the  party.  Gen.  Brown  {Dispatch  to  Gov.  Tompkins)  says 
one  hundred  and  ten. 

*  Christie's  Military  Operations  in  Canada,  p.  80. 

*  Mr.  Christie  {Mdiiary  Operations,  p.  80)  says  "four 
men  found  in  the  hospital,  and  a  dragoon,  were  made 
prisoners  and  carried  away." 


136 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


fallen  into  his  hands,  and  setting  fire  to 
the  store-house,  which,  with  a  quantity 
of  flour  and  pork,  was  wholly  consumed, 
Captain  Forsyth  and  his  party  retui-ned 
to  New  York,  with  his  eight  prisoners, 
sixty  stand  of  arms,  two  barrels  of  fixed 
ammunition,  a  barrel  of  gunpowder,  and 
one  of  gun-flints,  and  "some  other  arti- 
cles of  public  property,"  as  trophies  of 


his  prowess,  only  one  man  of  his  party 
having  been  killed,  and  one  slightly 
wounded. 

[Note. — This  narrative  has  been  taken  from 
an  account  of  the  expedition  which  was  printed 
in  Niks''  Register,  iii.  p.  93  ;  in  Sketches  of  the 
War  (Eutland,  Vt,  1815),  p.  79;  and  in  '-The 
War"  (N.  Y.,  1813),  i.  p.  71.  Any  other  au- 
thority than  this  which  has  been  employed,  will 
be  found  referred  to  in  the  foot-notes.] 


CHAPTER     XXYII. 

September  27,  1S12.> 
THE     "NONSUCH,    OF     BALTIMORE." 


Amokg  the  most  active  and  success- 
ful of  the  private  vessels  of  war,  which 
were  sent  out  during  the  last  war 
with  Great  Britain,  were  the  celebrated 
"  Baltimore  clippers." 

One  of  these — the  Nonsucli^  com- 
manded by  Captain  Levely,  mounting 
twelve  twelve-pound  carronades,  and 
manned  with  between  eighty  and  nine- 
ty men  ^ — was  cruising  near  Martinique, 
on  the  twenty-seventh  o"^  September, 
1812,  when  she  fell  in  with  a  ship  and 
schooner,  showing  British  colors.  The 
ship  immediately  opened  a  fire  on  the 
Nonsuch^  when  the  latter  bore  down, 
shoAved  her  colors,  and  returned  the  fire. 

The  schooner  immediately  joined  her 
consort,  and  during  three  hours  and 
twenty  minutes  the  Nonsuch  sustained 

'  Mr.  Mies  {Register,  iii.  p.  172)  says  it  occurred  on  the 
iwenty-eigliih,  and  Capt.  Coggeshall  {Hist,  of  Privateers,  p. 
87)  concurs  with  him.  As  the  log-book  of  the  Nonsuch, 
under  date  of  '■^  Sept.  27,"  gives  the  details  of  the  engage- 
ment, I  have  followed  it,  in  preference  to  vs'liat,  other- 
wise, would  be  satisfactory  authority. 

^  Niles'  Register,  iii.  p.  172. 


a  close  and  determined  action  with  both 
vessels — each  of  the  three  employing 
every  means  within  her  power  to  crip- 
ple her  opponent — when  the  contestants 
separated  without  either  of  them  strik- 
ing her  colors. 

The  details  of  the  engagement  have 
not  been  recorded ;  but  the  desperation 
with  which  it  was  conducted  will  be 
seen  in  the  relative  strength  of  the  par- 
ties and  in  their  respective  losses. 

The  Nonsuch^  after  sustaining  the  ac- 
tion over  three  hours  and  a  quartei-, 
was  unable  to  continue  it,  except 
with  her  small-arms,  the  bolts  and 
breachings  of  every  gun  having  been 
carried  away.  Her  rigging,  also,  had 
sufifered  severely ;  her  hull  was  consid- 
erably damaged  ;  she  leaked  badly ; 
and  one  officer  and  three  of  her  crew 
had  been  hilled^  and  one  officer  and  six 
men  wounded. 

The  ship  —  which  mounted  sixteen 
eighteen  or  twenty-four  pound  carron- 
ades, and  carried  two  hundred  men,  in- 


Chap.  XXVIII.] 


THE  REPULSE  AT  OGDENSBURG,  N.  Y. 


137 


eluding  soldiers — Lad  received  consid- 
erable damage,  both  in  her  hull  and 
rigging,  and  lost  twenty-three  of  her 
crew,  killed  and  wounded.'^ 

The  schooner — which  mounted  six 
four-pounders,  and  carried  sixty  men — ■ 
was  also  seriously  damaged,  but  the  de- 
tails have  not  been  given. 

When  the  aggregate  strength  of  the 
opposing  vessels  is  considered,  it  will  be 


seen  that  this  engagement  was  exceed- 
ingly well  conducted  ;  and  that  the 
crew  of  the  little  clipper,  as  the  captain 
expresses  it  on  his  log-book,  "  all  fought 
like  true  Americans." 

[Note. — Except  where  other  authorities  have 
been  referred  to,  the  Log-book  of  the  Nonsuch^ 
as  quoted  in  "  The  War,^^  i.  92,  and  in  JViles^ 
Hegister,  iii.  p.  172,  have  been  my  only  au- 
thority.] 


CHAPTER    XXY  III. 

October  4,  1§12. 
THE    REPULSE    AT    OGDENSBURG,  N.Y. 


The  feeling  which  had  been  displayed 
by  the  inhabitants  of  the  frontiers,  both 
of  Canada  and  the  United  States,  has 
been  alluded  to  in  a  preceding  chapter ; 
and  an  instance  of  the  warlike  spirit 
which  prevailed  has  been  given  in  that 
place.^ 

In  retaliation  of  that  expedition,  it  is 
probable,  a  counter-expedition  was  or- 
ganized in  Canada,  without  the  concur- 
rence of  the  commander  of  the  district,^ 
and  Ogdensburg  was  the  point  against 
which  it  was  determined  to  move.  Ac- 
cordingly, on  Friday,  the  second  of 
October,  1812,  about  forty  boats  were 
moved  up  the  St.  Lawrence  ;  and,  about 
sunset  of  that  day,  they  reached  Johns- 
town, under  the  escort  of  two  gunboats.* 
Immediately  afterwards  a  heavy  fire 
was  opened  on  the  village  of  Ogdens- 
burg, by  the  British  batteries  at  Pres- 

'  Niles'  Kegister,  iii.  p.  172.— «  Vide  Chap.  XXVI. 
^  Christie's  Military  Operations,  &c.,  p.  81. 
'  The  Palladium,  Ogdensburg,  Tuesday  Oct.  6,  1812  ; 
Hough's  St.  Lawrence  County,  p.  625. 
Vol.  II.— 18 


cott,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river  ;  ^ 
under  cover  of  which  the  flotilla  moved 
up  to  Prescott,  and  reached  that  place 
in  safety.  The  fire  was  harmless,  and 
was  promptly  returned  by  the  Ameri- 
can batteries,  under  General  Jacob 
Brown,  of  the  New  York  militia.^ 

On  the  following  morning  {Saturday^ 
Oct.  3(^)  the  fire  was  renewed  from  the 
Canada  shore,  but  as  General  Brown 
would  not  answer  it,  it  was  discontinued 
half  an  hour  afterwards.  The  remain- 
der of  the  day  was  spent,  by  the  ene- 
my, in  preparing  his  boats  for  some- 
thing more  serious.^ 

At  about  ten  o'clock  on  Sunday 
morning,  the  fourth  of  October,  twen- 
ty-five boats,  under  convoy  of  two  gun- 
boats, mounting  nine-pounders,  moved 
up  the  St.  Lawrence,  from  Prescott, 
about  three-quarters   of  a  mile,  when 

'  The  Palladium,  Ogdensburg,  Tuesday,  Oct.  6,  1812 
Hough's  St.  Lawrence  Co.,  p.  625;  The  War,  i.  p.  75 
Niles'  Register,  iii.  p.  126.—'  The  I'alladium,  Oct.  6 
Hough's  St.  Lawrence  Co.,  p.  625. — °  Ibid. 


138 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


they  tacked  and  stood  in  for  Ogdens- 
burg.^  They  carried  "  a  force  of  seven 
hundred  and  fifty  men,  regulars  and 
militia,"^  under  Colonel  Lethbridge,  and, 
as  soon  as  they  tacked,  the  batteries  at 
Pi-escott  opened  a  heavy  fire  on  the  vil- 
lage, which  was  intended  to  cover  the 
debai-kation,  and  to  facilitate  the  at- 
tack.^ 

When  the  flotilla  had  reached  the 
middle  of  the  river,  until  which  time 
it  had  been  silent,  the  battery  at  Og- 
densburg  opened  its  fire.*  This  bat- 
tery was  composed  of  a  brass  six-pound- 
er under  Adjutant  Church,  and  an  iron 
twelve-pounder,  under  a  citizen  named 
Joseph  York ;  and  the  pieces  were  sta- 
tioned "near  the  stone  warehouse."^ 
The  company  of  riflemen,  under  Cap- 
tain Benjamin  Forsyth,  who  had  com- 
manded at  Gananoqui,®  had  assembled 
with  the  militia;'^  and,  under  the  com- 
mand of  General  Jacob  Brown,  a  heavy 
fire  from  their  small-arms,  also,  was 
thrown  upon  the  enemy  as  he  ap- 
proached the  shore.^  The  fire  was  re- 
turned by  the  latter,  both  from  his 
artillery  and  his  small-arms ;    and,  for 


1  Christie,  p.  81 ;  The  Palladium,  Oct.  6  ;  Hough's  St. 
Lawrence  Co.,  p.  625.—"  Christie,  p.  81.—'  The  Palla- 
dium, Oct.  6  ;  Hough's  St.  Lawrence  Co.,  p.  625. 

*  Christie,  p.  81 ;  The  Palladium,  Oct.  6  ;  Hough's  St. 
Lawrence  Co.,  p.  625. — *  Hough's  St.  Lawrence  Co.,  p. 
625.—°  Vide  Chap.  XXVL— ■"  Hough's  St.  Lawrence  Co., 
p.  625.—"  Ibid. 


about  an  hour,  both  parties  contended 
for  the  victory.^ 

At  that  time,  it  is  said,^  two  of  the 
enemy's  boats  were  so  much  injured 
that  he  was  compelled  to  abandon 
them,  and  one,  with  its  crew,  was  cap- 
tured by  the  Americans ;  when  he  con- 
sidered it  expedient  to  withdraw  from 
the  contest  and  return  to  Prescott. 

It  is  said,  also,  that  "  not  a  drop  of 
blood  was  lost  on  the  side  of  the  Amer- 
icans, but  some  little  damage  was  done 
to  property  and  buildings  by  the  shot 
of  the  enemy."  ^  Of  the  enemy,  three 
were  killed  and  four  were  wounded.* 

It  may  appear  remarkable  to  the 
reader,  as  it  does  to  me,  that  so  little 
damage  was  done,  and  with  so  little 
loss  of  life,  while  the  conflict  was  so 
protracted.  It  can  only  be  accounted 
for,  from  the  fact  that  the  troops  on 
both  sides  were  wholly  inexperienced, 
and  the  practice  with  artillery  was  be- 
yond the  range  of  their  abilities.  In 
that  case,  at  a  quarter  of  a  mile  distant, 
— the  range  in  this  instance, — the  con- 
testants were  comparatively  safe ;  and 
the  execution  formed  the  exception 
rather  than  the  rule. 


'  The  Palladium,  Oct.  6,  1812.  Mr.  Niles  {Register,  ill. 
p.  126)  says,  '^  about  two  hours." — "  Niles'  Kegister,  iii.  p. 
126.  Neither  Christie,  Hough,  or  the  Palladium  allude 
to  this  loss  ;  and  I  doubt  the  statement. 

°  Hough's  St.  Lawrence,  p.  625  ;  Niles'  Kegister,  iii.  p. 
126.— ^Christie,  p.  81. 


CHAPTER    XXIX 


October  9,  1§12. 

THE    CAPTURE    OF    THE    DETROIT   AND    CALEDONIA. 


With  the  capture  of  Detroit,  the 
United  States  brig  of  war  Adams  passed 
into  the  hands  of  the  enemy ;  and  the 
naval  force  of  the  Federal  government, 
on  Lake  Erie,  ceased  to  exist.  The  as- 
cendency of  the  enemy's  naval  power, 
on  all  the  upper  lakes,  gave  him  a 
great  advantage  in  all  those  portions  of 
the  country  which  bordered  on  these 
waters ;  and  the  government  of  the 
United  States  took  immediate  meas- 
ui'es  to  remedy  the  evil.  For  this  pur- 
pose Lieutenant  Jesse  D.  Elliott  was 
sent  to  superintend  the  naval  affairs  in 
that  quarter,  with  directions  to  pur- 
chase, or  to  provide  material  for  build- 
ing, a  squadron,  as  circumstances  might 
warrant.^ 

While  thus  employed,  two  British 
vessels  dropped  down  the  lake,  and, 
on  the  morning  of  the  eighth  of  Octo- 
ber, cast  tlieir  anchors  off  Fort  Erie.^ 
On  the  same  day  intelligence  reached 
Lieutenant  Elliott  that  a  detachment 
of  seamen  was  within  a  short  march  of 
the  frontier;  and  they  arrived  at  Buf- 
falo on  the  same  day.^  As  the  seamen 
were  almost  entirely  without  arms. 
Lieutenant  Elliott    applied  to  General 


'Cooper's  Naval  Hist.,  ii.  p.  151. — ''Lieut.  Elliott's 
Dispatch,  Oct.  9  ;  Sir  I.  Brock  to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  Oct.  11  ; 
Breclvenridge's  Hist.,  p.  70. — -Lieut.  Elliott's  Dispatch, 
Oct  9  ;  Breckenridge,  p.  71.  Mr.  Cooper  {Naval  Hist..,  i. 
p.  152)  says  it  was  the  seventh  when  they  arrived. 


Smythe,  the  officer  in  command  of  the 
troops  in  that  vicinity,  for  the  necessary 
means ;  and  that  officer  promptly  com- 
plied, not  only  by  issuing  the  necessary 
arms  and  ammunition,  but  also,  by  per- 
mitting fifty  soldiers,  under  Captain 
Towson,  to  join  the  expedition  as  vol- 
unteers.^ 

By  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  all 
the  necessary  preparations  had  been 
made,  and  his  party,  embracing  one 
hundred  men, — sailors  and  soldiers, — 
had  been  stationed  in  two  large  boats, 
which  had  been  provided  for  the  pur- 
pose. At  one  o'clock  in  the  morning 
of  the  ninth,  accompanied  by  a  boat- 
load or  two  of  citizens,  the  expedition 
left  the  Buffalo  Creek;  and  dropping 
down  the  river,  in  great  silence,  with- 
in two  hours  it  was  alongside  the  ves- 
sels without  having  been  discovered.^ 
Springing  over  the  bulwarks  of  the 
strangers,  the  assailants  overcame  their 
crews,  almost  without  a  struggle ;  and 
in  less  than  ten  minutes  the  prisoners 
were  all  secured,  the  topsails  all  sheet- 

I  Lieut.  Elliott's  Dispatch,  Oct.  9.  Mr.  Cooper  (Naval 
Hist,  ii.  p.  152)  errs  when  he  supposes  Gen.  Smythe  was 
the  commander,  and  had  furnished  this  assistance  on  his 
own  authority.  Lieut.  Elliott  had  applied  to  Gen.  Van 
Rensselaer  (Letter  to  Gen.  Hall,  Sept.  25),  and  the  latter  had 
directed  the  assistance  to  be  afforded. 

"  Lieut.  Elliott's  Dispatch,  Oct.  9  ;  Brock's  Life  of 
Brock,  p.  323  ;  Sir  I.  Brock  to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  Oct.  11 ; 
Breckenridge,  p.  71  ;  Maj.  Richardson's  Narrative,  cited 
in  Auchinleck's  History,  p.  92. 


140 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


eel  home,  and  tlie  vessels  under  weigh.^ 
The  wind  being  too  light  to  carry  the 
vessels  up  the  river,  against  the  current, 
they  were  run  down  the  stream,  past 
the  forts,  and  were  exposed  to  a  very 
heavy  fire  of  round,  grape,  and  canister, 
the  larger  of  the  two  anchoring  at  a 
distance  of  about  four  hundred  yards 
from  the  enemy's  batteries ;  and  the 
smaller  running  ashore  near  the  Ameri- 
can works  at  Black  Rock.^ 

The  enemy's  fire  continuing,  the  guns 
of  the  larger  of  the  two  vessels  were  all 
removed  to  one  side,  and  the  fire  was 
returned  "  as  long  as  the  ammunition 
which  was  on  board  lasted,  and  circum- 
stances permitted."^  During  all  this 
time  the  most  untiring  efforts  were 
made  to  tow  the  vessel  to  the  American 
shore,  beyond  the  reach  of  the  enemy's 
guns,  but  the  want  of  lines  of  sufiicient 
length,  and  the  strength  of  the  current, 
prevented  the  accomplishment  of  this 
purpose.* 

Finding  that  the  enemy's  fire  was  so 
heavy  that  the  safety  of  the  vessel  was 
seriously  endangered.  Lieutenant  Elliott 
determined  to  cut  her  cable  and  drift 
down  the  stream  beyond  the  reach  of 
the  enemy's  guns ;  but,  at  this  moment, 
the  discovery  was  made  that  the  pilot 
had  abandoned  the  brig,  and,  after  drift- 
ing about  ten  minutes,  she  ran  ashore  on 
Squaw  Island,  near  the  American  shore. 
The  prisoners  were  immediately  sent 
ashore  ;  but  the  strength  of  the  current 


'Lieut.  Elliott's  Dispatch,  Oct  9;  Breckenridge,  p. 
71  ;  Clark's  Naval  Hist.,  p.  160.—=  Lieut.  Elliott's  Dis- 
patch, Oct.  9  ;  Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p.  323  ;  Sir  I. 
Brock  to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  Oct.  11  ;  Breckenridge,  p.  71. 

'  Lieut.  Elliott's  Dispatch,  Oct.  9. — ■*  Ibid.;  Cooper, 
ii.  p.  153  ;  Clark's  Naval  History,  p.  160. 


prevented  the  return  of  the  boats,  with 
which  it  had  been  designed  to  remove 
some  of  the  movable  property  from  the 
vessel,  and  that  project  was  abandoned.-^ 

The  vessel  was  immediately  placed 
under  the  protection  of  Lieutenant- 
colonel  Winfield  Scott  ;^  and,  about 
the  same  time,  she  was  boarded  by  a 
party  of  the  Forty-ninth  regiment,  from 
Fort  Erie.^  A  fire  was  immediately 
opened  on  the  brig  from  the  Ameri- 
can shore ;  and,  in  their  turn,  her  last 
possessors  were  driven  from  the  vessel, 
with  considerable  loss.* 

During  the  remainder  of  the  day  the 
troops  on  both  sides  of  the  river  ap- 
peared to  be  determined  to  destroy  the 
brig ;  and  a  very  heavy  fire  was  direct- 
ed on  her,  rendering  it  impossible  to 
remove  her.^  At  an  early  hour  in  the 
evening  General  Sir  Isaac  Brock  reach- 
ed the  spot,  and  made  arrangements  for 
a  renewal  of  the  attempt  to  recover  the 
the  vessel ;  but,  before  the  preparations 
to  do  so  had  been  completed,  she  was 
boarded  by  a  party  of  the  Fifth  United 
States  infantry,  and  in  a  few  minutes 
was  in  flames.® 

The  larger  of  these  two  vessels  was 
the  Detroit^  brig  of  war — the  same 
which,  under  the  name  of  Adams^  had 
been  taken  from  the  Americans  at  De- 
troit.'^     She  was  commanded  by  Lieu- 


1  Sir  I.  Brock  to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  Oct.  11 ;  Lieut.  El- 
liott's Dispatch,  Oct.  9;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  158. 

'  Lieut.  Elliott's  Dispatch,  Oct.  9 ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  153. 

'  Sir  I.  Brock  to  Sir  Geo.  Prevost,  Oct.  11,  1812. 

'  Sir  I.  Brock  to  Sir  Geo.  Prevost,  Oct.  11  ;  Cooper,  ii. 
p.  153. — *  Lieut.  Elliott's  Dispatch,  Oct.  9  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p. 
153. _8  Sir  I.  Brock  to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  Oct.  11  ;  Brecken- 
ridge, p.  71  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  153  ;  Clark's  Hist.,  p.  161. 

'  Lieut.  Elliott's  Dispatch,  Oct.  9 ;  Brock's  Life  of 
Brock,  p.  323;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  151. 


Chap.  XXIX.] 


DOCUMENT. 


141 


tenant  Rolette/  mounted  six  six-pound- 
ers, and  mustered  fifty-six  men ;  besides 
whom  thirty  American  prisoners  were 
on  board.^  The  party  who  attacked 
her  lost  one  man  killed,  and  Midship- 
man Cummings  was  wounded.^ 

The  smaller  of  the  two  was  the  North- 
west Company's  brig  Caledonia'^ — that 
which  performed  a  part  in  the  capture 
of  Michilimacinac.^  She  was  command- 
ed by  Mr.  Irvine,®  mounted  two  small 
guns,  and  mustered  twelve  men,  beside 


whom  ten  prisoners  were  on  board. ^ 
The  party  who  had  moved  against  her 
lost  one  man  killed,  and  four  others 
were  mortally  wounded.^  On  this  ves- 
sel was  a  valuable  cargo  of  furs  and 
peltry^ — probably  a  portion  of  that 
which  had  been  received  on  board  of 
this  vessel  at  Michilimacinac* 

The  conduct  of  Lieutenant  Elliott 
was  applauded  throughout  the  country  ; 
and  Congress  voted  him  its  thanks  and 
a  sword  of  honor ,^ 


D  0  C  U  M  E  :N'  T, 


LETTER   FROM   CAPTAIN  ELLIOTT  TO   THE    SECRE- 
TARY  OF  THE  NAVY. 

Black  Eock,  Oct.  8. 
Sir  : — I  have  the  honor  to  inform  you,  that 
on  the  morning  of  the  8th  instant  two  British 
vessels,  wliich  I  was  informed  were  His  Britan- 
nic Majesty's  brigs  Detroit^  late  the  United 
States'  brig  Adcans,  and  the  brig  Hunter., 
mounting  fourteen  guns,  but  which  afterwards 
proved  to  be  the  brig  Caledonia.,  both  said  to 
be  well  armed  and  manned,  came  down  the 
lake  and  anchored  under  the  protection  of  Fort 
Erie.  Having  been  on  the  lines  for  some  time, 
and  in  a  measure  inactively  employed,  I  deter- 
mined to  make  an  attack,  and  if  possible  get 
possession  of  them.  A  strong  inducement  to 
this  attempt  arose  from  a  conviction  that  with 
these  two  vessels,  added  to  those  which  I  have 
purchased  and  am  fitting  out,  I  should  be  able 
to  meet  the  remainder  of  the  British  force  on 
the  upper  lakes,  and  save  an  incalculable  ex- 
pense and  labor  to  the  government.  On  the 
morning  of  their  arrival  I  heard  that  our  sea- 
men were  but  a  short  distance  from  this  place, 

■  Sir  I.  Brock  to  Sir  a.  Prevost,  Oct.  11.—*  Lieut.  El- 
liott's Dispatch,  Oct.  9  ;  Brocli's  Life  of  Brock,  p.  323. 

^  Lieut.  Elliott's  Dispatch,  Oct.  9.  Mr.  Cooper  supposes 
others  were  wounded  on  the  Detroit. — *  Lieut.  Elliott's 
Dispatch,  Oct.  9  ;  Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p.  823. 

'  Vide  Chap.  XV. — °  Maj.  Richardson,  cited  in  Auchin- 
leck's  History  of  War,  p.  92. 


and  unmediately  dispatched  an  express  to  the 
officers,  directing  them  to  use  all  possible  dis- 
patch in  getting  their  men  to  this  place,  as  I  had 
important  service  to  perform.  On  their  arrival, 
which  was  about  twelve  o'clock,  I  discovered 
that  they  had  only  twenty  pistols,  and  neither 
cutlasses  or  battle-axes.  But  on  application  to 
Generals  Smith  and  Hall  of  the  regulars  and 
militia,  I  was  supplied  with  a  few  arms,  and 
General  Smith  was  so  good,  on  my  request,  as 
immediately  to  detach  fifty  men  from  the  regu- 
lars armed  with  muskets. 

By  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  I  had  my 
men  selected  and  stationed  in  two  boats,  which 
I  had  previously  prepared  for  the  purpose. 
With  these  boats,  fifty  men  in  each,  and  under 
circumstances  very  disadvantageous,  my  men 
having  scarcely  had  time  to  refresh  themselves 
after  a  fatiguing  march  of  five  hundred  miles,  I 
put  off  from  the  mouth  of  Buffalo  Creek,  at  one 
o'clock  the  following  morning,  and  at  three  I 
was  alongside  the  vessels.  In  the  space  of  about 
ten  minutes  I  had  the  prisoners  all  secured,  the 
topsails  sheeted  home,  and  the  vessels  under 
way.  Unfortunately  the  wind  was  not  suf- 
ficiently strong  to  get  up  a  rapid  current  into 

'  Lieut.  Elliott's  Dispatch,  Oct.  9  ;  Brock's  Life  of 
Brock,  p.  328.-2  Ljeut.  Elliott's  Dispatch,  Oct.  9 ;  Cooper, 
ii.  p.  153. — '  Lieut.  Elliott's  Dispatch,  Oct.  9  ;  Perkins' 
Hist,  of  War,  p.  105.— «  Vide  Chap.  XV. 

'  Journal  of  Congress. 


142 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  n. 


the  lake,  where  I  had  understood  another 
armed  vessel  lay  at  anchor,  and  I  was  obliged 
to  run  down  the  river  by  the  forts,  under  a 
heavy  fire  of  round,  grape,  and  canister,  from 
a  number  of  jDieces  of  heavy  ordnance  and  sev- 
eral pieces  of  flying-artillery,  was  compelled  to 
anchor  at  a  distance  of  about  four  hundred 
yards  from  two  of  their  batteries.  After  the 
discharge  of  the  first  gun,  which  was  from  the 
flying-artillery,  I  hailed  the  shore,  and  observed 
to  the  ofiScer,  that  if  another  gun  was  fired  I 
would  bring  the  ^^I'isoners  on  deck  and  expose 
them  to  the  same  fate  we  should  all  share ;  but, 
notwithstanding,  they  disregarded  the  caution, 
and  continued  a  constant  and  destructive  fire. 
One  single  moment's  reflection  determined  me 
not  to  commit  an  act  that  would  subject  me  to 
the  imputation  of  barbarity.  The  Caledonia 
had  been  beached  in  as  safe  a  position  as  the 
circumstances  would  admit  of,  under  one  of  our 
batteries  at  Black  Rock.  I  now  brought  all  the 
guns  oi  t\\Q  Detroit  on  one  side,  next  the  enemy, 
stationed  the  men  at  them,  and  directed  a  fire, 
which  was  continued  as  long  as  our  ammunition 
lasted  and  circumstances  permitted.  During 
the  contest  I  endeavored  to  get  the  Detroit  on 
our  side  by  sounding  a  line,  there  being  no  wind 
on  shore,  with  all  the  line  I  could  muster ;  but 
the  current  being  so  strong,  the  boat  could  not 
reach  the  shore.  I  then  hailed  our  shore,  and 
requested  that  warps  would  be  made  fast  on 
land,  and  sent  on  board ;  the  attemjjt  to  all 
which  again  proved  useless.  As  the  fire  was 
such  as  would,  in  all  probability,  sink  the  vessel 
in  a  short  time,  I  determined  to  drift  down  the 
river  out  of  reach  of  the  batteries,  and  make  a 
stand  against  the  flying-artillery.  I  accordingly 
cut  tlae  cable,  made  sail  with  very  light  airs, 
and  at  that  instant  discovered  that  the  pilot  had 
abandoned  me.  I  dropped  astern  for  about  ten 
minutes,  when  I  was  brought  up  on  our  shore 
on  Squaw  Island ;  got  the  boarding-boat  ready, 
had  the  prisoners  put  in  and  sent  on  shore,  with 
directions  for  the  oflicer  to  return  for  me  and 
what  property  we  could  get  from  the  brig.  He 
did  not  return,  owing  to  the  difiiculty  in  the 
boat's  getting  on  shore.  Discovering  a  skiff 
under  the  counter,  I  put  the  four  remaining 
prisoners  in  a  boat,  and  with  my  oflicers  I  went 
on  shore  to  bring  the  boat  oflT.     I  asked  for  pro- 


tection to  the  brig  of  Lieutenant-colonel  Scott, 
who  readily  gave  it.  At  this  moment  I  discov- 
ered a  boat,  with  about  forty  soldiei-s  from  the 
British  side,  making  for  the  brig.  They  got  on 
board,  but  were  soon  compelled  to  abandon  her, 
with  the  loss  of  nearly  all  their  men.  During 
the  whole  of  this  morning  both  sides  of  the 
river  kept  up  alternately  a  continual  fire  on  the 
brig,  and  so  much  injured  her  that  it  was  im- 
possible to  have  floated  her.  Before  I  left  her 
she  had  several  heavy  shot  of  large  size  in  her 
bends,  her  sails  in  ribbons,  and  rigging  all  cut 
to  pieces. 

To  my  oflicers  and  men  I  feel  under  great  ob- 
ligation. To  Captain  Towson  and  Lieutenant 
Roach,  of  the  Second  regiment  of  artillery.  En- 
sign Prestman,  of  the  infantry.  Captain  Chapin, 
Mr.  John  McComb,  Messrs.  John  Town,  Thomas 
Dain,  Peter  Overstocks,  and  James  Sloan,  resi- 
dent gentlemen  of  BuflTalo,  for  their  soldier  and 
sailor  like  conduct.  In  a  word,  sir,  every  man 
fought  as  if  with  their  hearts  animated  only  by 
the  interest  and  honor  of  their  country. 

The  prisoners  I  have  turned  over  to  the  mili- 
tary. The  Detroit  mounted  six  six-pound  long- 
guns,  commanding  lieutenant  marines,  a  boat- 
swain and  gunner,  and  fifty-six  men ;  about 
thirty  American  prisoners  on  board,  muskets, 
pistols,  cutlasses,  and  battle-axes.  In  boarding 
her  I  lost  one  man,  one  oflicer  wounded,  Mr. 
John  C.  Cummings,  acting  midshipman,  a  bay- 
onet through  the  leg  :  his  conduct  was  correct, 
and  deserves  the  notice  of  the  department.  The 
Caledonia  mounted  two  small  guns,  blunder- 
busses, pistols,  muskets,  cutlasses,  and  boarding- 
pikes  ;  twelve  men,  including  officers,  ten  pris- 
oners on  board.  The  boat  boarding  her,  com- 
manded by  Sailing-master  George  Watts,  per- 
formed his  duty  in  a  masterly  style.  But  one 
man  killed,  and  four  wounded  badly,  I  am 
afraid  mortally.  I  inclose  you  a  list  of  the  offi- 
cers and  men  engaged  in  the  enterprise,  and 
also  a  view  of  the  lake  and  river  in  the  different 
situations  of  attack.  In  a  day  or  two  I  shall 
forward  the  names  of  the  prisoners.  The  Cale- 
donia belongs  to  the  Northwest  Company,  load- 
ed with  furs,  worth,  I  understand,  $200,000. 

With  sentiments  of  respect,  I  have  the  honor 
to  be,  &c.,  Jesse  D.  Elliot. 

Hon.  Paul  Hamilton,  Secretary  of  Navy. 


CHAPTER    XXX 


OcSotocr  13,  1§12. 

THE     BATTLE     OF     QUEENS  TOWN. 


The  campaign  iu  the  Nortliwest  had 
been  productive  of  nothing  but  disaster, 
— the  invasion  of,  and  the  inglorious  re- 
treat from,  Canada  ;^  the  loss  of  Michili- 
macinac,^  the  defeat  of  Major  Van  Horn,^ 
the  massacre  at  Chicao^o/  and  the  sur- 
render  of  the  entire  army  of  the  North- 
west, at  Detroit,^  following  each  other 
in  rapid  succession, — and  on  the  North- 
ern and  Western  frontiei's  of  New  York 
had  been  thrown  the  entire  streu2:th  of 
a  victorious  and  haughty  enemy .^ 

In  the  mean  time,  for  the  purpose  of 
reducing  "the  pressure  made  upon  Gen- 
eral Hull,  and  to  reinstate  the  ascenden- 
cy he  had  lost  on  the  Detroit,"^  General 
Dearborn,  to  whom  the  command  of 
"the  army  of  the  North"  had  been  as- 
signed, was  ordered  to  threaten  the  en- 
emy's posts  on  the  Niagara  frontier;^ 
and  he  was  directed,  also,  to  hold  him- 
self in  readiness  to  move  ao-ainst  Kins's- 
ton  and  Montreal,  for  the  same  purpose, 
should  such  a  movement  be  considered 
necessary.^      In   the   discharge    of  this 

'  McAfee's  Hist,  of  War  in  Western  Conntr)',  pp.  60-77. 

=  Capt.  Koberts  to  Adj. -Gen.,  July  17,  1812;  Lieut. 
Hanks  to  Gen.  Hull,  Aug.  14, 1812.—=  McAfee,  pp.  73-75. 

*  Dispatch  of  Capt.  Heald,  "  Pittsburg,  Oct.  23,  1812  ;" 
Annals  of  the  West  {Second  Ed.),  pp.  601-615;  James' 
Military  Occur.,  i.  p.  67. — '  Gen.  Brock  to  Sir  Geo.  Pre- 
vost,  Aug.  17  ;  Gen.  Hull  to  Sec.  of  War,  Aug.  26,  1812. 

'  Wilkinson's  Mem.,  i.  p.  564. — ■"  Armstrong's  Notes, 
i.  p.  97. — ®  Sec.  of  War  to  Gen.  Dearborn,  June  26,  July 
15,  20.  29,  Aug.  1,  1812.—'  Sec.  of  War  to  Gen.  Dear- 
born, June  26  and  Aug.  1,  1812. 


duty,  and  by  direction  of  the  President, 
General  Dearborn  had  made  a  requisi- 
tion on  Governor  Tompkins,  of  New 
York,  for  a  strong  body  of  militia;^ 
and  these,  too,  had,  by  orders  from  the 
Secretary  of  War,^  been  concentrated 
in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  Lewiston, 
on  the  Niagara  Piver.^  The  command 
of  this  body  of  troops  had  been  assigned, 
by  the  Governor,  to  General  Stephen 
Van  Pensselaer,  of  Albany,*  the  senior 
Major-general  in  New  York,  a  gentle- 
man whose  purity  of  character  had 
added  lustre  to  a  name  already  emi- 
nent in  the  annals  of  New  Yoi'k ;  and 
he  had,  diligently,  employed  all  his 
energies  in  organizing  his  feeble  and 
scattered  forces,  and  iu  collectino-  the 
supplies  which  the  general  government 
had  neglected  to  furnish  for  their  use.^ 
By  the  provisions  of  an  armistice  which 
General  Dearborn  had,  fortunately,  en- 
tered into  with  Sir  George  Prevost,® 
General  Van  Rensselaer   was   enabled 


>  Van  Eensselaer's  Affair  at  Queenstown,  p.  9;  "The 
Battle  of  Queenstown,"  by  Hon.  Francis  Baylies,  in 
"The  AUmny  Argus;'  Albany,  Feb.  11,  1846. 

"  Sec.  of  War  to  Gen.  Dearborn,  July  29. 

'  Wilkinson's  Mem.,  i.  p.  566. — *  Van  Eensselaer's 
Queenstown,  p.  9  ;  Perkins'  History  of  War,  p.  104  ; 
Sketches  of  the  War,  p.  57. 

'  Van  Rensselaer's  Queenstown,  pp.  9-13 ;  Gen.  Wil- 
kinson's Memoirs,  i.  p.  566  ;  Gen.  Van  Eensselaer  to  Gen. 
Dearborn,  Oct.  8,  1812. 

^  Brock's  Life  and  Correspondence  of  Sir  Isaac  Brock, 
pp.  293,  294;  Van  Eensselaer's  Queenstown,  p.  11. 


144 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


to  accomplish  the  latter/  although  the 
troops  which  had  been  ordered  to  the 
frontier  came  in  very  slowly.^ 

Through  the  inefficiency  of  the  Fed- 
eral authorities,^  and  the  weakness  of 
the  force  already  on  the  frontier,  but 
little  had  been  done ;  and  the  people 
and  the  army,  alike,  began  to  manifest 
considerable  uneasiness  on  the  subject.* 
In  deference  to  the  popular  "  clamor 
for  active  operations,"  General  Van 
Rensselaer  "  resolved  to  gratify  his  own 
inclinations  and  those  of  the  army,  by 
commencing  offensive  operations  ;"^  and 
he  immediately  prepared  his  plans,  and, 
ineffectually,  attempted  to  submit  them 
for  the  consideration  of  his  subordinates, 
in  a  council  which  he  called  for  that 
purpose.®  Through  an  oversight  of  the 
general,  in  his  order,  the  proposed 
council  was  not  assembled;''  and  G-en- 
ei'al  Van  Rensselaer  was  constrained  to 
issue  his  orders  for  the  invasion  of 
Canada,  without  having  received  any 
advice  on  the  subject,  from  those  who 
were  associated  with  him  in  the  com- 
mand of  the  troops.^  He  had  resolved 
to  attack  the  village  and  heights  of 
Queenstown,  on   the  western  bank  of 


'  Col.  Fenwick  reached  Four-mile  Creek,  with  the  can- 
non and  stores,  on  the  fourth  of  September. 

"  Van  Rensselaer's  Queenstown,  pp.  10-18  ;  Gen.  Wil- 
kinson's Mem.,  i.  p.  567  ;  Gen.  Van  Eensselaer  to  Gen. 
Dearborn,  Oct.  8. — '  Gov.  Tompkins  to  Gen.  Van  Rens- 
selaer, Sept.  9,  1812. — *  Armstrong's  Notices,  i,  p.  100  ; 
Thomson's  Sketches  of  War,  p.  68  ;  Perkin's  Hist,  of 
War,  p.  105. — '  Van  Rensselaer's  Queenstown,  pp.  18-20  ; 
Gen.  Van  Rensselaer  to  Gen.  Dearborn,  Oct.  14 ;  Wilkin- 
son's Mem.,  i.  p.  572. — '  Van  Rensselaer's  Queenstown, 
pp.  18-20 ;  Gen.  Van  Rensselaer  to  Gen.  Dearborn,  Oct. 
8,  1812. — '  Gen.  Van  Rensselaer  to  Gen.  Dearborn,  Oct. 
14,  1812  :  Wilkinson's  Mem.,  i.  pp.  566,  567  ;  Van  Rens- 
selaer's Queenstown,  p.  19. 

"  Gen.  Van  Rensselaer  to  Gen.  Smyth,  Sept.  30,  1812 ; 
Van  Rensselaer's  Queenstown,  p.  20. 


the  Niagara^ — a  post  which,  at  that 
time,  more  than  at  the  present,  possess- 
ed a  great  degree  of  importance,  from 
the  fact  that  it  was  the  eastern  termi- 
nus of  the  portage  between  Lake  On- 
tario and  the  upper  lakes  ;^  and  the 
occupation  of  that  point  would  cut  off 
the  entire  line  of  communication  be- 
tween the  enemy's  upper  and  lower 
posts.^  He  also  desired  to  occupy  the 
excellent  barracks  in  that  vicinity,  as 
winter-quarters  for  his  army,  not  only 
for  the  comfort  of  his  troops,  pe?'  se^  but 
that  he  might  be  enabled  to  commence 
his  operations  at  an  early  day  in  the 
ensuing  spring.* 

At  the  period  in  question  General 
Smyth  occupied  a  position  at  Black 
Rock,  with  sixteen  hundred  and  fifty 
regulars ;  while  distributed  between  the 
same  post  and  Buffalo,  were  three  hun- 
dred and  eighty-six  militia,  under  Lieu- 
tenant-colonels Swift  and  Hopkins.  At 
the  same  time  twenty-two  hundred  and 
seventy  militia,  under  Generals  Miller 
and  Wadsworth,  had  been  assembled 
in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  headquar- 
ters at  Lewiston ;  while  a  body  of  regu- 
lars, about  five  hundred  and  fifty  in 
number,  commanded  by  Lieutenant- 
colonel  Fenwick,  and  about  eight  hun- 
dred regular  troops,  under  Major  Mul- 
lany,  were  in  garrison  at  Fort  Niagara.^ 
On  the  other  hand  the  strength  of  the 


'  Gen.  Van  Eensselaer  to  Gen.  Dearborn,  Oct.  8  ;  Arm- 
strong's Notices,  i.  p.  100  ;  Sketches  of  the  War,  p.  62. 

'^  Niles'  Register,  iii.  p.  141. — '  Gen.  Van  Rensselaer  to 
Gen.  Dearborn,  Oct.  8. — *  Ibid. 

'  Wilkinson's  Mem.,  i.  p.  580  ;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i. 
p.  80  ;  Auchinleck's  Hist.,  p.  101.  For  other  accounts  of 
the  disposition  of  the  forces,  see  Thomson's  Sketches,  p. 
68  ;  Perkin's  Hist,  of  War,  p.  104 ;  and  other  authors  on 
the  subject. 


Chap.  XXX.] 


THE  BATTLE  OF  QUEENSTOWN. 


145 


enemy,  scattered  along  the  same  extent 
of  the  frontier  as  the  American  force, 
was  about  fifteen  hundred  men;^  of 
which  a  small  detachment  of  the  Forty- 
first  regiment,  under  Captain  Bullock, 
and  the  flank  companies  of  the  Second 
regiment  of  Lincoln  militia,  under  Cap- 
tains Hamilton  and  Kous,  were  at 
Chippewa ;  ^  the  flank  companies  of  the 
Forty-ninth,  under  Captains  Dennis  and 
Williams,  two  companies  of  voltigeurs, 
and  a  small  body  of  militia,  were  at 
Queenstown ;  ^  and,  with  the  exception 
of  a  few  small  parties  of  militia  scatter- 
ed along  the  line,  the  remainder,  under 
General  Sheaffe,  were  at  Fort  George;* 
but  in  the  person  and  abilities  of  Gen- 
eral Sir  Isaac  Brock,  the  commander  of 
this  force,  the  enemy  enjoyed  an  ad- 
vantage which  the  mere  strength  of  un- 
disciplined and  factious  numbers  could 
never  overcome. 

Queenstown,  the  contemplated  point 
of  attack,  as  has  been  said  before,  occu- 
pied the  eastern  terminus  of  the  great 
portage  between  Lakes  Erie  and  On- 
tario.^ It  stands  on  the  western  bank 
of  the  Niao-ara  River,  at  the  foot  of  the 
rapids,  about  seven  miles  below  the 
falls ;  and  occupies  a  plain  at  the  foot 
of  the  heights,  through  which,  at  a  right 
ano;le  with  them,  the  Nias^ara  River  has 
found  a  passage  for  the  great  body  of 


'  Brock's  Life  of  Sir  Isaac  Brock,  p.  322.  Mr.  Auchin- 
leck  (HiM.  of  War,  p.  100)  and  Mr.  James  {Mil.  Occur.,  p. 
80)  say  the  enemy  "could  not  muster  1200  men."  Mr. 
Perkins  (Eist.  Late  War,  p.  104)  says  it  numbered  2400 
men  and  400  Indians  ;  while  the  Sketches  of  War,  p.  62, 
makes  it  2800.—'  Auchinleck's  Hist,  of  War,  p.  101. 

'  Wilkinson's  Mem.,  i.  pp.  571,  574  ;  Van  Rensselaer's 
Queenstown,  p.  29  ;  Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p.  462,  note. 

••  Auchinleck's  Hist,  of  War,  p.  101. — '  Niles'  Eegister, 
iii.  p.  141  ;  Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  69. 
Vol.  II.— 19 


waters  from  the  upper  lakes.^  On  these 
heights,  south  from  the  village,  was  a 
battery,  on  which  an  eighteeu-pounder 
had  been  mounted  f  while  at  Vromont's 
Point — about  a  mile  below,  on  the  bank 
of  the  river — was  another  work,  on 
which  was  mounted  a  twenty-four  pound 
carronade.^ 

The  tardiness  of  the  troops,  from 
whom  so  much  had  been  expected,  had 
arrested  the  attention  of  the  press  and 
the  people  ;  and  the  disaffection  among 
the  latter  had  begun  to  show  itself  in 
the  ranks  of  the  army  itself,  from  which 
it  speedily  became  apparent  that  a 
movement  against  the  enemy  was  ab- 
solutely necessary.*  Whether  or  not  it 
was  borne  in  mind  that  the  command- 
ing general  had  steadily  opposed  the 
war  from  the  beginning ;  and  that,  from 
thence,  it  had  been  supposed  that  the 
delay  was  caused  by  him,  for  political 
or  personal  purposes,  does  not  certainly 
appear ;  yet  there  are  circumstances 
connected  with  this  disaffection,  with 
the  subsequent  movements,  and  with 
the  resignation  of  the  command,  soon 
afterwai'ds,  by  General  Van  Rensselaer, 
which  can  only  be  explained  by  such 
an  hypothesis. 

At  length  "the  calls  to  be  led  to 
battle  became  more  and  more  urgent 
and  imperious,  and  the  general  found 
himself,  at  last,  obliged  either  to  dis- 
miss   the    troops,    or   to    gratify   their 


'  Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  69  ;  James'  Military  Occur- 
rences, 1.  p.  84  ;  Smith's  Canada,  ii.  p.  197. 

*  Christie's  Military  and  Naval  Operations  in  the  Cana- 
das,  p.  83  ;  Brock's  Life  of  Gen.  Brock,  p.  329. 

'  Brock's  Life  of  Gen.  Brock,  p.  329 ;  Map  in  Auchin- 
leck's History  of  War,  p.  98. — *  Gen.  Van  Rensselaer's 
Lispatch,  Oct.  14,  1812  ;  Perkins'  History  of  War,  p.  105. 


146 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


wishes."^  The  several  posts  wliicli  the 
enemy  occupied  had  been  carefully  ex- 
amined by  different  officers,  who  had 
visited  them  on  official  business ;  and 
tlie  character  of  the  defences,  as  well  as 
the  strength  of  their  garrisons,  had 
been  carefully  noted,  and  was  known 
to  the  general.^  At  an  early  hour,  on 
the  tenth  of  October,  thirteen  large 
boats,  capable  of  transporting  three 
hundi'ed  and  forty  men,  with  their 
equipments,  were  brought,  on  wagons, 
from  Gill's  Creek,  two  miles  above  the 
falls,  and  launched  at  Lewiston;^  and 
experienced  boatmen  were  obtained, 
and  held  in  readiness  to  take  them 
across  the  river  at  the  time  appointed.* 
Lieutenant-colonel  Fenwick's  flying-ar- 
tillery, and  a  detachment  of  the  regular 
troops,  had  been  ordered  from  Fort 
Magara;^  and  General  Smyth,  with  as 
large  a  detachment  from  his  command 
as  existing  circumstances  might  war- 
rant, had  been  ordered  from  Buffalo® — 
both  of  them  for  the  purpose  of  sup- 
porting the  expedition,  and  of  rescuing 
it  should  it  be  unsuccessful.  Three 
o'clock  in  the  morning  of  the  eleventh 
of  October  had  been  appointed  as  the 
hour  when  the  movement  should  be 
made  ;''  and  Lieutenant-colonel  Solomon 
Van  Rensselaer,  the  commanding  gen- 
eral's aid,  had  been  placed  in  command 

'  Van  Rensselaer's  Queenstown,  p.  20.  See  also  Wil- 
kinson's Mem.,  i.  p.  572  ;  Baylies'  Battle  of  Queenstown  ; 
Breckenridge's  War,  p.  71. — ^  Van  Rensselaer's  Queens- 
town, pp.  20,  21.—'  Ibid.,  p.  21 ;  Perkins'  Hist,  of  War, 
p.  106. — *  Gen.  Van  Rensselaer  to  Gen.  Dearborn,  Oct.  14. 

'  Van  Rensselaer's  Queenstown,  p.  21  ;  Perkins'  Hist, 
of  War,  p.  106  ;  Tliomson's  Sketches,  p.  69. 

°  Van  Rensselaer's  Queenstown,  p.  21 ;  Gen.  Van  Rens- 
selaer to  Gen.  Dearborn,  Oct.  14. — ''  Van  Rensselaer's 
Queenstown,  p.  21 ;  James'  Military  Occurrences,  i.  p.  85 ; 
Perkins'  History  of  War,  p.  106. 


of  the  proposed  expedition^ — an  ar- 
rangement which,  at  this  time,  appears 
unaccountable,  when  it  is  remembered 
that  some  of  the  officers  of  the  regular 
troops,  who  had  been  ordered  to  join 
the  expedition,  ranked  Lieutenant-col- 
onel Van  Rensselaer,  whose  commission 
was  only  in  the  militia  of  New  York, 
while  they  were  in  the  service  of  the 
United  States.^  At  the  appointed  hour 
the  troops  were  at  the  rendezvous,  ready 
for  embarkation,  but  there  were  no 
boats  to  receive  them ;  and  after  stand- 
ing on  the  bank  of  the  river,  exposed 
to  the  pelting  of  an  unusually  severe 
northeast  storm,  until  the  next  morn- 
ing, the  expedition  was  postponed.^ 

It  appeared,  afterwards,  that  Lieu- 
tenant Sims — to  whom,  as  "  the  man  of 
the  greatest  skill  for  this  service,"  the 
management  of  the  boats  had  been  in- 
trusted— had  carried  them  up  the  river, 
far  beyond  the  appointed  place  of  ren- 
dezvous ;  that  he  had  then  ran  his  boat 
ashore ;  and  that,  after  securing  it,  he 
had  "  abandoned  the  detachment."  *  The 
cotempoi'ary  historians  of  the  affair  have 
not  recorded  the  motive  which  influ- 
enced Lieutenant  Sims  to  adopt  so  re- 
markable a  course  ;  yet,  subsequent 
events  would   appear   to   indicate  the 


'  Gen.  Van  Rensselaer  to  Gen.  Dearborn,  Oct.  14  ;  Bay- 
lies' Battle  of  Queenstown  ;  Perkins'  History,  p.  106. 

''  "Lieut. -Col.  N.  Y.  militia  volunteers:  commanded 
in  assault  on  Queenstown  Heights, U.  C,  Oct.  13, 1812." — 
Gardner's  Diet,  of  Am.  Army,  p.  461.  Lieut. -Col.  Fenwick 
took  rank  from  Dec.  2,  1811  ;  Lieut. -Col.  Chrystie,  from 
March  12, 1812  ;  and  Lieut.-Col.  Scott,  from  July  6, 1812. 

*  Gen.  Van  Rensselaer  to  Gen.  Dearborn,  Oct.  14 ; 
Thomson's  Sketfches,  p.  70;  Brock's  Life  Gen.  Brock,  p. 
329  ;  Breckenridge's  History  of  the  War,  p.  70. 

*  Gen.  Van  Rensselaer  to  Gen.  Dearborn,  Oct.  14 ; 
O'Connor's  History  of  War,  p.  46  ;  Thomson's  Sketches, 
p.  69  ;  Davis'  History  of  War,  p.  36. 


Chap.  XXX.] 


THE  BATTLE  OF  QUEENSTOWN. 


147 


fact  that  the  selection,  for  the  command 
of  the  expedition,  of  the  General's  aid — 
an  officer  of  the  militia  j  one  who  had 
steadily  reprobated  the  war,  and  op- 
posed the  government ;  and  an  inferior 
in  rank  to  some  of  the  officers  of  the 
regular  troops  who  had  been  ordered 
to  take  part  in  the  movement  under  his 
command — had  produced  dissatisfaction 
among  the  officers  and  distrust  in  the 
ranks ;  and  it  is  not  improbable  that 
Lieutenant  Sims  had  found,  in  this 
novel  step,  an  effi?ctual  means  of  rid- 
ding himself  and  his  brethren  of  a  ser- 
vice which  was  mortifying  to  their 
honor,  as  soldiers  and  officers.^ 

It  appears  that  General  Van  Rensse- 
laer, instead  of  taking  advantage  of  the 
enthusiasm  which  prevailed  among  the 
troops,  "  had  hoped  that  their  patience 
would  have  continued  until  he  could 
submit  his  plan"  (of  operations  to 
his  officers,  to  which  allusion  has  been 
made),  "  that  he  might  act  under,  and 
in  conformity  to,  the  opinion  which 
might  be  then  expressed."^  But,  to 
use  bis  own  words,  "  his  hope  was  idle ; 
the  previously  excited  ardor  seemed  to 
have  gained  new  heat  from  the  late 
miscarriage;"  and,  "such  was  the  pres- 
sure upon  him,  from  all  quarters,  that 
he  became  satisfied  that  his  refusal  to 
act  might  involve  him  in  suspicion  and 

■  ' '  Through  the  neglect  or  cowardice  of  the  officer  in- 
tnisted  with  preparing  and  conducting  the  boats  to  the 
place  of  embarkation,  the  attack  miscarried"  {Christie's 
Mil.  and  Naval  Operations,  p.  82) — "it  was  frustrated  either 
by  the  ignorance,  the  cowardice,  or  the  treachery  of  a 
boatman,  who  had  been  selected,"  &c.  (Stone's  Life  of 
Brant,  ii.  p.  503) — "through  some  mismanagement  in 
conducting  the  boats,"  &c.  (Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p.  329) 
— "he  played  his  countrymen  a  trick  and  ran  away" 
(James'  Military  Occurrences,  i.  p.  86). 

"  Gen.  Van  Rensselaer  to  Gen.  Dearborn,  Oct.  14. 


the  service  in  disgrace,"^  and  prepara- 
tions were  made  for  a  second  attempt 
to  storm  Queenstown.^ 

Unfortunately  the  commanding  gen- 
eral appears  either  to  have  misunder- 
stood the  true  state  of  affairs,  or  to 
have  resolved  on  braving  the  troubles 
which  were  destroying  the  efficiency  of 
his  force.  His  cousin.  Lieutenant-col- 
onel Solomon  Van  Rensselaer,  was  con- 
tinued in  the  command,  notwithstand- 
ing Lieutenant-colonels  Scott,  Fenwick, 
and  Chrystie,  who  were  expected  to  co- 
operate, in  some  degree,  were  his  supe- 
riors in  rank;^  and  notwithstanding  it 
was  known  to  the  militia  that  he  was 
opposed  to  the  war.*  It  was  even  re- 
ported that  Lieutenant-colonels  Scott 
and  Fenwick  had  declined  to  move  un- 
der the  command  of  Lieutenant-colonel 
Van  Rensselaer ;  and  that  Lieutenant- 
colonel  Chrystie  —  who  had  reached 
Four-mile  Creek  with  three  hundred 
and  fifty  newly-enlisted  regular  troops, 
part  of  the  Thirteenth  regiment  of  in- 
fantry, under  Captains  Wool,  Ogilvie, 
Malcolm,  Lawrence,  and  Armstrong — 
on  the  evening  of  the  tenth  of  October, 
had  been  induced  to  do  so,  virtually, 
under   some    private    arrangement   for 


«  Gen.  Van  Rensselaer  to  Gen.  Dearborn,  Oct.  14 ;  Bay- 
lies' Battle  of  Queenstown  ;  Wilkinson's  Mem.,  p.  572. 

'  Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  70  ;  Bay  lie's  Battle  of  Queens- 
town. — '  Vide  p.  146,  note  2.  Lieut. -Col.  Van  Rensselaer 
(Queenstown,  p.  31)  refers  to  this  subject  in  such  a  manner 
as  to  confirm  the  rumor.  Mr.  Stone  (Life  of  Brant,  ii.  p. 
504)  says  Lieut. -Cols.  Chrystie  and  Fenwick  had  waived 
thar  rank;  while  Lieut. -Col.  Scott  did  not  do  so.  The 
former  of  these  officers  (Letter  to  Adj.-Gen.,  Feb.  22,  1813) 
says  that  when  conversed  with  on  this  subject,  he  had 
told  Lieut.-Col.  Van  Rensselaer  that  "it  was  impossible," 
although  he  agreed  to  act  with  him. 

'  Lieut.-Col.  Solomon  Van  Rensselaer,  although  Adju- 
tant-general of  the  State  of  New  York,  was  known  as  a 
decided  Federalist. 


148 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


the  distribution  of  the  laurels  which,  it 
was  hoped,  the  expedition  would  se- 
cure.^ 

The  display  of  the  boats  on  the  bank 
of  the  river,  at  Lewiston,  while  a  large 
body  of  troops  were  posted  at  a  con- 
siderable distance  below,  was  well  cal- 
culated to  deceive  the  enemy  respecting 
the  exact  point  of  the  intended  attack;^ 
and  the  active  mind  of  Sir  Isaac  Brock 
found  ample  employment  in  preparing 
his  several  posts  to  receive  the  Ameri- 
caus  at  whatever  point  they  might  ap- 
pear.^ It  appears,  however,  that  Queens- 
town  was  not  the  point  at  which  Sir 
Isaac  expected  to  receive  his  enemy ;  ^ 
and  the  troops  at  that  place  were,  in 
consequence,  less  numerous  than  would, 
otherwise,  have  been  provided  for  its 
protection. 

Agreeably  to  the  arrangements,  at 
an  early  hour  in  the  evening  of  the 
twelfth  of  October,  Lieutenant-colonel 
Chrystie  moved,  by  the  rear  road,  from 
the  Four-mile  Creek  to  Lewiston,  with 
three  hundred  men ;  ^  while,  about  the 
same  time,  the  regiments  of  militia, 
under  Lieutenant-colonels  Stranahan, 
Mead,  and  Bloom,  moved  from  Niagara 
Falls,^  and  reached  Lewiston  "in  good 


season 


"T 


It  was  designed  that  Lieutenant-col- 

1  "We  conversed  about  my  waiving  rank  with  him, 
ivMch  I  told  him  was  impossible ;  but  ....  I  consented  to 
take  a  part  without  interfering  with  his  arrangements  for 
it."— lAeul.-Col.  Chrystie  to  the  Adj.-Gen.,  Feb.  22,  1813. 

^  Van  Rensselaer's  Queenstown,  pp.  22-33. 

^  Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p.  330  ;  Christie's  Mil.  and 
Naval  Operations  in  the  Canadas,  p.  82. 

^  Tlie  greater  part  of  his  force  was  at  Foi't  George, 
where  he  was  at  that  time.—'  Baylies'  Battle  of  Queens- 
town  ;  Van  Rensselaer's  Queenstown,  p.  24  ;  Thomson's 
Sketches,  p.  70;  Lieut.-Col.  Chrystie  to  Adj.-Gen.,  Feb. 
22,  1813.— «  Van  Rensselaer  to  Gen.  Deai-born,  Oct.  14. 

'  Ibid.     See  also  Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  70. 


onel  Chrystie,  with  three  hundred  men, 
and  Lieutenant-colonel  Van  Rensselaer 
with  a  similar  number  of  militia,  should 
first  cross  the  river,  "  before  day,"  for 
the  purpose  of  carrying  the  battery  on 
the  heights  of  Queenstown;  and  that 
the  remainder  of  the  troops  should 
"pass  over  together,  as  soon  as  the 
heights  should  be  carried."^  The  boats 
had  been  intrusted  to  the  management 
of  Mr,  Cook,  a  respectable  citizen  of 
Lewiston,  who  had  engaged  to  provide 
proper  men  to  manage  them ;  while  to 
Mr.  Lovett,  of  Troy,  had  been  intrusted 
the  management  of  the  battery  on  the 
heights  of  Lewiston,  with  instructions 
to  cover  the  landinof  of  the  detachment 
on  the  Canadian  shore.^ 

All  the  necessary  preliminaries  hav- 
ing been  ai-ranged,  a  little  after  three 
o'clock  on  the  morninor  of  the  thirteenth 
of  October,^  a  cold  and  stormy  morn- 
ing,* the  detachments — regulars  and 
militia — moved  to  the  bank  of  the 
river,  where  they  were  halted  until  the 
lieutenant-colonel  commanding,  "  with 
Major  Lush  and  Lieutenant  Gansevoort, 
who  acted  as  his  aids,  descended  to  see 
the  boats  arranged,  and  formed  in  two 
divisions,  one  for  the  regulars  and  the 
other  for  the  militia,"  that  both  might 

1  Wilkinson's  Memoirs,  i.  p.  572  ;  Van  Rensselaer's 
Queenstown,  p.  24 ;  Armstrong's  Notices,  i.  p.  101  ; 
James'  Military  Occurrences,  i.  p.  86. 

'^  Van  Rensselaer's  Queenstown,  p.  23. 

'  Baylies'  Battle  of  Queenstown  ;  Memoir  of  Gen. 
Wool,  in  the  Democratic  Review,  Nov.,  1851 ;  Lieut. -Col. 
Chrystie  to  Adj.-Gen.,  Feb.  22.  1812  ;  Lieut.  Fink's  MS. 
Jour.  Gen.  Wilkinson  {Memoirs,  i.  p.  572)  says,  "the 
embarkation  was  to  have  taken  place  on  the  morning  of  the 
twelfth;"  and  Mr.  James  {Military  Occurrences,  i.  p.  86}  con- 
curs with  him  in  this  error. 

*  Auchinleck's  Hist,  of  the  War,  p.  104.  "  At  4  o'clock 
A.  M.  we  arrived  at  the  ferry  in  a  heavy  shower  of  hail." — 
Lieut.  Fink's  MS.  Diary,  Oct.  13,  1812. 


Chap.  XXX.] 


THE  BATTLE  OF  QUEENSTOWN. 


149 


embark  simultaneously..^  The  thirteen 
boats  which  had  been  provided  were 
sufficient  to  transport  but  one  half  the 
force  ;^  and  the  regular  troops,  pressing 
forward  more  promptly  than  the  mili- 
tia, were  among  the  first  to  take  their 
places.'^  The  consequence  was,  that  in- 
stead of  one-half  of  each  —  regulars 
and  militia — three  companies  of  the 
Thirteenth  regiment  of  infantry,  com- 
manded by  Captains  Wool,  Malcolm, 
and  Armstrong;*  with  forty  picked 
men  from  Captain  Leonard's  old  com- 
pany of  artillery,  at  Fort  Niagara,  un- 
der Lieutenants  Gansevoort  and  Rath- 
bone,^  and  al30ut  sixty  militia,®  took 
their  places  in  the  boats ;  and  Lieuten- 
ant-colonel Van  Rensselaer,  finding  all 
things  in  readiness,  ordered  the  regu- 
lars to  push  off,  after  which  "  he  leaped" 
into  another  boat  and  followed,  with 
the  artillery  and  militia'^ — Major  Mor- 
rison having  been  ordered  to  follow,  in 
the  return  boats,  with  the  remainder  of 
the  detachment.® 

The  boats  having  been  properly 
manned,  within  ten  minutes  from  the 
time  when  they  pushed  off,  the  greater 
part  of  them  struck  the  Canadian  shore 
"at  the  identical  spot  aimed  at;"  and 
the  regulars  landed  a  short  distance 
below  (on  the  right  of)  the  landing- 
place  of  the   militia.'     Three   only,  of 


'Wilkinson's  Mem.,  i.  p.  573.  See  also  Van  Rensse- 
laer's Queenstown,  p.  25  ;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  86. 

"  Wilkinson's  Memoirs,  i.  p.  572  ;  Baylies'  Battle  of 
Queenstown. — '  Wilkinson's  Mem.,  i.  p.  573;  Van  Eens- 
selaer's  Queenstown,  p.  25  ;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  86. 

*  Baylies'  Battle  of  Queenstown. — '  Ibid. — *  Ibid. 

'  Van.  Rensselaer's  Queenstown,  p.  25  ;  Baylies'  Battle 
of  Queenstown. — ^  Wilkinson's  Memoirs,  i.  p.  573. 

°  Van  Rensselaer's  Queenstown,  p.  25  ;  James'  Militaiy 
Occurrences,  i.  p.  87. 


the  thirteen  boats,  missed  their  way;^ 
and  the  ten,  having  landed  the  troops, 
immediately  returned  to  the  American 
shore.^ 

In  the  mean  time  Captain  Dennis,  of 
the  Forty-ninth  regiment  of  the  line, 
who  commanded  at  Queenstown,  had 
been  apprised  of  the  movement  in  the 
American  camp;^  and  rallying  sixty 
men  from  his  company  (the  grenadiers 
of  the  Forty-ninth)  and  Captain  Hatt's 
company  of  voltigeurs,*  with  a  three- 
pound  field-piece,^  he  moved  down  to 
resist  the  debarkation.®  This  was  done 
with  considerable  spirit;  Lieutenant 
Rathbone  having  been  mortally  wound- 
ed before  he  could  effect  a  landing,  and 
some  other  loss  was  sustained  by  the 
detachment.'^  As  Lieutenant -colonel 
Chrystie  liad  not  crossed  the  Hver^  the 
command  of  the  regular  troops  devolved 
on  Captain  John  E.  Wool,  the  senior 
officer  present;®    and,  under   his   com- 


'  Aucliinleck's  Hist,  of  the  War,  p.  104  ;  Nile's  Regis- 
ter, iii.  p.  141  ;  Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p.  329  ;  James' 
Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  87.  These  were  commanded  by  Lieut.- 
Col.  Chrystie.  Capt.  Lawrence,  and  a  subaltern — all  of  the 
Thirteenth  regiment.  The  first  was  driven  back  to  the 
New  York  shore,  after  sustaining  some  loss  ;  the  second 
returned  hij  orders  from  Lieut.-Col.  Chrystie;  the  third  was, 
probably,  captured  b)'  the  enemy. 

''■  Van  Rensselaer's  Queenstown,  p.  25. — '  Auchinleck, 
p.  104;  Wilkinson's  Mem.,  i.  p.  574;  Capt.  Ogilvie,  in 
Niles'  Register,  iii.  p.  141.  It  has  been  said  {Thomson's 
Sketches,  p.  70)  that  Capt.  Dennis  had  "  been  surreptitiously 
apprised  of  the  contemplated  movement  of  the  American 
troops. "^ — *  Auchinleck,  p.  104  ;  Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p. 
329;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  pp.  87,  88.—'  Brock's  Life  of 
Brock,  p.  329  ;  James'  Military  Occurrences,  i.  p.  88. 

^  Auchinleck.  p.  104 ;  Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p.  329 ; 
James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  88. — ''  Niles'  Register,  iii.  pp.  140, 
141  ;  Christie,  p.  82 ;  Smith's  Canada,  ii.  p.  154. 

*  Wilkinson's  Memoirs,  1.  p.  574  ;  Baylies'  Battle  of 
Queenstown  ;  Mem.  of  Gen.  Wool ;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i. 
p.  89 ;  Perkins'  Hist,  of  War,  p.  106  ;  Stone's  Life  of 
Brant,  il.  p.  506  ;  Gen.  Van  Rensselaer  to  Capt.  Wool, 
Dec.  24  ;  Lieut.-Col.  Chrystie  to  Capt.  Wool,  Dec.  21, 1812. 


150 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II.' 


mancl,  tlie  tliree  companies  ascended 
the  bank  from  the  water,  and  formed 
on  the  plateau  near  the  foot  of  the 
heights,  above  the  village.-^  Soon  after- 
wards Judge-advocate  Lush,  the  com- 
mander's aid,  conveyed  orders  to  Cap- 
tain Wool  to  "  prepare  for  storming 
the  heights,"  and  was  informed,  in  re- 
ply, that  the  command  was  then  ready.^ 
A  few  minutes  afterwards  orders  were 
given  for  it  to  march ;  but  before  it 
began  to  ascend  the  heights  the  order 
was  countermanded,  and  the  three  com- 
panies halted  for  further  orders.^ 

While  the  Americans  were  thus  em- 
ployed, the  little  party  under  Captain 
Dennis  had  been  strengthened  by  the 
arrival,  on  the  heights,  of  Captain  Wil- 
liams, with  the  light-infantry  of  the 
Forty-ninth  regiment,  and  Captain  Chis- 
holm,  with  his  company  of  voltigeurs  ;* 
and  while,  with  his  original  force,  em- 
bracing two  full  companies  and  a  field- 
piece,  the  enemy  fell  on  the  right  flank 
of  Captain  Wool's  line,  a  fire  was  open- 
ed at  the  same  time  on  his  front,  from 
the  brow  of  the  heights,  by  Captains 
Williams  and  Chisholm.^  Without  wait- 
ing for  orders  from  Lieutenant-colonel 
Van  Rensselaer,  Captain  Wool  wheeled 
his  command  to  the  right,  fronting  on 
that  portion  of  the  enemy's  force  which 
was  on  the  plain;®  and,  with  his  small- 
arms  against  the  enemy's  artillery,  he 


'Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p.  329;  Baylies'  Battle  of 
Queenstown  ;  Mem.  of  Gen.  Wool. — "  Baylies'  Battle  of 
Queenstown. — 'Ibid.;  Mem.  of  Gen.  Wool ;  Armstrong's 
Notices,  i.  p.  102.^*  Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p.  330  ;  Arm- 
strong's Notices,  i.  p.  102  ;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  88. 

'Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p.  830;  Baylies'  Battle  of 
Queenstown ;  Memoir  of  Gen.  Wool ;  James'  Military 
Occurrences,  i.  p.  88. — °  Baylies'  Battle  of  Queenstown  ; 
Memoir  of  Gen.  Wool. 


commenced  his  military  career  by  throw- 
ing a  well-directed  fire  into  the  ranks 
of  the  grenadiers  and  voltigeurs.^  A 
short,  but  severe  engagement  took  place 
in  this  position ;  ^  and  the  enemy  soon 
afterwards  was  compelled  to  retire,  fall- 
ing back  on  the  village  of  Queenstown 
in  his  rear.^  In  this  short,  but  decisive 
action,  the  detachment  from  the  Thir- 
teenth regiment,  under  Captain  Wool, 
suffered  very  severely — of  the  ten  ofii- 
cers  who  were  present,  two  (Lieuten- 
ants Valleau  and  Morris)  were  killed ; 
and  four  (Captains  Wool,  Malcolm,  and 
Armstrong,  and  Lieutenant  Lent)  were 
severely  wounded;*  while  the  militia, 
under  Lieutenant-colonel  Van  Rensse- 
laer, who  occupied  the  left  of  the  line, 
suffered  but  very  little.^  The  only 
ofiicer  on  that  wing  who  suffered  was 
Lieutenant-colonel  Van  Rensselaer,  who 
was  very  severely  wounded,  and  ren- 
dered unable  to  continue  in  command 
of  the  expedition.® 

Notwithstanding  the  repulse  of  Cap- 
tains Dennis  and  Hatt,  on  the  plains, 
the  troops  under  Captains  Williams 
and  Chisholm,  on  the  heights,  continued 
to  throw  down  a  desultory  fire  on  the 
left  flank  of  Captain  Wool's  command ;  ^ 
and  Lieutenant-colonel  Van  Rensselaer, 
"  much  crippled  now,  by  a  number  of 
wounds  and  with  the  loss  of  blood,  un- 

'  Baylies'  Battle  of  Queenstown. — ^  Van  Rensselaer's 
Queenstown,  p.  25  ;  Baylies'  Battle  of  Queenstown  ;  Mem. 
of  Gen.  Wool ;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  89. — °  Van  Rens- 
selaer's Queenstown,  p.  25 ;  Baylies'  Battle  of  Queens- 
town ;  Mem.  of  Gen.  Wool. — ■*  Baylies'  Battle  of  Queens- 
town ;  Mem.  of  Gen.  Wool. — '  Baylies'  Battle  of  Queens- 
town.— °  Wilkinson,  i.  p.  574  ;  Van  Rensselaer's  Queens- 
town, p.  26  ;  Mem.  of  Gen.  Wool ;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i. 
p.  88. — ''  Van  Rensselaer's  Queenstown,  p.  26  ;  Baylies' 
Battle  of  Queenstown  ;  James'  Military  Occurrences,  i.  p. 
88;  Armstrong's  Notices,  i.  p.  103. 


Chap.  XXX.] 


THE  BATTLE  OF  QUEENSTOWN. 


151 


able  to  proceed  any  farther"^ — in  the 
absence  of  Lievitenant-colonel  Chrystie, 
who  had  not  landed  in  Canada^ — direct- 
ed the  detachment  from  the  Thirteenth 
regiment  to  fall  back  from  the  position 
it  then  occupied,  near  the  foot  of  the 
heights ;  to  form  on  the  beach,  out  of 
the  range  of  the  enemy's  fire.^ 

Agreeably  to  these  orders  the  troops 
fell  back  to  the  margin  of  the  river,  but 
they  were  still  exposed — one  man  hav- 
ing been  killed  and  several  wounded.* 
Wliile  in  this  position  the  detachment 
was  joined  by  a  fourth  company  of  the 
Thirteenth  regiment,  under  Captain 
Ogilvie;^  when  Captain  Wool — still 
the  senior  officer  in  the  detachment — 
sought  the  commander  of  the  expedi- 
tion, who  had  fallen  from  loss  of  blood, 
and  asked  for  orders  by  which  his  com- 
mand might  be  relieved  from  its  un- 
pleasant and  discouraging  position.®  He 
was  told  that  the  capture  of  the  heights 
— the  great  object  for  wliicli  the  expedi- 
tion was  organized — was  the  only  reme- 
dy ;'^  when,  notwithstanding  his  wounds 
and  his  inexperience,  and  the  inexperi- 
ence of  his  troops,  he  promptly  volun- 
teered to  make  the  attempt,^  and  he 
received  orders  to  do  so  ;®  while  Judge- 
advocate  Lush — the  commander's  aid — 
at  the  same  time  received  orders  to 
follow  the  column,  and  to  shoot  every 

Van  Rensselaer's  Qneenstown,  p.  26.  See  also  Baylies' 
Battle  of  Queenstown. — "^  Baylies'  Battle  of  Qneenstown  ; 
Mem.  of  Gen.  Wool ;  O'Connor's  Hist,  of  War,  p.  48  ;  Van 
Rensselaer's  Queenstown,  pp.  25,  26. — '  Van  Rensselaer's 
Queenstown,  p.  26  ;  Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p.  i?29 ;  Bay- 
lie's  Battle  of  Queenstown  ;  James'  Mil.  Ocur.,  i.  p.  88. 

*  Baylies'  Battle  of  Queenstown. — ^  Ibid. — ^  Letter  in 
National  Intelligencer,  Washington,  Nov.  7,  1812  ;  Bay- 
lies' Battle  of  Queenstown. — '  Ibid. — *  Baylies'  Battle  of 
Queenstown  ;  Memoir  of  G-en.  Wool. — '  Wilkinson's  Me- 
moirs i.  p.  574  ;  Baylies'  Battle  of  Queenstown. 


man  who  faltered  in  the   discharge  of 
his  duty.^ 

Returning  to  his  command,  on  the 
bank  of  the  river.  Captain  Wool  order- 
ed the  fresh  troops,  under  Captain  Ogil- 
vie,  to  take  the  right  of  the  column ;  ^ 
and,  immediately  afterwards,  he  moved 
to  execute  his  perilous  but  important 
undertaking.*  Sheltering  his  column 
under  a  precipice,  which  also  concealed 
the  movement  from  the  enemy's  troops 


'  Wilkinson's  Memoirs,  i.  p.  574 ;  Van  Rensselaer's 
Queenstown,  p.  26  ;  Baylies'  Battle  of  Queenstown. 

■  Baylies'  Battle  of  Queenstown.  Many  writers,  from 
the  fact  that  Capt.  Ogilvie  led  the  column,  have  supposed 
that  he  was  in  command  of  the  troops  which  captured 
the  battery.  Mr.  Davis  {Eist.  of  Late  War,  pp.  37,  38), 
Mr.  Breckenridge  (Hist,  of  War,  p.  72),  Mr.  Thomson 
[Sketches  of  the  War,  p  .72),  and  Mr.  O'Connor  {Hist,  of  War, 
p.  48),  have  fallen  into  this  error ;  but,  on  the  other 
hand,  Gen.  Wilkinson  (Mem.,  i.  p.  674)  says  Lieut. -Col. 
Van  Rensselaer  ' '  ordered  Capt.  Wool,  the  senior  officer  capable 
of  doing  duty,  to  ascend  the  mountain  and  carry  the  bat- 
tery.' '  Mr.  Stone  (Life  of  Brant,  i.  p.  506)  uses  the  same 
words,  adding,  "this  enterprise  was  gallantly  executed 
bij  Capt.  Wool."  Mr.  Perkins  (Hist,  of  War,  p.  106)  says, 
"  The  men  were  rallied,  and  one  hundred  and  sixty, 
under  the  command  of  Capt.  Wool,  mounted  the  rocks  on  the 
right  of  the  batteries,  and  took  them."  The  author  of 
"  Sketches  of  the  War"  (Rutland,  Vt.,  1815)  uses  the  same 
words,  adding  to  Capt.  Wool's  name,  and  following  it,  the 
names  of  six  other  officers.  Mr.  Mansfield  (Life  of  Scott, 
p.  39),  speaking  of  Lieut. -Col.  Van  Rensselaer's  order  to 
storm  the  heights,  says,  "  This  order  was  promptly 
obeyed  by  Capt.  (now  General)  Wool."  Mr.  Brock  (Life 
and  Corres.  of  Sir  Isaac  Brock,  London,  1847)  says,  "  a  strong 
detachment  of  American  regulars,  unde^-  Capt.  Wool,  had 
succeeded  in  gaining  the  crest  of  the  heights,"  &c.  Mr. 
James  (3Iil.  Occur.,  London,  1818,  i.  p.  89)  says,  "Sixty 
American  regulars,  led  by  Capt.  Wool,  and  accompanied 
by  Maj.  Lush,  a  volunteer,  &c.,  ascended  a  fisherman's 
path."  Gen.  Van  Rensselaer  (Letter  to  Capt.  Wool,  Dec.  24, 
1812)  says,  "The  manner  in  which  you  met  and  repulsed 
the  troops  under  Gen.  Brock,  when  he  fell,  with  the  troops 
under  your  command,  merits  the  notice  of  Government," 
&c. ;  while  Lieut. -Col.  Chrystie.  in  a  letter  to  Capt.  Wool 
(New  York,  Dec.  21,  1812),  gives  the  entire  honor  of  the 
day  to  that  officer.  For  these  reasons  I  have  not  hesi- 
tated to  assign  to  Capt.  Wool  the  command  of  the  forces 
which  stormed,  carried,  and  occupied  the  Heights  of 
Queenstown,  on  the  thirteenth  of  October,  1812. 

'  Capt.  Wool  to  Col.  Van  Rensselaer,  Oct.  23  ;  Baylies' 
Battle  of  Queenstown  ;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  89. 


152 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  IL 


on  the  heights,^  under  the  guidance  of 
Lieutenants  Gansevoort  and  Randolph,^ 
the  young  Captain  commenced  his  silent 
asceut  of  the  heights.  In  many  places 
the  pathway  was  so  steep  that  the  sol- 
diers were  compelled  to  support  them- 
selves by  their  muskets,  or  to  pull 
themselves  up  by  the  bushes  which 
were  growing  there  ;^  but  the  example 
of  their  commander,  the  severity  of 
whose  wounds — a  ball  having  passed 
through  both  his  thighs — had  not  kept 
him  back,  cheered  them  onward  and 
silenced  every  rising  discontent,  until, 
when  near  the  summit  of  the  heights,  he 
struck  a  fisherman's  path* — which  was 
seldom  used  and  but  little  known,^  and 
which,  in  consequence  of  a  report  that 
it  was  impassable,  had  been  left  un- 
guarded.® 

In  the  mean  time  General  Sir  Isaac 
Brock,  then  at  Fort  George,  had  heard 
the  cannonade,  awoke  Major  Gl egg,  and 
called  for  his  horse  Alfred'}  As  has 
been  stated  before,^  he  was  not  satis- 
fied, in  his  own  mind,  where  or  when 
the  attack  would  be  made ;  and  he 
had  taken  every  conceivable  precaution 
which  his  great  genius  considered  ne- 
cessary to  check  the  progress  of  the  in- 
vaders, wherever  or  whenever  they 
might  cross  the  river.^  He  considered, 
however,  that  the  alarm  at  Queenstown 
was  but  a  feint  to  draw  the  garrison 

'  Gen.  Wool  to  the  Author,  Nov.  11,  1859. 
"^  Wilkinson's  Memoirs,  i.  p.  574  ;    Van   Eensselaer's 
Queenstown,  p.  26. — '  Baylies'  Battle  of  Queenstown. 

*  Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p.  330  ;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i. 
p.  89.—^  Gen.  Wool  to  the  Author,  Nov.  11,  1859. 

°  Auchinleck's  Hist.,  p.  104;  Brock's  Life  of  Brock, 
p.  330;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  89. — ^'Brock's  Life  of 
Brock,  p.  330  ;  Baylies'  Battle  of  Queenstown. 

*  Vide  p.  148. — "  Christie's  Military  and  Naval  Opera- 
tions, p.  82  ;  Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p.  330. 


from  Fort  George,  while  a  stronger 
force  might  be  concealed  behind  Fort 
Niagara,  in  readiness  to  cross  the  river 
and  seize  the  fort  as  soon  as  the  ruse 
had  succeeded.^  With  commendable 
caution,  however,  he  determined  to  as- 
certain, by  personal  inspection,  the  ex- 
act character  of  the  attack  before  he 
witlidrew  the  garrison ;  and,  for  that 
purpose,  with  his  two  aids, — Lieutenant- 
colonel  McDonell  and  Major  Gl  egg, — 
he  galloped  up  to  Queenstown,  and 
thence  up  to  the  battery  on  the  heights,^ 
where  they  dismounted,  "  and  took  a 
view  of  passing  events,  which  at  that 
moment  appeared  highly  favorable"^ — 
little  aware  of  the  great  change  which 
was  so  near  at  hand. 

While  he  still  occupied  that  position,* 
watching  the  operations  of  Captains 
Williams  and  Chisholm,  and  of  the 
Americans  below,  a  discharge  of  mus- 
ketry in  his  rear  arrested  his  attention.^ 
The  same  measure  of  success  which  had 
crowned  the  labors  of  the  youthful 
Wolfe,  at  Quebec,  had  been  vouchsafed 
to  the  young  commander  of  the  detach- 
ment from  the  Thirteenth,  at  Queens- 
town— the  heights  had  been  scaled 
without  the  loss  of  a  man,®  and  Captain 
Wool  and  his  command  were  rapidly 
approaching  the  spot  where  he  stood.'^ 

'  Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p.  330.—"  Gen.  Sheaflfe  to  Sir 
G.  Prevost,  Oct.  13,  1812  ;  Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p.  330. 

'Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p.  330.— "  Ibid. ;  James'  Mil. 
Occur.,  i.  pp.  88,  89.  It  has,  generally,  been  supposed 
that  Sir  Isaac  was  ascending  the  heights,  for  the  first 
time  that  morning,  when  he  fell.  The  great  care  with 
which  this  biography  of  that  officer  has  been  written,  to 
say  nothing  of  Mr.  James'  work,  leads  me  to  place  great 
confidence  in  its  statements,  especially  since  it  has  been 
prepared  by  a  member  of  his  family. 

'  Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p.  330.—*  Gen.  Wool  to  the 
Author,  Nov.  11,  1859.— 7  Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p.  330  ; 
James'  Blilitary  Occurrences,  i.  p.  89. 


Chap.  XXX.] 


THE  BATTLE  OF  QUEENSTOWN. 


153 


Without  liaving  time  to  remount^  Sir 
Isaac  and  his  aids  "were  obliged  to  re- 
tire precipitately,"^  with  the  small  force 
which  occupied  the  battery,  while  the 
Americans  pressed  forward  and  occu- 
pied the  works ^ — the  American  colors, 
floating  at  the  flag-staff  and  greeting 
the  I'ising  sun,  proclaiming  at  once  the 
ti'iumph  of  the  Thirteenth  regiment, 
and  the  success  of  the  expedition. 

Passing  rapidly  down  the  slope,  lead- 
ing his  hoi'se,^  Sir  Isaac  Brock  dispatch- 
ed orders  to  General  Sheaffe  to  hasten 
forward  with  the  troops  from  Fort 
George*  and  to  open  a  fire  on  Fort 
Niagara,  on  the  American  shore.^  Hav- 
ing done  this,  he  placed  himself  at  the 
head  of  Captain  Williams'  detachment,^ 
which  had  occupied  the  heights  during 
the  entire  morning,  and  moved  up  the 
slope  towards  the  battery — in  the  rear 
of  which  Captain  Wool  had  formed  his 
command,  fronting  the  village''' — and, 
soon  afterwards,  he  was  strengthened 
by  Captain  Dennis  and  the  troops  from 
below  the  hill.^  Sir  Isaac  led  his  little 
force  with  an  apparent  design  of  turn- 
ing Captain  Wool's  left  flank;'    when 


'  Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p.  330. — ^  Van  Rensselaer's 
Queenstown,  p.  26  ;  Capt.  Wool  to  Col.  Van  Rensselaer, 
Oct.  23  ;  Letter  in  National  IntelUgmcer ;  Baylies'  Battle 
of  Queenstown  ;  James'  Military  Occurrences,  i.  p.  89. 

"  "  Sir  Isaac  and  his  aid-de-camp  had  not  even  time  to  re- 
mount, but  were  obliged  to  retire  precipitately,"  &c. — 
Brock' s  Life  of  Brock,  p.  330. — *  Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p. 
331.— 'Gen.  Sheaffe  to  Sir  Geo.  Prevost,  Oct.  13,  1812; 
Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p.  331.—'  "Capt.  Williams'  de- 
tachment, personally  directed  by  the  General,  advanced  to 
meet  them,"  &c. — Brock' s  Life  of  Brock,  p.  331.  "Capt. 
Williams  and  his  detachment  were  now  recalled ;  and 
Gen.  Brock,  putting  himself  at  the  head  of  this  force,  advanced 
to  meet,"  &c. — James'  Military  Occurrences,  i.  p.  89. 

'  Capt.  Wool  to  Col.  Van  Rensselaer,  Oct.  23. 

*  Baylies'  Battle  of  Queenstown. — '  Capt.  Wool  to  Col. 
Van  Rensselaer,  Oct.  23. 
Vol.  II.— 20 


the  latter  detached  fifty  men  to  hold 
him  in  check,  and  to  take  possession  of 
the  heights  above  the  battery.^  This 
little  party  was  unable  to  cope  with  the 
superior  force  under  Sir  Isaac;  and, 
even  when  reinforced  with  a  detach- 
ment, which  Captain  Wool  afterwards 
sent  forward,^  it  was  not  strong^  enouo'h 
to  accomplish  that  object.^  Elated  with 
this  temporary  success,  the  enemy  press- 
ed forward ;  and  the  Americans  fell 
back,  in  some  confusion,  to  the  edge  of 
the  precipitous  bank  of  the  river.*  In 
this  critical  position^ — with  the  enemy, 
led  by  the  ablest  general  in  America, 
in  front,  and  the  chasm  of  the  Niagara 
River  in  their  rear — some  hearts  falter- 
ed;^ and  one  (^Captain  Ogilme)^  more 
timid  than  the  rest,  raised  a  white  hand- 
kerchief on  a  bayonet,  as  a  token  of 
submission.''^  With  his  own  hands  Cap- 
tain Wool  tore  clown  this  emblem  of 
defeat;^  and  in  a  few  brief  sentences 
he  reanimated  his  troops,®  at  the  same 
time  directing  his  officers  to  continue 
their  fire  while  their  stock  of  ammuni- 


'  Capt.  Wool  to  Col.  Van  Rensselaer,  Oct.  23  ;  James' 
Mil.  Occur.,  i.  pp.  90,  91.  Gen.  Wilkinson  (Mem.,  i.  p. 
576)  and  all  who  have  followed  him  have  erred  in  stating 
that  one  hundred  and  fifty  were  so  detached.  A  copy  of 
this  letter,  corrected  by  its  distinguished  author,  is  now  before 
me,  in  which  it  is  said  that  only  fifty  were  detached. 

»  Capt.  Wool  to  Col.  Van  Rensselaer,  Oct.  23. 

'  Ibid.;  Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p.  331  ;  Letter  in  Na- 
tional Intelligencer,  Nov.  7,  1812  ;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p. 
90. — *  Auchinleck,  p.  112  ;  Letter  in  National  Intelligencer, 
Nov.  7,  1812;  Baylies'  Battle  of  Queenstown. 

'  Letter  in  National  Intelligencer ;  Baylies'  Battle  of 
Qaeenstown. — °  Gen.  Wool  to  the  Author,  Nov.  11,  1859. 

'  Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p.  331  ;  Letter  in  National  In- 
telligencer;  Baylies'  Battle  of  Queenstown  ;  Perkins'  Hist, 
of  War,  p.  107  ;  Sketches  of  War,  p.  63. 

°  Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p.  331  ;  Letter  in  National  In- 
telligencer, Nov.  7,  1812  ;  Baylies'  Battle  of  Queenstown  ; 
Perkins'  History  of  War,  p.  107. — °  Baylies'  Battle  of 
Queenstown  ;  Memoir  of  Gen.  Wool. 


154 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


tion  lasted,  and  then  to  resort  to  the 
bayonet.^  Cheered  by  the  words  of 
their  commander,  and  inspirited  with 
his  example,  the  Americans  renewed 
the  contest  with  great  vigor  ;^  while 
equally  zealous  were  the  efforts  of  Sir 
Isaac  Brock,  and  equally  determined 
were  the  spirits  of  his  troops.*  In  the 
brief  engagement  which  ensued,  the 
Americans  fought  bravely  until  their 
ammunition  was  nearly  exhausted,^  when 
preparations  were  made  to  chai-ge  the 
enemy ;  and  with  Captain  Ogilvie's 
command  on  the  right  of  the  line,  and 
Captain  Armstrong's  company,  under 
Lieutenant  John  L.  Fink, — formerly  a 
l)utcher  in  Bear  Market,  New  York, — 
on  the  extreme  left,^  with  such  vigor  was 
the  movement  executed  that  the  enemy 
fell  back,  down  the  slope,  morally,  if 
not  entirely,  defeated.® 

The  gallant  and  respected  command- 
er of  the  opposing  force  —  Sir  Isaac 
Brock— witnessed  the  defeat  of  his 
troops  with  the  greatest  concern;^  and 
he  hastened  to  rally  the  grenadiers  of 
the  Forty-ninth  regiment  (Captain  Den- 
nis' command),  which  was  his  favorite 
corps,  to  check  the  progress  of  the 
Americans.^    At  the  same  time  Lieuten- 


'  Capt.  Wool  to  Col.  Van  Rensselaer,  Oct.  23,  1852, 

=  Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p.  331 ;  Baylies'  Battle  of 
Queenstown. — '  Baylies'  Battle  of  Queenstown. 

"  Lieut.  Fink's  MS.  Jour. — '  Ibid. — "  Letter  in  National 
Intelligencer,  Nov.  7,  1812  ;  Capt.  Wool  to  Lieut. -Col. 
Van  Rensselaer,  Oct.  23,  1812  ;  Stone's  Brant,  ii.  p.  507  ; 
Perkins'  Hist,  of  War,  p.  107  ;  Sketches  of  War,  p.  63- 

''  "  The  British  general,  lilie  the  American  captain,  well 
knew  the  language  which  warriors  could  understand 
when  pressed  with  dangers  ;  in  tones  that  rose  above  the 
din  of  the  fight,  he  rallied  his  troops  anew  to  the  conflict. 
'  This  is  the  first  time,'  said  he,  '  that  I  have  seen  the 
49th  turn  their  backs,'  "  kc— Baylies  Battle  of  Queenstown. 

*  Capt.  Wool  to  Col.  Van  Rensselaer,  Oct.  23  ;  Christie's 
Operations,  p.  83. 


ant-colonel  McDonell,  his  aid,  brought 
the  two  flank  companies  of  the  York 
volunteers,^  under  Captains  Cameron 
and  Heward,^ — which  had  just  arrived 
from  Brown's  Point,  three  miles  dis- 
tant,*— on  the  field  of  action ;  and  has- 
tened to  support  the  grenadiers  which 
Sir  Isaac  was  attempting  to  rally.  At 
that  moment,^  with  the  order,  '■'•  Push  on 
the  Yorlc  volunteers''''  on  his  lips,®  the  gal- 
lant hero  of  Detroit,  the  pride  of  the 
Colonial  army,  fell,  mortally  wounded, 
the  ball  having  entered  his  right  breast 
and  passed  through  his  left  side.®  He 
lived  only  long  enough  to  request  that 
the  information  of  his  fall  might  not  be 
communicated  to  the  troops,  and  that 
some  token  of  remembrance  might  be 
conveyed  to  his  sister;^  and  he  died,  as 
he  had  lived,  without  a  personal  enemy 
even  among  those  who  were  the  ene- 
mies of  his  country — both  they  and  his 
companions  in  arms,  a  few  days  after- 
wards, forgetting,  for  a  time,  the  griev- 
ances of  their  respective  countries,  uni- 
ting in  a  common  testimonial  of  respect 
to  the  memory  of  the  departed  chief.® 


>  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  90. — '  Auchinleck,  p.  105. 
'  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  90. 

*  Auchinleck,  p.  105  ;  Sir  Geo.  Prevost  to  the  Govern 
ment.  It  is  said  {Capt.  Ogilvie,  in  Niles'  Register,  iii.  p.  141) 
that  Sir  Isaac's  horse  had  been  shot,  previously,  by  an 
Orange  County  man,  named  Wilklow  ;  but  it  is  not  men- 
tioned who  shot  the  General.  Mr.  Christie  {Mil.  and 
Naval  Operations,  p.  83)  says  that  Sir  Isaac,  after  receiving 
the  ball,  "/eM  from  his  horse,"  which  would  appear  to  in- 
dicate that  his  horse  had  not  then  been  shot ;  while  Mr. 
James  {Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  91)  says  that  Capt.  Dennis,  after 
the  death  of  McDonell,  '^mounted  the  General's  horse,  rode 
up,  and  tried  to  rally  the  troops."  All  which  are  incon- 
sistent with  the  loss  of  that  animal. 

^  Christie's  Operations,  p.  83  ;  Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p. 
331.—°  Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p.  331.—'  Ibid. 

*  ' '  Such  was  the  esteem  in  which  Sir  Isaac  was  held  by 
the  enemies  of  his  country,  for  he  had  or  could  have  no 
private  enemies,  that  Maj.-Gen.  Van  Rensselaer,  in  a  let- 


Chap.  XXX.] 


THE  BATTLE  OF  QUEENSTOWN. 


155 


The  loss  of  tlie  general  could  not  be 
long  concealed  from  the  troops  whom 
he  was  leading;  and  a  cry  of  '■'■  Mevenge 
the  General !  "  was  raised  by  the  Foi-ty- 
ninth,  as  the  enemy  struggled  to  re- 
mount the  heights.^  But  the  enthusi- 
asm of  the  occasion,  the  momentary 
desire  for  "revenge,"  and  the  noble 
exertions  of  Lieutenant-colonel  McDon- 
ell,  who  assumed  the  command  on  the 
fall  of  Sir  Isaac,^  were  alike  unavailing, 
the  steady,  determined  opposition  of 
Captain  Wool  and  his  little  party  com- 
pelling the  enemy  to  retire  with  con- 
siderable loss^ — Lieutenant-colonel  Mc- 
Donell  being  mortally  wounded,*  and 
Captains  Dennis  and  Williams  among 
the  wounded^ — and  Queenstown  Heights 
and  their  vicinity  remained  in  posses- 
sion of  Captain  Wool  and  his  com- 
mand,® ten  men  of  the  Forty-ninth  and 
an  Indian  chief  remaining  prisoners  in 
the  hands  of  the  victors.'^ 

When  it  is  borne  in  mind  that  the 
troops  who  had  met  and  repulsed  the 
enemy,  three  times  in  succession,  killing 
the  most  able  general  in  British  Ameri- 

ter  of  condolence,  informed  Maj.-Gen.  Sheafife  that  imme- 
diately after  the  funeral  solemnities  were  over,  on  the 
British  side,  a  compliment  of  minute-guns  would  he  paid 
to  the  hero's  memor}'  on  theirs!!!  Accordingly,  the 
cannon  of  Fort  Niagara  were  fired,  '  as  a  mark  of  respect 
due  to  a  hrave  enemy.'  "■ — Brock' s  Life  of  Brock,  p.  342. 
See  also  Ingersoll,  i.  p.  94. 

'  Auchinleck,  p.  105  ;  Christie,  p.  83  ;  James'  Mil. 
Occur.,  i  p.  90. — ^Auchinleck,  p.  105;  Brock's  Life  of 
Brock,  p.  332 ;  James'  Military  Occurrences,  1.  p.  90. 

'  Auchinleck,  p.  105  ;    Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p.  332  ; 
Letter    in   National  Intelligencer,    Nov.   7,   1812  ;    James' 
Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p^  90.— «  Christie,  p.  84  ;    Brock's  Life  of 
Brock,  p.  332  ;   Baylies'  Battle  of  Queenstown ;   James' 
Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  90.—'  Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p.  332 
Baylies'  Battle  of  Queenstown  ;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p 
90.— «  Christie,  p.  84;    Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p.  332 
Letter   in   National   Intelligencer,   Nov.   7,  1812  ;   Baylies 
Battle  of  Queenstown. — ■"  Baylie's  Battle  of  Queenstown 
Gen.  Wool  to  the  Author,  Nov.  11,  1859. 


ca;  and,  without  artillery,  scaling  the 
heights  and  capturing  the  battery — 
were,  generally,  recruits  who  had  never 
before  seen  service;^  and  when,  still 
farther,  it  is  remembered  that  they 
were  led  by  a  young  man,  scarce  twen- 
ty-three years  of  age,  who,  but  a  few 
weeks  before,  had  been  taken  from  the 
walks  of  civil  life ;  ^  and  who  was,  that 
day,  for  the  first  time  engaged  with  an 
enemy,  while  he  was  still  sujffering  from 
two  severe  wounds,  it  must  be  admitted 
that  this  was,  "indeed,  a  display  of  in- 
trepidity rarely  exhibited,  in  which  the 
conduct  and  the  execution  were  equally 
conspicuous."  ^ 

Having  thus  been  left  the  undisputed* 
master  of  the  field,  at  about  ten  o'clock. 
Captain  Wool  formed  his  men  on  the 
heights,  fronting  the  village ;  directed 
Lieutenants  Gansevoort  and  Randolph 
to  take  possession  of  the  battery,  to 
drill  out  the  eighteen-pounder — which 
had  been  spiked  by  Lieutenant  Ganse- 
voort— and  to  bring  it  to  bear  on  the 
enemy  below ;  and  ordered  scouts  to 
be  sent  out,  to  watch  the  progress  and 
movements  of  the  enemy ;  while  flank- 
ing parties  were  also  detached,  for  the 
protection  of  the  main  body.*  About 
the  same  time  reinforcements,  under 
Captains  McChesney  of  the  Sixth  regi- 
ment, and  Lawrence  of  the  Thirteenth, 
with  a  party  of  'New  York  State  rifle- 

'  Baylies'  Battle  of  Queenstown  ;  Wilkinson's  Mem.  i. 
p.  578. — 2  Van  Rensselaer's  Queenstown,  p.  26  ;  Baylies' 
Battle  of  Queenstown  ;  Gen.  Wool  to  the  Author,  Nov.  11, 
1859.  At  the  time  of  Capt.  Wool's  appointment  (April 
13,  1812)  he  was  engaged  in  studying  law  in  an  office 
which  still  stands  within  sight  from  his  windows,  in  the 
city  of  Troy,  N.  Y. — '  Wilkinson's  Memoirs,  i.  p.  577. 

*  Capt.  Wool  to  Col.  Van  Rensselaer,  Oct.  23  ;  Letter  in 
Nalional  Intelligencer,  Nov.  7,  1812  ;  Baylies'  Battle  of 
Queenstown  ;  Memoir  of  Gen.  Wool. 


156 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


men  under  Lieutenant  Smith,  came  on 
the  heiglits;^ — the  latter  of  whom  gal- 
lantly rescued  Lieutenant-colonel  Fen- 
wick,  Major  Mullany,  and  another  offi- 
cer, who  had  been  taken  prisoners  by 
the  enemy  while  they  were  crossing 
the  river, — and,  soon  afterwards.  Gen- 
eral Wadsworth  and  Lieutenant-colonels 
Wiuiield  Scott  and  Chrystie  joined  the 
detachment.^  The  former,  waiving  his 
rank,  gave  the  command  to  Lieutenant- 
colonel  Scott ;  ^  and  the  latter,  a  few 
hours  afterwards,  also  commenced  his 
brilliant  career,  by  meeting  an  enemy, 
tlie  first  time^  on  the  heights  of  Queens- 
town.*  At  the  same  time  Lieutenant- 
*colonel  Chrystie  assumed  the  command 
of  the  detachment  from  the  Thirteenth 
regiment;®  and  Captain  Wool  obtained 
leave  to  withdraw  from  the  heights — 
the  scene  of  his  hard-earned,  but  undis- 
puted victory — for  the  purpose  of  hav- 
ing his  wounds  dressed,  and  of  enjoying 
that  repose  which  his  loss  of  blood  ren- 
dered necessary.® 

With  the  reinforcements  which  had 
reached  the  heights,  after  the  close  of 
the  last  engagement,  Lieutenant-colonel 


1  Baylies'  Battle  of  Queenstown  ;  Gen.  Wool  to  the 
Author,  Nov.  11, 1859.—''  Mansfield's  Life  of  Scott,  p.  40  ; 
Capt.  Wool  to  Col.  Van  Eensselaer,  Oct.  23  ;  Letter  in 
National  Intelligencer,  Nov.  7,  1812  ;  Baylies'  Battle  of 
Queenstown. — '  Mansfield's  Life  of  Scott,  p.  40. 

*  Ingersoll's  War  of  1812,  i.  p.  93.  It  is  a  singular 
coincidence  that  the  present  distinguished  General-in- 
chief  of  the  armies  of  the  United  States  (Lieut. -Gen.  Scott), 
and  the  distinguished  commander  of  the  Eastern  Division 
of  the  United  States  (Maj.-Gen.  Wool)  both  met  the  ene- 
my, for  the  first  time,  on  the  Heights  of  Queenstown  ; 
and  that  one  succeeded  the  other  in  the  command  of  the 
troops  who  were  engaged  on  that  field. 

"  Capt.  Wool  to  Col.  Van  Rensselaer,  Oct.  23  ;  Baylies' 
Battle  of  Queenstown. — °  Capt.  Wool  to  Col.  Van  Rensse- 
laer, Oct.  28  ;  Letter  in  National  Intelligencer,  Nov.  7, 1812  ; 
Baylies'  Battle  of  Queenstown. 


Scott  found  himself  at  the  head  of 
about  three  hundred  and  fifty  regulars, 
and  two  hundred  and  fifty  militia ;  and 
this  force  he  formed  in  such  a  position 
that  the  enemy,  if  he  returned  to  the 
attack,  could  be  properly  received, 
while,  at  the  same  time,  the  passage  of 
the  militia  across  the  river — which  was 
momentarily  expected — could  be  effect- 
ually covered.'  At  this  time  "  a  cloud 
of  Indians'"^  approached  the  detach- 
ment ;  ^  and,  about  two  o'clock,  during 
a  momentary  absence  of  Lieutenant- 
colonel  Scott  from  the  field,  they  dash- 
ed forward,  tomahawk  in  hand,  on  the 
American  line.*  When  the  Lieutenant- 
colonel  reached  the  spot  he  found  the 
troops  were  filled  with  alarm  and  on 
the  eve  of  an  ignoble  flight ;  but,  by  an 
instantaneous  change  of  front,  the  ene- 
my was  foiled  and  the  detachment  en- 
abled to  recover  its  presence  of  mind.® 
Under  the  leadership  of  John  Brant 
and  Captain  Jacobs,®  the  Mohawks  gal- 
lantly sustained  the  action ;  ^  and,  even 
when  they  were  driven  from  the  field, 
they  were  not  overcome.  With  a  de- 
gree of  spirit  and  activity  which  was 
worthy  of  his  name,  the  youthful  chief 
(John  Brant)  continued  to  harass  the 


'  Mansfield's  Scott,  pp.  40,  41. — "  Stone's  Life  of  Brant, 
ii.  p.  508.     See  also  Perkins'  History  of  War,  p.  107. 
'  Mansfield's  Scott,  p.  41  ;  Stone's  Brant,  ii.  p.  508. 

*  Mansfield's  Scott,  pp.  41,  42;  O'Connor's  History  of 
War,  pp.  49,  50 ;  Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p.  334  ;  Letter 
in  National  Intelligencer,  Nov.  7,  1812  ;  Stone's  Brant,  ii.  p. 
508.—'  Mansfield's  Scott,  p.  42  ;  Christie,  p.  84;  Brock's 
Life  of  Brock,  p.  334  ;  Letter  in  National  Intelligencer,  Nov. 
7,  1812  ;  James'  Military  Occurrences,  i.  p.  94. 

*  Stone's  Life  of  Brant,  ii.  p.  509.  Mr.  Auchinleck 
(Hist,  of  War,  p.  105)  says  this  chief  was  Norton;  and 
Gen.  Sheaffe  (Dispatch,  Oct.  13),  Mr.  James  {Mlil.  Occur,  i. 
p.  94)  agree  with  him. 

'  Auchinleck,  p.  105;  Stone's  Brant,  ii.  pp.  508,  509. 


Chap.  XXX.] 


THE  BATTLE  OF  QUEEXSTOWN. 


157 


Americans,  without  affording  them  an 
opportunity  to  inflict  any  serious  loss ;  -^ 
until,  later  in  the  day,  when  Lieutenant- 
colonel  Scott,  in  person,  led  his  men 
ao-ainst  the  savao;es  and  drove  them 
from  the  heights.^ 

About"  this  time  a  strong  body  of 
British  troops,  under  the  command  of 
General  Sheaffe,  was  seen  approaching 
fi'om  Fort  George ;  ^  and  General  Van 
Rensselaer,  who  had  crossed  the  river, 
returned  to  Lewiston  to  expedite  the 
passage  of  the  militia.*  Small  parties 
of  the  militia  had  crossed  the  river, 
from  time  to  time,  during  the  entire 
day,  and  had  sustained  their  part  of  the 
several  ensrao^ements  with  the  most  com- 
mendable  spirit  and  fidelity;^  yet,  at 
this  time,  not  one  of  those  who  were 
still  in  New  York  could  be  induced  to 
cross  the  river.®  General  Van  Kensse- 
laer  rode  throuo-h  their  ranks  and  en- 
treated  them  to  move  to  the  relief  of 
their  associates  in  arms,  but  in  vain,  all 
resolutely  refusing  to  move  beyond  the 
boundaries  of  the  United  States  J  It  has 
not  been  shown  what  cause  produced 
this  unhappy  result.  By  the  command- 
er of  the  expedition  it  has  been  said, 
that  the  return  of  the  three  boats  which 
failed  to  reach  the  Canadian  shore, 
lohen  tlie  first  detachment  left  tlie  United 


1  Mansfield's  Scott,  p.  42.—=  Stone's  Brant,  ii,  p.  509  ; 
Armstrong's  Notices,  i.  p.  105. 

^  Ingersoll's  Historical  Sketches,  i.  p.  92  ;  Stone's 
Brant,  ii.  p.  509  ;  Gen.  Van  Rensselaer  to  Gen.  Dear- 
born. Oct.  14.  1812. 

'  Van  Eensselaer's  Queenstown,  p.  37  ;  Ingersoll's  War, 
i.  p.  9-3. — *  Mansfield's  Scott,  p.  42. — '  Auchinleck.  p. 
106;  Mansfield's  Scott,  p.  42;  Van  Eensselaer's  Queens- 
town,  p.  37  ;  Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p.  832 ;  Letter  in 
National  Intelligencer.  Nov.  7,  1812  ;  Baylies'  battle  of 
Queenstown ;  Ingersoll,  i.  p.  93. 

'  Baylies'  Battle  of  Queenstown  ;  Ingersoll,  i.  p.  93. 


States,  had  intimidated  them ;  ^  but 
more  than  twelve  hours  had  elapsed 
since  that  occurred,  and  there  had  been 
no  evidence  that  this  great  change  of 
sentiment  was  then  produced.  It  ap- 
pears to  be  far  more  probable  that 
the  fact  had  become  known  to  them, 
that  all  the  boats  which  had  been  pro- 
vided for  the  passage  of  the  troops,  ex- 
cept one  small  scow,  Jmd  heen  allowed 
to  float  away  with  the  current,  or  to  he 
captured  hy  the  enemy,  for  the  want  of 
proper  officers  to  take  charge  of  them, 
as  was,  truly,  tlie  case. 

Intelligence  of  this  disaster  was  im- 
mediately conveyed  to  Lieutenant-col- 
onel Scott  ;^  yet,  severe  as  was  the 
shock,  that  gallant  officer  and  his  com- 
mand, although  worn  down  by  the  fa- 
tigues of  the  day,  "resolved  to  abide 
the  shock,  and  to  think  of  surrender 
only  when  battle  was  impossible,"^ 

Meanwhile  the  reinforcements  from 
Fort  George  were  approaching  the 
heights  by  a  circuitous  route.*  Xot, 
however,  with  that  "pomp  and  circum- 
stance" which  became  the  pretensions 
of  British  troops  did  they  approach ; 
but,  with  an  unusual  degree  of  circum- 
spection and  caution,  as  a  cotemporary 
remarks,'  he  "  manoeuvred  from  right 
to  left,  and  from  left  to  right,  counter- 
marchinof  nearlv  the  whole  lenMh  of 
the  American  line  twice,  as  if  deter- 
mined to  count  every  man  in  the  ranks. 


'  Van  Eensselaer's  Queenstown,  p.  37.  See  also  Wil- 
kinson's Mem.,  i.  p.  573. — ^  Stone's  Brant,  il.  p.  510; 
Armsti-ong's  Notices,  i.  p.  106. 

'  Mansfield's  Scott,  p.  43. — '  Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p. 
332 ;  James'  Militaiy  Occurrences,  i.  p.  94. 

'  Armstrong's  Notices,  i.  p.  106.  See  also  Baylies'  Bat- 
tle of  Queenstown  ;  Mansfield's  Scott,  p.  43. 


158 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


and  to  make  himself  familiar  with,  every 
foot  of  the  position  before  he  hazarded 
an  attack."  While  the  enemy  was  thus, 
unintentionally,  rendering  homage  to 
the  bravery  of  the  troops  and  the  skill 
of  their  commanders,  Lieutenant-colonel 
Scott  mounted  a  log  and  addressed  his 
command,  encouraging  the  men,  ap- 
pealing to  their  patriotism  and  their 
pride,  and  asking,  "Who  dare  to 
stand  ?"^  The  unanimous  response  of 
the  men  proved  that,  with  them,  the 
spirit  which  they  had  displayed  in  the 
morning  still  lingered  in  the  ranks ;  and 
the  regulars  and  the  volunteers  vied 
with  each  other  in  the  determination 
with  which  they  prepared  to  renew  the 
struggle. 

The  fragments  of  the  force  which  Sir 
Isaac  Brock  and  Lieutenant-colonel  Mc- 
Donell  had  led  up  the  heights,  after  its 
repulse,  having  been  driven  from  a 
more  advanced  position  by  the  artillery 
on  the  heights  of  Lewiston,^  had  formed 
in  the  vicinity  of  Vromont's  battery, 
and  there  awaited  the  approach  of  Gen- 
ei"al  Sheaffe  and  the  reinforcements  un- 
der his  command.^  These  consisted  of 
three  hundred  and  eighty  rank  and  file 
of  the  Forty-first  regiment  of  the  line, 
under  Captain  Derenzy ;  *  the  flank 
companies  of  the  First  regiment  of 
Lincoln  militia,  under  Captains  James 
Crooks  and  McEwen  ;  the  flank  com- 
panies of  the  Fourth  regiment  of  Lin- 
coln militia,  under  Captains  Nellis 
and  W.  Crooks ;  Captains  Hall's,  Du- 
rand's,  and  Applegarth's  companies  of 

'  Mansfield's  Scott,  p.  43  ;  Stone's  Life  of  Brant,  ii.  p. 
511. — '  Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p.  332  ;  Auchinleck,  p.  105. 

'  Auchinleck,  p.  105  ;  James'  Military  Occurrences,  i. 
p.  91.—''  Gen.  Sheaffe  to  Sir  Geo.  Prevost,  Oct  13. 


the  Fifth  regiment  of  Lincoln  militia; 
Major  Merrit's  yeomanry  corps,  and  a 
body  of  Sway  zee's  militia  artillery,  un- 
der Captains  Powell  and  Cameron ;  and, 
a  short  time  afterwards.  Colonel  Clark 
arrived  from  Chippewa  wdth  Captain 
Bullock's  company  of  grenadiers  of  the 
Forty-first  regiment ;  the  flank  compa- 
nies of  the  Second  Lincoln  regiment, 
under  Captains  Hamilton  and  Row ; 
and  the  Volunteer  Sedentary  militia.^ 
The  Indians,  under  John  Brant  and 
Captain  Jacobs;^  and  two  three-pound- 
ers, under  Lieutenant  Crowther  of  the 
Forty-first  regiment,^  also  accompanied 
them. 

With  this  overpowering  force.  Gen- 
eral Sheaife  moved  forward  with  great 
caution;*  and,  at  four  in  the  afternoon,^ 
the  action  commenced  on  the  left  of  the 
enemy's  line,  by  the  advance  of  the 
light  company  of  the  Forty-first,  under 
Lieutenant  Mclntyre,  supported  by  a 
body  of  militia  and  Indians,  and  a  com- 
pany of  colored  men,  under  Captain 
Runchey.®  After  firing  a  single  volley, 
the  enemy  charged,  and  the  right  of 
the  American  line,  against  which  it  was 
directed,  being  overpowered  by  the 
enemy,  was  compelled  to  give  way,'^ 
Perceiving  the  success  which  attended 
this  movement,  General  Sheaffe  sup- 
ported it  by  ordering  his  entire  line  to 
charge,  when — having  received  orders 
to  that  effect  from  General  Van  Rens- 
selaer, who  promised  to  provide  boats 

'  Auchinleck,  p.  105.—''  Vide  p.  156,  col.  2,  note  6. 

'  Gen.  Sheaffe  to  Sir  Geo.  Prevost,  Oct.  13 ;  Auchin- 
leck, p.  105 ;  James'  Military  Occurrences,  i.  p.  94. 

i  Vide  p.  156,  col.  2,  note  5. — '  Van  Kensselaer's  Queens- 
town,  p.  35  ;  Breckenridge,  p.  74. — °  Auchinleck,  p.  105  ; 
James'  Military  Occurrences,  i.  pp.  94,  95.—'  Auchinleck, 
p.  105  ;  James'  Military  Occurrences,  i.  p.  95. 


Chap.  XXX.] 


THE  BATTLE  OF  QUEENSTOWN". 


159 


for  their  passage  across  the  river' — the 
Americans  retreated  by  their  right 
flank,^  over  the  first  ridge  of  heights,  to 
the  road  leading  from  Qaeenstown  to 
the  falls.®  Some  few  dropped  down, 
with  the  help  of  the  bushes  and  their 
muskets,  to  the  mai-gin  of  the  river,  and 
escaped;*  but  the  greater  part  of  the 
force,  after  some  difficulty  in  passing  a 
flag  through  the  bands  of  Indians  which 
watched  the  roads,^  surrendered  to  the 
enemy,  prisoners  of  war^ — General  Van 
Rensselaer  having  no  boats  with  which 
to  withdraw  them. 

Of  the  American  forces  which  were 
in  the  series  of  engagements  at  Queens- 
town,  it  is  difficult  to  obtain  an  exact 
account.  The  entire  party  which  first 
passed  from  Lewiston  to  Queenstown — 
ten  boats  full  —  did  not  exceed  two 
hundred  and  twenty-five  in  number;^ 
and  with  the  regulars  from  this  force 
— one  hundred  and  seventy  in  num- 
ber^— on  the  American  side,  the  first 
action  was  fought  by  Captain  Wool, 
at  the  heights.     The  militia  who  had 


'  Letter  in  National  Intelligencer,  Nov.  7,  1812  ;  Thom- 
son's Sketches,  p.  75  ;  Christie's  Mil.  Operations,  p.  85. 

'  Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p.  334  ;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i. 
p.  95. — '  Auchinleck,  p.  105 ;  Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p. 
334  ;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  95.—^  Auchinleck,  p.  106  ; 
Mansfield's  Scott,  p.  44;  Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p.  334; 
Letter  in  National  Intelligencer,  Nov.  7,  1812  ;  James'  Mil. 
Occur.,  1.  p.  95.—^  Mansfield's  Scott,  p.  44;  James'  Mil. 
Occur.,  i.  p.  95  ;  Stone's  Brant,  ii.  pp.  512,  513. 

"  Mansfield's  Scott,  p.  44  ;  Letter  in  National  Intelli- 
gencer, Nov.  7,  1812  ;  Ingersoll,  i.  p.  93  ;  Gen.  Van  Rens- 
selaer to  Gen.  Dearborn,  Oct.  14. — ''  Van  Rensselaer's 
Queenstown,  p.  27;  Wilkinson's  Mem.,  i.  p.  578  ;  Brock's 
Life  of  Brock,  p.  329. — "  From  the  fact  that  the  three  boats 
which  missed  the  landing  on  the  British  shore  contained 
regulars  only, — Lieut. -Col.  Chrystie,  Capt.  Lawrence,  and 
Lieut.  Fink  commanding, — it  is  evident  the  whole  of  the 
militia,  sixty  in  number,  landed  in  Canada.  This  would 
leave  but  about  170  regulars,  yet  I  have  thought  some 
few  others  might  have  accompanied  Capt.  Wool. 


crossed  in  the  first  detachment — sixty 
in  number — do  not  appear  to  have, 
generally,  ascended  the  heights,  until 
after  the  battery  had  been  taken  by 
Captain  Wool;^  and  the  two  engage- 
ments on  the  heights  which  preceded 
the  death  of  Sir  Isaac  Brock,  must  have 
been  sustained,  therefore,  by  a  party  of 
not  exceeding  two  hundred  and  forty 
men.^  After  that  time,  while  Captain 
Wool  still  retained  the  command,  sev- 
eral small  parties  crossed  the  river  and 
joined  his  detachment,®  making,  with 
the  militia  who  had  first  crossed,  and 
subsequently  ascended  the  heights,  a 
force,  when  Lieutenant-colonel  Scott 
took  the  command,  of  six  hundred 
men.*  With  this  number  the  attack 
of  the  Mohawks  was  sustained;  but, 
when  General  Sheaffe  was  seen  on  his 
way  to  attack  the  party,  it  was  reduced 
by  desertion^ — many  concealing  them- 
selves among  the  rocks  and  bushes® — 
so  that  but  little  more  than  three  hun- 
dred sustained  the  final  attack  of  Gen- 
eral Sheaffe.'^ 

Nor  is  it  less  difficult  to  ascertain  the 
strength  of  the  enemy,  during  the  dif- 
ferent periods  of  the  action.     Captain 


'  Capt.  Ogilvie,  who  led  the  advance  {Niks'  Register,  iii. 
p.  141),  says  ten  militiamen  only  were  with  him. 

^  Baylies'  Battle  of  Queenstown.  This  will  be  seen  in 
the  fact  that  to  Capt.  Wool's  first  party — one  hundred 
and  seventy  men — was  added,  subsequently,  Capt.  Ogil- 
vie's  company,  and  that,  with  this  addition,  including 
ten  militiamen,  the  heights  were  stormed. 

'  Maj.  Mullany  to  Gen.  Van  Rensselaer,  Jan.  5,  1813  ; 
Van  Rensselaer's  Queenstown,  pp.  36,  37  ;  Capt.  Ogilvie, 
in  Niles'  Register,  iii.  p.  141  ;  Christie's  Operations,  p.  83  ; 
Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p.  332;  Lieut. -Col.  Chrystie  to 
Adj. -Gen.,  Feb.  22,  1813.—"  Mansfield's  Scott,  p.  40. 

'  Lieut.-Col.  Chrystie  to  Adj. -Gen.,  Feb.  22,  1813. 

°  Mansfield's  Scott,  p.  45  ;  Christie's  Military  Opera- 
tions, p.  84. — '  Mansfield's  Scott,  p.  43  ;  Armstrong's 
Notices,  i.  p.  106. 


160 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


Dennis's  party,  which  first  attacked 
Captain  Wool,  at  the  foot  of  the 
heights,  numbered  sixty  regulars  and 
about  as  many  militia;^  the  party  on 
the  heights,  under  Captain  Williams, 
embraced  two  full  companies — not  less 
than  one  hundred  and  fifty  men^ — and 
with  this  number  he  sustained  the  first 
action  with  Captain  Wool  on  the  heights. 
Sir  Isaac  Brock  consolidated  these  two 
parties,  to  which  were  added  two  flank 
companies  of  the  York  volunteers,  a 
body  of  militia,  and  some  Indians,  and 
the  second  attack  on  Captain  Wool,  on 
the  heights,  in  which  Sir  Isaac  lost  his 
life,  must,  therefore,  have  been  made 
with  not  less  than  four  hundred  and  fifty 
men.  Of  the  Mohawks  who  attacked 
Lieutenant-colonel  Scott,  it  is  said  there 
were  five  hundred  warriors.^  The 
reinforcement  which  General  Sheaffe 
brought  on  the  ground  numbered  about 
eight  hundred  and  fifty  men;*  which, 
added  to  the  remnants  of  those  compa- 
nies which  Sir  Isaac  had  rallied,  made  a 
force  of  not  less  than  thirteen  hundred 
and  fifty  men,  exclusive  of  Indians.^ 

It  will  thus  be  seen  that,  with  the 
possible  exception  of  Captain  Wool's 
first  action  on  the  heights,  the  enemy 
in    each    engagement   was    much    the 

'  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  87  ;  Brock's  Life  of  Brock, 
p.  329.—^  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  88.—'  Mansfield's 
Scott,  p.  41.  Mr.  Auchinleek  (Hist.,  p.  Ill)  denies  that 
they  amounted  to  one  hundred ;  Mr.  James  {Mil.  Occur.,  i. 
p.  94)  says  they  numbered  "  about  fifty." 

*  Mansfield's  Scott,  p.  42  ;  Armstrong's  Notices,  i.  p. 
106.  Capt.  Ogilvie,  in  Niles'  Register,  iii.  p.  141,  says  it 
numbered  eleven  hundred  men.  Mr.  Christie  (Mil.  and 
Naval  Operations,  p.  84)  says  it  numbered  five  hundred  and 
fifty  men,  exclusive  of  Indians. 

"  Mansfield's  Scott,  p.  43.  Mr.  Brock  (Life  of  Brock,  p. 
333)  says,  ' '  The  whole  force  thus  assembled  rather  ex- 
ceeded 1000  men  of  all  grades,  of  whom  nearly  600  were 
regulars." 


Stronger  of  the  two ;  while  in  all  the 
elements  which,  ordinarily,  contribute 
to  success — experience,  discipline,  and 
supplies — the  latter  was,  also,  greatly 
superior. 

The  loss  of  the  Americans,  in  this  di- 
versified aflkir,  was  very  serious.  About 
ninety,  including  Lieutenants  Valleau 
and  Rathbone,  and  Ensign  Morris,  were 
hilled;'^  about  one  hundred,  including 
Lieutenant-colonels  Fenwick,  Chrystie, 
and  Van  Rensselaer,  Captains  Wool, 
Malcolm,  and  Armstrong,  and  Lieuten- 
ant Lent,  were  wounded;'^  and  about 
nine  hundred  and  eighty,^  of  whom  only 
one  hundred  and  thirty-nine  regidars 
and  one  hundred  and  fifty-foui'  militia 
had  heen  in  action^  were  taken  prison- 
ers. The  loss  of  the  enemy  was  about 
one  hundred  and  fifty  meji  killed  and 
wounded,^  exclusive  of  Indians. 

Thus  terminated  the  "  Battle  of 
Queenstown" — a  series  of  engagements 
in  which  were  blended  the  most  per- 
fect plans  of  operations  and  the  most 
incomplete  arrangements  for  their  exe- 
cution, the  most  undaunted  courage 
and  the  most  flagrant  cowardice,  the 
most  triumphant  success  and  the  most 
disastrous  defeat ;  an  affair  which,  from 
its  results,  was  second  in  importance  to 

'  Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p.  334  ;  Thomson's  Sketches, 
p.  76. — 2  Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p.  334. — '  Auchinleek,  p. 
106  ;  Brock's  Life  of  Brock,  p.  334. 

■•Mansfield's  Scott,  p.  44.  "To  his  (Scott's)  intense 
chagrin  and  mortification  the  number  of  prisoners  was 
soon  swelled  by  several  hundreds  of  militia,  who  had 
crossed  to  the  Canada  shore,  and,  in  the  confusion  of  the 
moment,  had  concealed  themselves  under  the  rocks 
higher  up  the  river,  and  were  not  in  the  slightest  degree 
engaged  in  the  action  of  the  day." — 3Iansfield's  Scott, 
p.  45. 

'  Auchinleek,  p.  106.  Mr.  James  (Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  97) 
and  Mr.  Christie  (Mil.  and  Naval  Operations,  p.  86)  says  the 
total  loss  was  only  about  eighiy  men,  including  Indians. 


Chap.  XXX.] 


THE  BATTLE  OF  QUEENSTOWN. 


161 


no  other  wliicli  took  place  on  the  North- 
ern frontier.  When  it  is  borne  in  mind, 
also,  that,  on  the  one  side,  it  was  main- 
tained by  militia,  or  by  regulars  who 
possessed  but  little  more  experience 
than  militia;  that  they  were  led— in 
the  preliminary  engagement,  in  the  as- 
sault on  the  heights,  in  the  mainten- 
ance of  that  position,  and  in  the  final 
engagement,  alike — by  a  captain  and  a 
lieutenant-colonel  who  were  fresh  from 
civil  life  and  had  never  been  in  action 
before  ;  and  that  they  were  unsupport- 
ed by  their  countrymen,  who  were  in 
force  to  do  so ;  while,  on  the  other, 
they  were  opposed  by  veteran  troops, 
led  by  one  of  the  most  accomj)lished 
soldiers  of  the  age,  it  will  be  seen  that 
"^Ae  Battle  of  Queenstovni''^  is  one  of 
the  most  remarkable,  in  every  respect, 
which  appears  on  the  battle-roll  of 
America.^ 

There  are  two  singular  facts,  in  this 
connection,  which  deserve  notice.  While 


•  Much  of  the  error  which  prevails  respecting  the  com- 
mandant of  the  regulars  on  this  eventful  day,  may  be  at- 
tributed to  the  fact  that  Mr.  Niles  copied  into  the  Reghter 
(vol.  iii.,  p.  141)  an  account  of  the  battle  which  Captain 
Ogilvie  had  given  to  an  Albany  paper;  and  subsequent  writers, 
following  Niles,  have  onl}'  perpetuated  Capt.  Ogilvie's 
version.  As  Capt.  Wool  was  Capt.  Ogilvie's  superior 
officer, — the  rank  of  the  officers  having  been  determined 
by  lot,  a  short  time  before, — it  will  be  seen,  at  once,  that 
Capt.  Wool  commanded  the  party,  and  captured  and  retained 
possession  of  the  heights  of  Queenstown,  until  the  arrival  of 
Lieut.-Col.  Scott  relieved  him  of  the  command. 
Vol.  II.— 21 


the  commanding  general  (Van  Rensse- 
laer), in  his  dispatches,  studiously  con- 
cealed the  true  causes  of  the  disastrous 
termination  of  the  expedition, — tlie  im- 
])erfect  arrangements  for  the  passage  of 
tlie  Twer^ — he  exerts  all  his  energies  to 
make  the  militia  the  scapegoat  of  his 
inefiiciency,  and  justifies  the  want  of 
confidence  which  the  latter  had  mani- 
fested ;  and,  at  the  same  time,  for  polit- 
ical or  other  causes,  known  only  to  him- 
self, while  the  names  of  officers,  who, 
with  one  exception,  liad  not  heen  en- 
gaged in  action^  were  honorably  men- 
tioned in  his  dispatches,  the  command- 
ers of  the  troops  who  had  met  the  en- 
emy^ carried  and  occupied  the  heights, 
and  gallantly  defended  them  after- 
wards,— Captain  Wool  and  Lieutenant- 
colonel  Scott,  of  the  United  States 
army,— were  not  even  referred  to,  by 
name,  in  any  portion  of  the  report. 
The  enemy,  more  generous  than  he, 
not  only  commemorated  the  gallantry 
of  the  fallen  leader  of  the  opposing 
force,  by  a  monument,  erected  near  the 
spot  where  he  fell ;  but,  joining  with 
the  impartial  historians  of  our  own 
country,  and  with  General  Van  Rens- 
selaer himself,  in  his  private  correspon- 
dence, his  annalists  —  James,  Auchiu- 
leck,  and  Brock, — have  not  forgotten 
to  award  the  meed  of  praise  ivliere  it 
properly  helongs. 


DOCUMEJNTTS. 


I. 

LETTER  FKOM  MAJOR-GENERAL  VAN  RENSSELAER 
TO   MAJOR-GENERAL   HENRY   DEARBORN. 

Head-quarters,  Lewisiown,  Oct.  14,  1812. 

Sir  : — As  the  movements  of  this  army  under 
my  command,  since  I  had  last  the  honor  to  ad- 
dress you  on  the  8th  instant,  have  been  of  a  very 
important  character,  producing  consequences  se- 
rious to  many  individuals  ;  establishing  facts  ac- 
tually connected  with  the  interest  of  the  service 
and  the  safety  of  the  army ;  and  as  I  stand 
prominently  responsible  for  some  of  these  con- 
sequences, I  beg  leave  to  explain  to  you,  sir, 
and  through  you  to  my  country,  the  situation 
and  circumstances  in  which  I  have  had  to  act, 
and  the  reasons  and  motives  which  governed 
me;  and  if  the  result  is  not  all  that  might  have 
been  wished,  it  is  such  that  when  the  whole 
ground  shall  be  viewed,  I  shall  cheerfully  sub- 
mit niyself  to  the  judgment  of  my  country. 

In  my  letter  of  the  8th  instant  I  apprised  you 
that  a  crisis  in  this  camjDaign  Avas  rapidly  ad- 
vancing ;  and  that  (to  repeat  the  same  words), 
"  the  blow  must  be  soon  struck,  or  all  the  toil 
and  expense  of  the  campaign  go  for  nothing, 
for  the  whole  will  be  tinged  with  dishonor." 

Under  such  impressions  I  had,  on  the  5th  in- 
stant, written  to  Brigadier-general  Smyth,  of 
the  United  States'  forces,  requesting  an  inter- 
view with  him,  Major-general  Hall,  and  the 
commandants  of  the  United  States'  regiments, 
for  the  purpose  of  conferring  upon  the  subject 
of  future  operations.  I  wrote  Major-general 
Hall  to  the  same  purport.  On  the  11th  I  had 
received  no  answer  from  General  Smyth ;  but 
in  a  note  to  me  of  the  10th,  General  Hall  men- 
tioned that  General  Smyth  had  not  yet  then 
agreed  upon  any  day  for  the  consultation. 

In  the  mean  time  the  partial  success  of  Lieu- 
tenant Elliott,  at  Black  Rock  (of  which,  how- 
ever, I  have  received  no  official  information), 
began  to  excite  a  strong  disposition  in  the  troops 
to  act.     This  was  expressed  to  me  through  va- 


rious channels,  in  the  shape  of  an  alternative ; 
that  they  must  have  orders  to  act — or,  at  all 
hazards,  they  would  go  home.  I  forbear  here 
commenting  upon  the  obvious  consequences  to 
me,  personally,  of  longer  withholding  my  orders 
imder  such  circumstances. 

I  had  a  conference  with ,  as  to  the  pos- 
sibility of  getting  some  person  to  pass  over  to 
Canada  and.  obtain  correct  information.  On 
the  morning  of  the  4th  he  wrote  to  me  that  he 
had  procured  the  man,  who  bore  his  letter  to  go 
over.  Instructions  were  given  him ;  he  passed 
over — obtained  such  information  as  warranted 
an  immediate  attack.  This  was  confidentially 
communicated  to  several  of  my  first  officers, 
and  produced  great  zeal  to  act ;  more  especially 
as  it  might  have  a  controlling  effect  upon  the 
movements  at  Detroit,  where  it  was  supposed 
that  General  Brock  had  gone,  with  all  the  force 
he  dared  to  spare  from  the  Niagara  frontier. 
The  best  preparations  in  my  power  were,  there- 
fore, made  to  dislodge  the  enemy  from  the 
heights  of  Queenstown,  and  possess  ourselves  of 
the  village,  where  the  troops  might  be  sheltered 
from  the  distressing  inclemency  of  the  weather. 

Lieutenant-colonel  Feiiwick's  flying-artillery, 
and  a  detachment  of  regular  troops,  under  his 
command,  were  ordered  to  be  up  in  season  from 
Fort  Niagara.  Oi'ders  were  also  sent  General 
Smyth,  to  send  down  from  Buffalo  such  detach- 
ment of  his  brigade  as  existing  circumstances  in 
that  vicinity  might  warrant.  Tlie  attack  was  to 
have  been  made  at  three  o'clock  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  11th,  by  crossing  over  in  boats  from 
the  Old  Ferry  opposite  the  heights.  To  avoid 
any  embarrassment  in  crossing  the  river  (which 
is  here  a  sheet  of  violent  eddies),  experienced 
boatmen  were  procured  to  take  the  boats  from 
the  landing  below  to  the  place  of  embarkation. 
Lieutenant  Sim  was  considered  the  man  of  the 
greatest  skill  for  this  service ;  he  went  ahead, 
and  in  the  extreme  darkness  passed  the  intend- 
ed place  far  up  the  river ;  and  there,  in  a  most 
extraordinary  manner,  fastened  his  boat  to  the 


Chap.  XXX.] 


DOCUMENTS. 


163 


shore,  and  abandoned  the  detachment.  In  this 
front  boat  he  had  carried  nearly  every  oar  which 
was  prepared  for  all  the  boats.  In  this  agoniz- 
ing dilemma  stood  officers  and  men,  whose  ar- 
dor had  not  been  cooled  by  exposure  through 
the  night  to  one  of  the  most  tremendous  north- 
east storms,  which  continued,  unabated,  for 
twenty-eiglit  hours,  and  deluged  the  whole 
camp.  The  ajjproach  of  daylight  extinguished 
every  prospect  of  success,  and  the  detachment 
returned  to  camp.  Colonel  Van  Rensselaer  was 
to  have  commanded  the  detachment. 

After  this  result,  I  had  hoped  the  patience  of 
the  troops  would  have  continued  until  I  could 
submit  the  plan  suggested  in  my  letter  of  the 
8th,  that  I  might  act  under,  and  in  conformity 
to,  the  opinion  which  might  be  then  expressed. 
But  my  hope  was  idle :  the  previously  excited 
ardor  seemed  to  have  gained  new  heat  from  the 
late  miscarriage — the  brave  were  mortified  to 
stop  short  of  their  object,  and  the  timid  thought 
laurels  half  won  by  the  attempt. 

On  the  morning  of  the  12th,  such  was  the 
pressure  upon  me  from  all  quarters,  that  I  be- 
came satisfied  that  my  refusal  to  act  migljt  in- 
volve me  in  suspicion  and  the  service  in  dis- 
grace. 

Viewing  affairs  at  Buffalo  as  yet  unsettled,  I 
had  immediately  countermanded  the  march  of 
General  Smyth's  brigade,  upon  the  failure  of 
the  first  expedition ;  but  having  now  deter- 
mined to  attack  Queenstown,  I  sent  new  orders 
to  General  Smyth  to  march ;  not  with  the  view 
of  his  aid  in  the  attack,  for  I  considered  the 
force  detached  sufficient,  but  to  support  the  de- 
tachment should  the  conflict  be  obstinate  and 
long  continued. 

Lieutenant-colonel  Chrystie,  who  had  just  ar- 
rived at  th&  Four  Mile  Creek,  had,  late  in  the 
night  of  the  first  contemplated  attack,  gallantly 
offered  me  his  own  and  his  men's  services ;  but 
he  got  my  permission  too  late.  He  now  again 
came  forward,  had  a  conference  with  Colonel 
Van  Rensselaer,  and  begged  that  he  might  have 
the  honor  of  a  command  in  the  expedition.  The 
arrangement  was  made.  Colonel  Van  Rensse- 
laer was  to  command  one  column  of  three  hun- 
dred militia,  and  Lieutenant-colonel  Chrystie  a 
column  of  the  same  number  of  I'egular  troops. 

Every   precaution   was   now   adopted   as   to 


boats,  and  the  most  confidential  and  expe- 
rienced men  to  manage  them.  At  an  early 
hour  in  the  night.  Lieutenant-colonel  Chrystie 
marched  his  detachment,  by  the  rear  road,  from 
Niagara  to  camp.  At  seven  in  the  evening 
Lieutenant-colonel  Stranahan's  regiment  moved 
from  Niagara  Falls  ;  at  eight  o'clock,  Mead's  ; 
and  at  nine.  Lieutenant-colonel  Blan's  regiment 
marched  from  the  same  place.  All  Avere  in 
camp  in  good  season.  Agreeably  to  my  orders 
issued  upon  this  occasion,  the  two  columns 
were  to  pass  over  together.  As  soon  as  the 
heights  should  be  carried.  Lieutenant-colonel 
Fenwick's  flying-artillery  was  to  pass  over ;  then 
Major  Mullany's  detachment  of  regulars  ;  and 
the  other  troops  to  follow  in  order. 

At  dawn  of  day  the  boats  were  in  readiness, 
and  the  troops  commenced  embarking,  under 
the  cover  of  a  commanding  battery  mounting 
two  eighteen-pounders  and  two  sixes.  The 
movement  was  soon  discovered,  and  a  brisk  fire 
of  musketry  was  poured  from  the  whole  line  of 
the  Canada  shore.  Our  battery  then  opened  to 
sweep  the  shore ;  but  it  was,  for  some  minutes, 
too  dark  to  direct  much  fire  with  safety.  A 
bi'isk  cannonade  was  now  opened  upon  the 
boats  from  tliree  diftei'ent  batteries.  Our  bat- 
tery returned  the  fire,  and  occasionally  threw 
grape  upon  tlie  shore,  and  was  itself  served 
with  shells  from  a  small  moi'tar  of  the  enemy's. 
Colonel  Scott,  of  the  artillery,  by  hastening  his 
march  from  Niagara  Falls  in  the  night,  ari'ived 
in  season  to  return  the  enemy's  fire  with  two 
six-pounders. 

The  boats  were  somewhat  embarrassed  with 
the  eddies,  as  well  as  with  a  shower  of  shot ; 
but  Colonel  Van  Rensselaer,  with  about  one 
hundred  men,  soon  effected  his  landing,  amid  a 
tremendous  fire  directed  upon  him  from  every 
point ;  but  to  the  astonishment  of  all  who  Avit- 
nessed  the  scene,  this  van  of  the  column  ad- 
vanced slowly  against  the  fire.  It  was  a  serious 
misfoitune  to  the  van,  and  indeed  to  the  Avhole 
expedition,  that  in  a  few  minutes  after  landing. 
Colonel  Van  Rensselaer  received  four  wounds — 
a  ball  passed  through  his  right  thigh,  entering 
just  below  the  hip-bone ;  another  shot  passed 
throvigh  the  same  thigh,  a  little  beloAv ;  the 
third  through  the  calf  of  his  left  leg  ;  and  a 
fourth  cartused  his  heel.     This  Avas  quite  a  cri- 


164 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


sis  in  the  expedition.  Under  so  severe  a  fire  it 
was  difficult  to  form  raw  troops.  By  some  mis- 
management of  the  boatmen,  Lieutenant-colonel 
Chrystie  did  not  arrive  till  some  time  after  this, 
and  was  wounded  in  the  hand  in  passing  the 
river.  Colonel  Van  Rensselaer  was. still  able  to 
stand  ;  and  with  great  presence  of  mind  ordered 
his  officers  to  proceed  with  rapidity  and  storm 
the  fort.  This  service  was  gallantly  performed, 
and  the  enemy  driven  down  the  hill  in  every 
direction.  Soon  after  this  both  parties  were 
considerably  reinforced,  and  the  conflict  was  re- 
newed in  various  places ;  many  of  the  enemy 
took  shelter  behind  a  stone  guard-house,  where 
a  piece  of  ordnance  was  now  briskly  served.  I 
ordered  the  fire  of  our  battery  directed  upon 
the  guard-house ;  and  it  was  so  effectually  done, 
that  with  eight  or  ten  shot  the  fire  Avas  silenced. 
The  enemy  then  retreated  behind  a  large  stone- 
house  ;  but  in  a  short  time  the  rout  became 
general,  and  the  enemy's  fire  was  silenced,  ex- 
cept from  a  one-gun  battery,  so  far  down  the 
river  as  to  be  out  of  the  reach  of  our  heavy 
ordnance,  and  our  light  pieces  could  not  silence 
it.  A  number  of  boats  now  passed  over  unan- 
noyed,  except  from  the  one  unsilenced  gun. 
For  some  time  after  I  had  passed  over,  the  vic- 
tory appeared  comjjlete ;  but  in  the  expectation 
of  farther  attacks,  I  was  taking  measures  for 
fortifying  my  camp  immediately:  the  direction 
of  this  service  I  committed  to  Lieutenant  Tot- 
ten,  of  the  engineei's.  But  very  soon  the  ene- 
my were  reinforced  by  a  detachment  of  several 
hundred  Indians  from  Chippewa.  They  com- 
menced a  furious  attack,  but  were  promptly 
met  and  routed  by  the  rifle  and  bayonet.  By 
this  time  I  perceived  my  troops  were  embarking 
very  slowly.  I  passed  immediately  over  to  ac- 
celerate their  movements ;  but  to  my  utter  as- 
tonishment, I  found  that  at  the  very  moment 
when  complete  victory  was  in  our  hands,  the 
ardor  of  the  unengaged  troops  had  entirely  sub- 
sided. I  rode  in  all  directions ;  urged  the  men 
by  every  consideration  to  j^ass  over,  but  in  vain. 
Lieutenant-colonel  Bloom,  who  had  been  wound- 
ed in  action,  returned,  mounted  his  horse,  and 
rode  through  the  camp ;  as  did  also  Judge  Peck, 
who  happened  to  be  here,  exhorting  the  com- 
panies to  proceed,  but  all  in  vain. 

At  this  time  a  large  reinforcement  from  Fort 


George  were  discovered  coming  up  the  river. 
As  the  battery  on  the  hill  was  considered  an 
important  check  against  their  ascending  the 
heights,  measures  were  immediately  taken  to 
send  them  a  fresh  supply  of  ammunition,  as  I 
had  learned  there  were  left  only  twenty  shot 
for  the  eighteen-pounders.  The  reinforcements, 
however,  obliqued  to  the  right  from  the  road 
and  formed  a  junction  with  the  Indians  in  the 
rear  of  the  heights.  Finding,  to  my  infinite 
mortification,  that  no  reinforcement  would  pass 
over ;  seeing  that  another  severe  conflict  must 
soon  commence ;  and  knowing  that  the  brave 
men  of  the  heights  were  quite  exhausted  and 
nearly  out  of  ammunition,  all  I  could  do  was  to 
send  them  a  fresh  snj^ply  of  cartridges.  At  this 
critical  moment  I  dispatched  a  note  to  General 
Wadsworth,  acquainting  him  with  our  situation, 
— leaving  the  course  to  be  pursued  much  to  his 
own  judgment,  —  M'ith  assurance  that  if  he 
thought  best  to  retreat,  I  would  endeavor  to 
send  as  many  boats  as  I  could  command,  and 
cover  his  retreat  by  every  fire  I  could  safely 
make.  But  the  boats  were  dispersed, — many 
of  the  boatmen  had  fled,  panic-struck, — and  but 
few  got  off.  But  my  note  could  but  little  more 
than  have  reached  General  Wadsworth,  about 
four  o'clock,  when  a  most  severe  and  obstinate 
conflict  commenced  and  continued  about  half  an 
hour,  with  a  tremendous  fire  of  cannon,  flying- 
artillery,  and  musketry.  The  enemy  succeeded 
in  repossessing  their  battery ;  and  gaining  ad- 
vantage on  every  side,  the  brave  men  who  had 
gained  the  victory,  exhausted  of  strength  and 
ammunition,  and  grieved  at  the  unpardonable  neg- 
lect of  their  fellow-soldiers,  gave  up  the  conflict. 

I  can  only  add  that  the  victory  was  really 
won,  but  lost  for  the  want  of  a  reinforcement. 
One  third  part  of  the  idle  men  might  have 
saved  all. 

I  have  been  so  pressed  with  the  various  du- 
ties of  burying  the  dead,  providing  for  the 
wounded,  collecting  the  public  property,  nego- 
tiating an  exchange  of  prisoners,  and  all  the 
concerns  consequent  of  such  a  battle,  that  I 
have  not  been  able  to  forward  this  dispatch  at 
as  early  an  hour  as  I  could  have  wished.  I 
shall  soon  forward  you  another  dispatch,  in 
which  I  shall  endeavor  to  point  out  to  you  the 
conduct  of  some  most  gallant  and  deserving 


Chap.  XXX.] 


DOCUMENTS. 


165 


officers.  But  I  cannot  in  justice  close  this  with- 
out expressing  the  very  great  obligation  I  am 
under  to  Brigadier-general  Wadsworth,  Colonel 
Van  Rensselaer,  Colonel  Scott,  Lieutenant-col- 
onels Chrystie  and  Fenwick,  and  Captain  Gib- 
son. Many  others  have  also  behaved  gallantly. 
As  I  have  reason  to  believe  that  many  of  our 
troops  fled  to  the  vi'oods,  with  the  hope  ot" 
crossing  the  river,  I  have  not  been  able  to  learn 
the  probable  number  of  killed,  wounded,  or 
prisoners.  The  slaughter  of  our  troops  must 
have  been  very  considerable ;  and  the  enemy 
have  suffered  severely. 

General  Brock  is  among  their  slain,  and  his 
aid-de-camji  mortally  wounded. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  sir,  with  great  re- 
spect and  consideration,  your  most  obedient 
servant, 

Stephen  Van  Rensselaer, 

Major-general. 
Major-genekal  Dearborn. 


n. 


CAPTAIN   WOOL  S   KEPOKT. 

Buffalo,  Ocloher  23,  1812. 

Dear  Sir: — I  have  the  honor  to  communicate 
to  you  the  circumstances  attending  the  storming 
of  Queenstown  battery  on  the  13th  instant ;  with 
those  which  happened  previously,  you  are  al- 
ready well  acquainted. 

In  pursuance  of  your  order  we  proceeded 
round  the  point,  and  ascended  the  rocks,  which 
brought  us  partly  in  rear  of  the  battery.  We 
took  it  without  much  resistance.  I  immediately 
formed  the  troops  in  the  rear  of  the  battery,  and 
fronting  the  village,  when  I  observed  General 
Brock  with  his  troops  formed,  consisting  of  four 
companies  of  the  Forty-ninth  regiment  and  a 
few  militia,  marching  for  our  left  flank.  I  im- 
mediately detached  a  party  of  fifty  men,  to  take 
possession  of  the  heights  above  Queenstown 
battery  and  to  hold  General  Brock  in  check, 
but  in  consequence  of  his  superior  force  they 
retreated.  I  sent  a  reinforcement,  notwith- 
standing which,  the  enemy  drove  us  to  the  edge 
of  the  bank,  when  with  the  greatest  exertion  we 
brought  the  troops  to  a  stand,  and  ordered  the 
officers  to  bring  their  men  to  a  charge  as  soon 


as  the  ammunition  was  expended,  which  was 
executed  with  some  confusion,  and  in  a  few 
minutes  the  enemy  reti-eated.  We  pursued 
them  to  the  edge  of  the  heights,  when  Colonel 
McDonald  had  his  horse  shot  from  under  him, 
and  himself  mortally  wounded.  In  the  mean 
time  General  Brock,  in  attempting  to  rally  his 
forces,  was  killed,  when  the  enemy  dispersed  in 
every  direction.  As  soon  as  it  was  practicable, 
I  formed  the  troops  in  a  line  on  the  heights 
fronting  the  village,  and  immediately  detached 
flanking  parties,  which  consisted  of  Captain 
M'Chesney  of  the  Sixth  regiment,  Lieutenant 
Smith  and  Ensign  Grosvenor  with  a  small  de- 
tachment of  riflemen  which  had  that  moment 
arrived ;  at  the  same  time  I  ordered  Lieutenant 
Gansevoort  and  Lieutenant  Randolph,  with  a 
detachment  of  artillery,  to  drill  out  an  eighteen- 
pounder  which  had  been  previously  spiked,  and 
if  possible  to  bring  it  to  bear  upon  the  village. 
The  wounded  and  prisoners  I  ordered  to  be  col- 
lected and  sent  to  the  guard-house.  About  this 
time,  which  was  between  three  and  four  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon,  Lieutenant-colonel  Chrystie  ar 
rived  and  took  the  command.  He  ordered  me 
across  the  river  to  get  my  wounds  dressed.  I 
remained  a  short  time.  Our  flanking  parties 
had  been  driven  in  by  the  Indians,  but  General 
Wadsworth  and  other  officers  arriving,  we  had 
a  short  skirmish  with  them  and  they  retreated, 
and  I  crossed  the  river. 

The  officei'S  engaged  in  storming  the  battery, 
were  Captains  Wool  and  Ogilvie  ;  Lieutenants 
Kearney,  Hugonin,  Carr,  and  Saramons  of  the 
Thirteenth ;  Lieutenants  Gansevoort  and  Ran- 
dolph of  the  light  artillery,  and  Major  Lush  of 
the  militia.  I  recommend  to  your  particular 
notice  Lieutenants  Randolph,  Carr,  and  Kear- 
ney, for  their  brave  conduct,  exhibited  during 
the  M-hole  of  the  action. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be  your  most  obedient, 

humble  servant, 

John  E.  Wool, 
Capt.  IZth  Regt.  Infantry. 
Col.  Solomon  Van  Rensselaer. 

[Note. — This  copy  of  the  Report,  which  differs  in  one 
particular  from  those  which  have  heretofore  appeared, 
has  been  printed  from  a  corrected  copy  which  I  received 
from  the  distinguished  author — General  Wool.  The  er- 
ror into  which  he  fell,  in  stating  that  ^^four  companies 


166 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


of  the  49th  regiment"  opposed  bim,  instead  of  two,  with 
two  of  voUigeuTS,  was  caused  by  the  error  of  the  prisoners 
whom  be  captured,  from  whom  be  received  the  informa- 
tion respecting  the  number  and  character  of  the  enemy's 
force. — H.  B.  D.] 


III. 


GENERAL    SHEAEFE  S    DISPATCH    TO    SIK    GEORGE 
PREVOST.   . 

Fort  George,  October  13,  1812. 
Sir  : — I  have  the  honor  of  informing  your 
Excellency  that  the  enemy  made  an  attack  with 
a  considerable  force  this  morning  before  day- 
light, on  the  position  of  Queenstown.  On  re- 
ceiving intelligence  of  it,  Major-general  Brock 
immediately  proceeded  to  that  post,  and  I  am 
excessively  grieved  in  having  to  add,  that  he 
fell  while  gallantly  cheering  his  troops  to  an 
exertion  for  maintaining  it.  With  him,  the 
position  was  lost ;  but  the  enemy  was  not  al- 
lowed to  retain  it  long.  Reinforcements  having 
been  sent  up  from  this  post,  composed  of  regu- 
lar troops,  militia,  and  Indians,  a  movement 
was  made  to  turn  his  left,  while  some  artillery, 
under  the  able  direction  of  Captain  Holcroft, 
supported  by  a  body  of  infantry,  engaged  his 
attention  in  front.  This  operation  was  aided 
too  by  the  judicious  position  which  Norton,  and 
the  Indians  with  him,  had  taken  on  the  woody 
brow  of  the  high  ground  above  Queenstown. 
A  communication  being  thus  opened  with  Chip- 
pewa, a  junction  was  formed  with  succors  that 
had  been  ordered  from  that  post.  The  enemy 
was  then  attacked,  and,  after  a  short,  but  spirit- 
ed conflict,  was  completely  defeated.  I  had  the 
satisfaction  of  receiving  the  sword  of  their  com- 
mander. Brigadier-general  Wadsworth,  on  the 
field  of  battle ;  and  many  officers,  with  upwards 
of  nine  hundred  men,  were  made  prisoners,  and 
more  may  yet  be  expected.  A  stand  of  colors 
and  one  six-pounder  were  also  taken.  The  ac- 
tion did  not  terminate  till  near  three  o'clock  in 
the  afternoon,  and  their  loss  in  killed  and  wound- 
ed must  have  been  considerable.  Ours  I  believe 
to  have  been  comparatively  small  in  numbers. 
No  officer  was  killed  besides  Majoi'-general 
Brock,  one  of  the  most  gallant  and  zealous  offi- 
cers in  His  Majesty's  service,  whose  loss  cannot 
be  too  much  deplored,  and  Lieutenant-colonel 


McDonell,  Provincial  Aid-de-camp,  whose  gal- 
lantry and  merit  rendered  him  worthy  of  his 
chief.  Captains  Dennis  and  Williams,  com- 
manding the  flank  companies  of  the  Forty-ninth 
regiment,  which  were  stationed  at  Queenstown, 
were  wounded,  bravely  contending,  at  the  head 
of  their  men,  against  superior  numbers ;  but  I 
am  glad  to  have  it  in  my  power  to  add,  that 
Captain  Dennis  fortunately  was  able  to  keep  the 
field,  though  with  pain  and  difliculty ;  and  Cap- 
tain Williams'  wound  is  not  likely  to  deprive 
me  long  of  his  services.  I  am  particularly  in- 
debted to  Captain  Holcroft,  of  the  Royal  Artil- 
lery, for  his  judicious  and  skilful  co-operation 
with  the  guns  and  howitzers  under  his  imme- 
diate superintendence,  the  Avell-directed  fire 
from  which  contributed  materially  to  the  for- 
tunate result  of  the  day.  Captain  Derenzy,  of 
the  Forty-first  regiment,  brought  up  the  re- 
inforcement of  that  corps  from  Fort  George ; 
and  Captain  Bullock  led  that  of  the  same  regi- 
ment from  Chippewa ;  and  under  their  command 
these  detachments  acquitted  themselves  in  such 
a  manner  as  to  sustain  the  reputation  which  the 
Forty-first  regiment  had  already  acquired  in  the 
vicinity  of  Detroit.  Major-general  Brock,  soon 
after  his  arrival  at  Queenstown,  had  sent  down 
orders  for  battering  the  American  Fort  Niagai-a. 
Brigade-major  Evans,  who  was  left  in  charge  of 
Fort  George,  directed  the  operations  against  it 
with  so  much  effect  as  to  silence  its  fire,  and  to 
force  the  troops  to  abandon  it,  and  by  his  pru- 
dent precautions  he  prevented  mischief  of  a  most 
serious  nature,  which  otherwise  might  have  been 
effected,  the  enemy  having  used  heated  shot  in 
firing  at  Fort  George.  In  these  services  he  was 
most  effectually  aided  by  Colonel  Claus  (who 
remained  in  the  fort  at  my  desire)  and  by  Cap- 
tain Vigoreux,  of  the  royal  engineers  ;  Brigade- 
major  Evans  also  mentions  the  conduct  of  Cap- 
tains Powell  and  Cameron,  of  the  militia  artil- 
lery, in  terms  of  commendation.  Lieutenant 
Crowther,  of  the  Forty-first  regiment,  had 
charge  of  two  three-pounders  that  had  accom- 
panied the  movement  of  our  little  corps,  and 
they  were  employed  with  very  good  effect. 
Captain  Glegg,  of  the  Forty-ninth  regiment, 
Aid-de-camp  to  our  lamented  friend  and  Gen- 
eral, afforded  me  most  essential  assistance ;  and 
I  found  the  services  of  Lieutenant  Fowler,  of  the 


Chap.  XXX.] 


DOCUMENTS. 


167 


Forty-first  regiment,  Assistant  Deputy  Quarter- 
master-general, very  useful.  I  derived  much 
aid,  too,  from  the  activity  and  intelligence  of 
Lieutenant  Kerr,  of  the  Glengary  fencibles, 
whom  I  employed  in  communications  with  the 
Indians  and  other  flanking  parties.  I  was  un- 
fortunately deprived  of  the  aid  of  the  experience 
and  ability  of  Lieutenant-colonel  Myers,  Deputy 
Quartermaster-general,  who  had  been  sent  up  to 
Fort  Erie  a  few  days  before,  on  duty  which  de- 
tained him  there.  Lieutenant-colonels  Butler 
and  Clarke,  of  the  militia,  and  Captains  Hatt, 
Durand,  Rowe,  Applegarth,  James  Crooks, 
Cooper,  Robert  Hamilton,  McEwen,  and  Dun- 
can Cameron,  and  Lieutenants  Richardson  and 
Thomas  Butlei',  commanding  flank  comjsanies 
of  the  Lincoln  and  York  militia,  led  their  men 
into  action  with  great  spii'it.  Major  Merritt, 
commanding  the  Niagara  dragoons,  accompa- 
nied me,  and  gave  me  much  assistance  with 
part  of  his  corjas.  Captain  A.  Hamilton,  be- 
longing to  it,  was  disabled  from  riding,  and  at- 
tached himself  to  the  guns  under  Captain  Hol- 
crofl;,  who  speaks  highly  of  his  activity  and 
usefulness.  I  beg  leave  to  add,  that  volunteers 
Shaw,  Thomson,   and  Jarvis,   attached  to   the 


flank  companies  of  the  Forty-ninth  regiment, 
conducted  themselves  with  great  sjDirit ;  the 
first  was  wounded,  the  last  taken  prisoner:  I 
beg  leave  to  recommend  these  young  men  to 
your  Excellency's  notice.  Norton  is  wounded, 
but  not  badly :  he  and  the  Lidians  particularly 
distinguished  themselves,  and  I  have  very  great 
satisfaction  in  assuring  your  Excellency  that  the 
spirit  and  good  conduct  of  His  Majesty's  troops, 
of  the  militia,  and  of  the  other  provincial  corps, 
wei'e  eminently  conspicuous  on  this  occasion.  I 
have  not  been  able  to  ascertain  yet  the  number 
of  our  troops,  or  of  those  of  the  enemy  engaged. 
Ours,  I  believe,  did  not  exceed  the  number  of 
the  prisoners  we  have  taken  ;  and  their  advance, 
which  effected  a  landing,  probably  amounted  to 
thirteen  or  fourteen  hundred.  I  shall  do  myself 
the  honor  of  transmitting  to  your  Excellency 
farther  details  when  I  shall  have  I'eceived  the 
several  reports  of  tlie  occurrences  which  did 
not  pass  under  my  own  observation,  with  the 
return  of  the  casualties,  and  those  of  the  killed 
and  wounded,  and  of  the  ordnance  taken. 
I  have  the  honor  to  be,  &c., 

R.  H.  Sheapfe,  Jifaj or- general. 
To  His  Excellency  Sir  George  Prevost,  Bart.,  &c. 


CHAPTER    XXXI. 


October  18,  1§12. 


THE     CAPTURE     OF     THE     FROLIC. 


Amokg  the  vessels  whicli  had  been 
added  to  the  navy  immediately  after 
the  close  of  the  Tripolitan  war,  was  the 
Wasp^  a  fine  ship,  mounting  sixteen  thir- 
ty-two-pound carronades  and  two  long- 
twelves.'^  At  the  opening  of  the  war 
with  Great  Britain  she  was  in  Europe, 
and  returned  home  shortly  afterwards, 
when  she  was  refitted ;  and  after  a  short 
run  of  three  weeks,  and  making  one  cap- 
ture, she  returned  to  the  Delaware.^ 

On  the  thirteenth  of  October,  1812, 
she  sailed  a  second  time,^  steering  an 
east  by  southerly  course,  in  order  to 
clear  the  coast  and  to  get  into  the 
track  of  vessels  steering  to  the  north- 
ward.* On  the  sixteenth  she  was  over- 
taken by  a  heavy  gale,  and  lost  her  jib- 
boom,  with  two  of  her  crew,  who  were 
on  it  at  the  time,^  On  the  seventeenth, 
the  storm  having  abated,  she  continued 
on  her  course ;  and  at  half-past  eleven 
o'clock  in  the  night  of  that  day,  being 
then  in  latitude  3Y°  N.,  and  longitude 
65°  W.,  she  made  several  sail,  two  of 
them  appearing  to  be  large  vessels.® 
Not  considering  it  prudent  to  run  too 


'  Cooper's  Naval  Hist.,  ii.  p.  63  ;  James'  Naval  Occur., 
p.  149. — '  Cooper,  ii.  p.  63  ;  Analectic  Magazine,  ii.  p.  79. 

°  Capt.  Jones  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Nov.  24,  1812  ;  Analec- 
tic Magazine,  ii.  p.  79  ;  Clark's  Naval  History,  p.  139. 

*  Cooper,  ii.  p.  63. — '  Capt.  Jones  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Nov. 
24, 1812  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  63.—"  Capt.  Jones  to  Sec.  of  Navy, 
Nov.  24,  1812  ;  Clark,  p.  139.  Capt.  Whinyates  {Dispatch, 
Oct.  23)  says  36°  N.  lat.,  and  64°  W.  long. 


near  the  strangers,  while  their  character 
was  unknown,  the  Wasp  stood  from 
them  for  some  time ;  when,  having 
reached  what  was  considered  a  safe 
distance,  she  shortened  sail  and  steered, 
during  the  remainder  of  the  night,  on 
the  same  course  which  the  strangers 
had  taken,  with  the  intention  of  making 
their  acquaintance  in  the  morning,  if  it 
could  be  done  prudently.-^ 

At  daylight  (^Simday^  October  18)  the 
strangers  were  discovered  ahead  and  to 
leeward,  and  the  Wasp  gave  chase.^ 
She  soon  discovered  that  she  was 
closing  with  a  convoy  of  six  sail  of 
armed  merchantmen,  protected  by  a 
sloop  of  war;^  and  that  the  evident 
intention  of  the  latter  was  to  receive 
the  Wasp  and  engage  her,  while  the 
convoy  would  have  an  opportunity  to 
escape.* 

The  stranger  was  under  very  little 
sail,^ — her  mainyard  being  on  her  deck, 
where  it  was  undergoing  some  repairs,® 
— and  as  she  appeared  desirous  to  cover 
her  convoy,  but  little  manoeuvring  was 
necessary  to  bring  the  vessels  alongside 


'  Capt.  Jones  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Nov.  24 ;  Cooper,  ii.  p. 
63  ;  Breckenridge's  Hist,  of  War,  p.  60. — '  Capt.  Jones 
to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Nov.  24 ;  Clark,  p.  140. — '  Capt.  Jones 
to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Nov.  24  ;  James'  Naval  Occur.,  p.  140 ; 
Cooper,  ii.  p.  63. — *  Capt.  Whinyates'  Dispatch,  Oct.  23  ; 
James'  Naval  Occur.,  p.  140  ;  Perkins'  Hist,  of  War,  p. 
123.—'  Cooper,  ii.  p.  63. 

°  Capt.  Whinyates'  Dispatch,  Oct.  23. 


Chap.  XXXI.] 


THE  CAPTURE  OF  THE  FROLIC. 


169 


of  each  otlier.^  The  Wa-sp,  therefore, 
sent  down  her  top-gaUant  yards,  close- 
reefed  her  topsails,  and  slowly  came  up 
with  her  opponent,  under  short,  fight- 
ing canvas.^ 

At  half-past  eleven  o'clock,  when  the 
Wasp  had  come  within  fifty  or  sixty 
yards  of  the  enemy,  the  latter  opened 
her  fire.^  Slowly  and  steadily  she 
ranged  close  up  on  the  starboard  side 
of  the  stranger;*  and  slowly,  but  sure- 
ly, she  returned  her  fire.®  So  much 
more  rapidly,  indeed,  did  the  enemy 
fire  than  the  crew  of  the  Wasp^  that  it 
is  said  the  former  fired  three  guns  to 
two  of  the  latter;^  yet  as  the  sea  was 
rolling  heavily,  and  the  enemy  fired 
while  on  the  ci-est  of  the  waves,  the 
tops  of  the  Wasp  suffered  more  than 
her  hull ;  while  the  stranger  received 
the  fire  of  the  Wasp  from  the  trough 
of  the  sea,  and  her  hull,  more  than  her 
tops,  suffered  in  consequence.^ 

The  action  had  continued  only  five 
or  six  minutes  when  the  main-topmast 
of  the  Wasj:)  was  shot  away ;  ®  and  as 
the  wreck  fell  across  the  larboard  fore 
and  fore-topsail  braces,  her  head-yards 
were  rendered  unmanageable  during 
the  remainder  of  the  action.^     In  two 


'  Cooper,  ii.  p.  64;  Headley's  Hist,  of  War,  i.  p.  156. 

^Cooper,  ii.  p.  64;  Analectic  Mag.,  ii.  p.  80;  Clark, 
p.  140. — '  Capt.  Jones'  Dispatch,  Nov.  24.  Capt.  Whin- 
yates  (Dispatch,  Oct.  23)  says  the  action  began  "about  ten 
o'clock."  Mr.  Cooper  [Naval  Hist.,  ii.  p.  64)  says  it  began 
"at  32  minutes  past  11  a.  m.;"  in  wliich  the  editor  of 
tlie  Analectic  Magazine  (ii.  p.  80)  concurs. 

*  Capt.  Jones'  Dispatch,  Nov.  24 ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  64. 
'  Cooper,  ii.  p.  64  ;  Sketches  of  the  War,  p.  107. 

•  Cooper,  ii.  p.  64 ;  Clark,  p.  140. — '  Analectic  Mag., 
ii.  p.  80;  Breckenridge,  p.  51. — 'Capt.  Jones'  Dispatch, 
Nov.  24.  Capt.  Whinyates  (Dkpatch,  Oct.  23)  says  it  was 
the  fore- topmast. — '  Capt.  Jones'  Dispatch,  Nov.  24 ;  Cooper, 
ii.  p.  64  ;  Analectic  Magazine,  ii.  p.  80;  Clark,  p.  140. 

Vol.  II.— 22 


or  three  minutes  more  the  gaff  and 
mizzen-topgallant-mast  of  the  Wasp  were 
also  shot  away  ;^  and  within  ten  or 
twelve  minutes  more  every  brace  and 
nearly  all  her  rigging  were  cut  to 
pieces.*^  Thus  crippled,  by  the  loss  of 
her  main-topsails,  her  mizzen-topgal- 
lant-sails,  and  her  gaff,  and  by  the  im- 
movable condition  of  her  head-yards, 
the  Wasp  slowly  closed  on  her  enemy 
until  her  bends  rubbed  against  the 
stranger's  bows.®  Immediately  after- 
wards the  former  was  so  far  warped 
across  the  bows  of  the  latter,  that  the 
stranger's  bowsprit  entered  between  the 
main  and  mizzen  masts  of  the  Wasp, 
forcing  the  bows  of  the  latter  up  into 
the  wind,  and  enabling  her  to  throw 
in  a  close  and  raking  fire.* 

Perceiving  the  advantage  which  this 
unexpected  good  fortune  had  thrown 
into  his  hands.  Captain  Jones  determ- 
ined to  defer  boarding  until  he  had 
thrown  in  another  raking  broadside.® 
So  near  were  the  ships,  at  this  time, 
that  the  crew  of  the  Wasp  struck  the 
side  of  the  strane-er  wath  their  rammers 
while  they  were  engaged  in  loading 
their  guns ;  ®  and  the  havoc  which  was 
made  in  the  crew  of  the  latter  was  ter- 
rible in  the  extreme.^  Fortunately,  for 
the  cause  of  humanity,  the  crew  of  the 
Wasp   thirsted   for  victory  and   prize- 


■  Capt.  Jones'  Dispatch,  Nov.  24 ;  Clark,  p.  140. 

2  Capt.  Jones'  Dispatch,  Nov.  24  ;  Clark,  pp.  140,  141. 

'  Cooper,  ii.  p.  64  ;  Clark,  p.  141  ;  Davis'  Hist,  of  War, 
p.  263  ;  Sketches  of  the  War,  p.  107.— "  Capt.  Whinyate's 
Dispatch,  Oct.  23,  1812  ;  James'  Naval  Occur.,  p.  141  ; 
Cooper,  ii.  p.  64  ;  Analectic  Mag.,  ii.  p.  80  ;  Clark,  p.  141. 

'  Cooper,  ii.  p.  64  ;  Analectic  Mag.,  ii.  p.  80  ;  Clark,  p. 
140.—'  Capt.  Jones'  Dispatch,  Nov.  24,  1812  ;  Analectic 
Mag.,  ii.  p.  80. — ■"  Cooper,  ii.  p.  64;  Analectic  Mag.,  ii. 
p.  81  ;  Clark,  p.  141. 


170 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  H. 


money  more  than  for  blood ;  and,  at 
this  moment,  casting  off  some  portion 
of  the  restraint  whicli  is  so  character- 
istic of  the  sailor,^  they  sprang  on  board 
the  sti'anger,^ — which  was,  morally,  a 
prize  already, — and  were  followed  by 
Lieutenants  Biddle  and  G.  Kodgers,  as 
quickly  as  possible.^  There  was  no  en- 
emy to  opipose  them^  liowever^  the  man 
at  the  wheel  and  two  or  three  wounded 
officers,  on  the  quarter-deck,  alone  ap- 
pearing.®  The  decks  were  covered  with 
the  dead  and  wounded  ;  and  every  man 
who  was  able  to  do  so,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  the  old  seaman  at  the  wheel, 
had  ran  below,  to  escape  from  the  ter- 
rible raking  fire  of  the  Wa-sp.^ 

The  officers  having  thrown  down 
their  swords,  in  token  of  submission, 
and  no  person,  belonging  to  the  enemy, 
being  able  to  do  so.  Lieutenant  Biddle 
sti'uck  the  colors  of  the  stranger  with 
his  own  hands  ;'^  and  the  prize  passed 
into  the  hands  of  the  victors,  after  an 
action  of  forty-three  minutes.®  She 
proved  to  be  His  Britannic  Majesty's 
l)rig  Frolic^  Captain  T.  Whinyates,  com- 
mander;® mounting  sixteen  thirty -two- 
pound  cari'onades,  four  long-twelves, 
and  two   twelve-pound   carronades   on 

'  Cooper,  ii.  p.  64  ;  Clark,  p.  141  ;  Davis'  Hist,  of  War, 
p.  263  ;  Sketches  of  the  War,  p.  107.—=  Capt.  Whinyates' 
Dispatch,  Oct.  23,  1812  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  64. 

'  Cooper,  ii.  p.  64  ;  Clark,  p.  141 ;  Headley's  History  of 
War,  i.  pp.  157,  158. — *  James'  Naval  Occur.,  p.  141; 
Cooper,  ii.  p.  64;  Clark,  p.  141  ;  Perkins,  p.  123. 

^  Cooper,  ii.  p.  64  ;  Analectic  Mag.,  ii.  p  81  ;  Brecken- 
ridge,  p.  51 ;  Clark,  p.  141  ;  Perkins,  p.  123  ;  Auchin- 
leck's  History  of  War,  p.  71. 

*  Cooper,  ii.  p.  64 ;  Clark,  p.  141  ;  Perkins,  p   123. 

'  James'  Naval  Occmrences,  p.  141  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  64 ; 
Breckenridge,  p.  51  ;  Perkins,  p.  123. 

^  Capt.  Jones'  Dispatch,  Nov.  24  ;  Cooper,  11.  p.  64  ; 
Breckenridge,  p.  51. 

°  Capt.  Whinyates'  Dispatch,  Oct.  23,  1812. 


her  forecastle  ;^  and  manned  with  a 
crew  of  one  hundred  and  ten  men  and 
boys.^  She  was  convoying  the  Hon- 
duras fleet,  and  by  her  disinterested 
course  secured  the  escape  of  her  con- 
voy, although  at  the  loss  of  herself  and 
her  crew.^ 

The  Wasp  was  severely  wounded  in 
her  masts  and  rigging,  as  has  been 
already  stated;*  and  she  lost  five  of 
her  crew,  'killed^  and  five  wounded^ 
The  Frolic  had  scarcely  passed  into 
the  hands  of  the  victors  before  both 
her  masts  went  over;®  while  her  hull 
had  been  so  completely  riddled  that 
she  was  a  complete  wreckJ  The  loss 
of  men  which  she  sustained  was  very 
great,  although  the  exact  number  was 
never  ascertained.®  As  Captain  Whin- 
yates reported  to  his  government  that 
"  every  individual  officer  was  wounded, 
and  the  greater  part  of  his  men  either 
killed  or  wounded,  there  not  being 
twenty  persons  remaining  unhurt,"®  the 
aggregate  loss  could  not  have  been  less 
than  a  hundred.^" 


1  Capt.  Jones  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Nov.  24,  1812  ;  Analectic 
Mag.,  ii.  p.  82.  Lieut.  Biddle  {Later  to  his  father,  Oct.  21) 
says  she  mounted  "  eighteen  thirty-two-pound  carronades 
and  two  long-nines  ;"  while  Mr.  James  {Naval  Occur.,  p. 
148)  says  her  "real  force  was  sixteen  thirty-two-pound 
carronades,  two  long-sixes,  and  a  twelve-pound  boat- 
carronade." — "James'  Naval  Occurrences,  p.  149. 

'  Capt.  Whinyates'  Dispatch,  Oct.  23,  1812 ;  James' 
Naval  Occurrences,  p.  140. — ■■  Vide  p.  169,  notes  8,  1,  2,  3. 

'  Capt.  Jones'  Dispatch,  Nov.  24,  1812  ;  Breckenridge, 
p.  52. — '  James'  Naval  Occur.,  i.  p.  147  ;  Clark,  p.  142. 

'  Cooper,  ii.  p  65. — ^  Capt.  Jones'  Dispatch,  Nov.  24  ; 
O'Connor's  History  of  War,  p.  62. 

'  Capt.  Whinyates'  Dispatch,  Oct.  23, 1812.  Mr.  James 
{Naval  Occur.,  p.  147)  very  adroitly  attempts  to  evade  the 
force  of  this  sentence  by  saying,  "  Not  above  twenty  men 
remained  on  the  Frolic's  deck  unhurt;  the  remainder  were 
below,  attending  the  wounded  and  performing  other 
duties  there." — '°  If  the  crew  was  no  greater  than  110  the 
loss  would  have  been  ninety.     See  also  Headley,  i.  p.  158. 


Chap.  XXXI.] 


DOCUMENTS. 


m 


The  victory  had  scarcely  been  se- 
cured when  a  large  ship  was  seen  stand- 
ing towards  the  Wasp  and  her  prize, 
neither  of  which  were  in  a  condition 
either  to  renew  an  action  or  to  escape, 
and  it  soon  appeared  that  she,  too,  was 
an  enemy .■^  A  shot  from  His  Britannic 
Majesty's  ship  Poictiers^  of  seventy- 
four  guns,  was  the  earnest  of  disaster ; 
and,  as  she  ranged  alongside  the  little 
Wasp^  within  two  hours  of  the  capture 
of  the  Frolic^  her  gallant  captain  sur- 
rendered, with  his  prize,  without  at- 
tempting an  opposition.^ 

The  intelligence  of  this  victory,  be- 


tween vessels  so  nearly  equal  in  force, 
was  received  with  the  greatest  satisfac- 
tion in  America ;  while  in  Europe  the 
subject  was  not  lost  sight  of,  even  in 
those  times  of  blood  and  contention. 
The  Congress  of  the  United  States  vo- 
ted twenty-five  thousand  dollars  as  a 
compensation  to  the  crew  for  its  loss  of 
prize-money;^  Captain  Jones  was  pro- 
moted to  the  command  of  the  Macedo- 
nian— a  prize  which  had  been  taken 
while  he  had  been  a  prisoner;^  and 
Lieutenant  Biddle  was  also  promoted, 
as  a  mai'k  of  the  respect  which  the 
country  entertained  for  his  gallantry.^ 


DOCUMEl^TS. 


I. 


CAPTAIN    JONES     DISPATCH    TO    THE    SECKETAKY 
OF   THE    NAVY. 

New  York,  November  24,  1812. 

Sir  : — I  here  avail  myself  of  the  first  oppor- 
tunity of  informing  you  of  the  occurrences  of 
our  cruise,  which  terminated  in  the  capture  of 
the  Was}}^  on  the  18th  of  October,  by  the  Poic- 
tiers,  of  seventy-four  guns,  while  a  wreck,  from 
damages  received  in  an  engagement  with  the 
British  sloop  of  war  Frolic,  of  twenty-two  guns, 
sixteen  of  them  thirty-two-pound  carronades, 
and  four  twelve-pounders  on  the  main-deck,  and 
two  twelve-pounders,  carronades,  on  the  top- 
gallant-forecastle, making  her  superior  in  force 
to  us  by  four  twelve-pounders.  The  Frolic  had 
struck  to  us,  and  was  taken  possession  of  about 
two  hours  before  our  surrendering  to  the  Poic- 
tiers. 

We  had  left  the  Delaware  on  the  13th;  the 
16th,  had  a  heavy  gale,  in  which  we  lost  our 
jib-boom  and  two  men.     Half-past  eleven,  on 

'  Cooper,  il.  p.  65  ;  Clark,  p.  142. 

"  Capt.  Jones'  Dispatch,  Nov.  24,  1812  ;  Capt.  Whin- 
yates'  Dispatch,  Oct.  23, 1812  ;  Lieut.  Biddle  to  his  father, 
Oct.  21,  1812. 


the  night  of  the  seventeenth,  in  latitude  SY"  N., 
and  longitude  65°  W.,  we  saw  several  sail,  two 
of  them  apparently  very  large.  We  stood  from 
them  some  time,  then  shortened  sail,  and  steered 
the  remainder  of  the  night  the  course  we  had 
perceived  them  on.  At  daylight,  on  Sunday 
the  18th,  we  saw  them  ahead;  gave  chase,  and 
soon  discovered  them  to  be  a  convoy  of  six  sail, 
under  the  protection  of  a  sloop  of  war ;  four  of 
them  large  ships,  mounting  from  sixteen  to 
eighteen  guns.  At  thirty-two  minutes  past 
eleven  A.  m.,  we  engaged  the  sloop  of  war, 
having  first  received  her  fire,  at  the  distance  of 
fifty  or  sixty  yards,  which  space  we  gradually 
lessened,  until  we  laid  her  on  board,  after  a 
well-suppoi-ted  fire  of  forty-three  minutes ;  and 
although  so  near,  while  loading  the  last  broad- 
side, that  our  rammers  were  shoved  against  the 
sides  of  the  enemy,  our  men  exhibited  the  same 
alacrity  which  they  had  done  during  the  whole 
of  the  action.  They  immediately  surrendered, 
upon  our  gaining  the  forecastle,  so  that  no  loss 
was  sustained  on  either  side,  after  the  board- 
ing. 

Our  main-topmast  was   shot   away  between 


'  Journals  of  Congress. 
144.—'  Ibid. 


'  Cooper,  ii.  p.  67  ;   Clark,  p. 


1Y2 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


four  and  five  minutes  from  the  commencement 
of  the  firing,  and  falUng,  together  with  the  main- 
topsail  yard,  across  the  larboard  fore  and  foi"e- 
topsail  braces,  rendered  our  head-yards  unman- 
ageable the  remainder  of  the  action.  At  eight 
minutes  the  gaff  and  mizzen-topgallant-mast 
came  down,  and  at  twenty  minutes  from  the 
beginning  of  the  action,  every  brace  and  most 
of  the  rigging  was  shot  away.  A  few  minutes 
after  separating  from  the  Frolic,  both  her  masts 
fell  upon  deck ;  the  mainmast  going  close  by  the 
deck,  and  the  foremast  twelve  or  fifteen  feet 
above  it. 

The  courage  and  exertion  of  the  oflicers  and 
crew  fully  answered  my  expectations  and  wishes. 
Lieutenant  Biddle's  active  conduct  contributed 
much  to  our  success,  by  the  exact  attention  paid 
to  every  department  during  the  engagement, 
and  the  animating  example  he  afforded  the  crew 
by  his  intrepidity.  Lieutenants  Rodgers,  Booth, 
and  Mr.  Rapp,  showed,  by  the  incessant  fire 
from  their  divisions,  that  they  were  not  to  be 
surpassed  in  resolution  or  skill.  Mr.  Knight, 
and  every  other  officer,  acted  with  a  courage 
and  promptitude  highly  honorable,  and,  I  trust, 
have  given  assurance  that  they  may  be  relied 
on  whenever  their  services  may  be  required. 

I  could  not  ascertain  the  exact  loss  of  the  en- 
emy, as  many  of  the  dead  lay  buried  under  the 
masts  and  spars  that  had  fiiUen  upon  deck,  which 
two  hours'  exertion  had  not  suflSciently  removed. 
Mr.  Biddle,  who  had  charge  of  the  Frolic,  states, 
that  from  what  he  heard  said,  and  from  informa- 
tion from  the  ofiicers,  the  number  killed  must 
have  been  about  thirty,  and  that  of  the  wounded 
about  forty  and  fifty.  Of  the  killed  is  her  first 
lieutenant  and  sailing-master ;  of  the  wounded, 
Captain  Whinyates  and  the  second  lieutenant. 

We  had  five  killed  and  five  wounded,  as  per 
list.  The  wounded  are  recovering.  Lieutenant 
Claxton,  who  was  confined  by  sickness,  left  his 
bed  a  little  previous  to  the  engagement,  and 
though  too  indisposed  to  be  at  his  division,  re- 
mained upon  deck,  and  showed  by  his  composed 
manner  of  noticing  its  incidents,  that  we  had 
lost,  by  his  illness,  the  services  of  a  brave  of- 
ficer. 

I  am,  respectfully,  yours,  &c., 

Jacob  Jones. 

Hon.  Paul  Hamilton,  Secretary  of  the  Navy. 


11. 

CAPTAIN     whinyates'     DISPATCH     TO     ADMIRAL 
WAKKEN. 

H.  M.  Ship  Poictieks,  at  Sea,  ) 
October  23,  1812.  i 

SiK : — It  is  with  the  most  bitter  sorrow  and 
distress,  I  have  to  report  to  your  Excellency 
the  capture  of  His  Majesty's  brig  Frolic  by  the 
ship  Wasp,  belonging  to  the  United  States  of 
America,  on  the  18th  instant. 

Having  under  convoy  the  homeward-bound 
trade  from  the  Bay  of  Honduras,  and  being  in 
latitude  36°  N.,  and  64°  W.,  on  the  night  of  the 
lYth,  we  were  overtaken  by  a  most  violent  gale 
of  wind,  in  which  the  Frolic  carried  away  her 
main-yard,  lost  her  topsails,  and  sprung  the 
main-topmast.  On  the  morning  of  the  18th,  as 
Ave  were  repairing  the  damages  sustained  in  the 
storm,  and  reassembling  the  scattered  ships,  a 
suspicious  shijj  came  in  sight,  and  gave  chase  to 
the  convoy. 

The  merchant  ships  continued  their  voyage 
before  the  wind,  under  all  sail.  The  Frolic 
drojjped  astern,  and  hoisted  Spanish  colors,  in 
order  to  decoy  the  stranger  under  her  guns, 
and  to  give  time  for  the  convoy  to  escape. 
About  ten  o'clock,  both  vessels  being  within 
hail,  we  hauled  to  the  wind,  and  the  battle  be- 
gan. The  superior  fire  of  our  guns  gave  every 
reason  to  expect  its  speedy  termination  in  our 
favor ;  but  the  gaff-head  braces  being  shot 
away,  and  there  being  no  sail  on  the  mainmast, 
the  brig  became  unmanageable,  and  the  enemy 
succeeded  in  taking  a  position  to  rake  her,  while 
she  was  imable  to  bring  a  gun  to  bear. 

After  lying  sometime  exposed  to  a  most  de- 
structive fire,  she  fell  with  her  bowsprit  between 
the  enemy's  main  and  mizzen  rigging,  still  un- 
able to  return  his  fire. 

At  length  the  enemy  boarded,  and  made  him- 
self master  of  the  brig,  every  individual  officer 
being  wounded,  and  the  greater  part  of  the  men 
either  killed  or  wounded,  there  not  being  twenty 
persons  remaining  unhurt. 

Although  I  shall  ever  deplore  the  unhappy 
issue  of  this  contest,  it  would  be  great  injustice 
to  the  merits  of  the  officers  and  crew  if  I  failed 
to  report  that  their  bravery  and  coolness  are 
deserving  of  every  praise ;  and  I  am  convinced, 


Chap.  XXXII.] 


THE  AFFAIR  AT  ST.  REGIS. 


173 


if  the  Frolic  had  not  been  crippled  in  the  gale, 
I  should  have  had  to  make  a  very  different  re- 
port to  your  Excellency.  The  Wasp  was  taken, 
and  the  Frolic  recaptured  the  same  evening  by 
His  Majesty's  ship  the  Poictiers.  Being  separ- 
ated from  them,  I  cannot  transmit,  at  present,  a 


list  of  killed  and  wounded.  Mr.  Charles  Mc- 
Kay, the  first-lieutenant,  and  Mr.  Stephens,  the 
master,  have  died  of  their  wounds. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  &c., 

T.  Whintates. 
To  the  Eight  Hon.  Sir  J.  B.  Wakren,  Bart.,  &c. 


CHAPTER    XXXII. 

October  23,  1§12.' 

THE      AFFAIR      AT      ST.     REGIS 


"  On  a  beautiful  and  elevated  point 
which  juts  into  the  St.  Lawrence,  where 
that  river  is  crossed  by  the  forty-fifth 
parallel  of  latitude,  and  between  the 
mouths  of  the  St.  Regis  and  Racquette 
rivers,  stands  a  dilapidated  and  antique- 
looking  village,  whose  massive  and  ven- 
erable church,  with  tin-covered  spire, 
whose  narrow  and  filthy  streets,  and 
the  general  appearance  of  indolence 
and  poverty  of  its  inhabitants,  and  es- 
pecially the  accents  of  an  unaccustomed 
language,  almost  convey  to  the  casual 
visitor  an  impression  that  he  is  in  a 
foreign  land."^ 

Such  is  the  Indian  village  of  ATc- 
wis-sas-ne^  or  St.  Regis — the  home  of 
one  branch  of  the  Caughnawaga  In- 
dians— in  the  extreme  northeastern  ex- 
tremity of  the  State  of  ISTew  Yoi-k,  and, 
to  some  extent,  in  the  neia^hborinsf 
province  of  Canada  East.     The  pecu- 


'  The  date  of  this  transaction  has  been  variously  stated. 
I  have  followed  Maj.  Young's  Dispatch,  preferring  that 
to  the  statements  of  Messrs.  Davis,  James,  and  Auchin- 
leck,  who  assign  to  it  the  twenty-first ;  or  to  those  of 
Messrs.  O'Connor,  Tngersoll,  and  the  editor  of  '^  The 
War,"  who  saj'  it  occurred  on  the  twenty-second. 

'  Hough's  History  of  St.  Lawrence  Co.,  p.  110. 


liar  position  of  the  inhabitants  induced 
the  belligerent  nations,  at  the  opening 
of  the  war  between  the  United  States 
and  Great  Britain,  in  1812,  to  agree 
with  each  other  that  this  should  be 
neutral  ground,  and  that  the  inhabit- 
ants should  not  be  employed  by  either 
party  in  the  approaching  contest.^  Ear- 
ly in  the  fall  of  that  year,  however,  in 
violation  of  the  provisions  of  this  agree- 
ment, Captain  McDonnell,^  with  a  com- 
pany of  Canadian  voyageurs,  occupied 
the  village;^  and  attempted  to  induce 
the  inhabitants  to  join  the  British  stand- 
ard.* At  the  same  time  a  detachment 
of  New  York  militia,  mostly  from  the 
village  of  Troy,  commanded  by  Major 
Guilford  D.  Young,  of  that  place,  was 
occupying  French  Mills,  on  the  St.  Re- 
gis River  ;^  and  when  the  movement  of 


'  Hough,  p.  156. — ^  Adj. -Gen.  Baynes'  instructions  to 
Capt.  McDonnell,  "Montreal,  Oct.  16.  1812;"  James'  Mil. 
Occur.,  i.  p.  lOG  ;  Auchinleck's  Hist,  of  War,  1.  p.  117. 
Mr.  Hough  {Hist.  St.  Laiorence,  p.  156)  supposes  Capt.  Mon- 
tigmj  commanded  the  voyageurs. — '  Christie's  Mil.  and 
Naval  Operations,  p.  88;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  106; 
Hough's  St.  Lawrence  Co.,  p.  156. — *  Thomson's  Sketches 
of  the  War,  p.  78  ;  Adj. -Gen.  Baynes  to  Capt.  McDonnell, 
Oct.  16,  1812.~'>  Davis'  History  of  the  War,  p.  47  ;  Thom- 
son, p.  78  ;  O'Connor's  History  of  the  War,  p.  59. 


174 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  IL 


the  enemy  on  St.  Regis  became  known 
to  him  he  resolved  to  attack  him.^ 

With  this  object,  early  in  October, 
Major  Young  had  marched  through  the 
woods,  under  the  guidance  of  William 
Gray,  the  interpreter  of  the  Caughna- 
wagas,  but  when  he  reached  the  bank 
of  the  river,  opposite  St.  Regis,  he 
found  no  means  for  crossing,  and  was 
compelled  to  return.^ 

After  remaining  at  French  Mills  a 
few  days,  in  order  that  the  alarm  which 
his  former  visit  had  excited  might  sub- 
side, and  causing  the  enemy's  position 
to  be  reconnoitred  by  "several  confi- 
dential friends,"  he  prepared  to  renew 
the  attempt.  For  this  purpose,  at 
eleven  o'clock  in  the  evening  of  the 
twenty -second  of  October,  1812,  he 
moved,  with  his  command,  crossing  the 
river  in  a  boat  and  a  canoe,  and  on  a 
raft  of  lumber,  at  Gray's  Mills  {Hogan-s- 
hurg^  St.  Lawrence  County.,  N.  1^),  and 
reached  the  outskirts  of  the  village, 
without  attracting  the  notice  of  the 
enemy,  at  five  o'clock  the  next  morn- 
ing.^ 

Being  concealed  from  the  enemy  by 
a  small  "  rise  of  ground,"  Major  Young 
halted  his  troops  for  the  purpose  of  re- 
connoitring, of  taking  refreshments,  and 
of  making  dispositions  for  the  attack. 
The  enemy  was  quartered  in  two  houses 
— one  belonging  to  Captain  Montigiiy, 
the  British  agent,  the  other  to  a  Mr. 
Donnelly  —  and  against  these  Major 
Young  moved  with  considerable  cau- 
tion  and  skill.     Captain  Lyon  (editor 


1  Davis,  p.  47  ;  "  The  War,"  i.  p.  90.— «  Hough's  St. 
Lawrence  Co.,  pp.  156,  157. — '  Maj.  Young's  Dispatch, 
Oct.  24  ;  Davis,  p.  47  ;  O'Coanor,  pp.  59,  60  ■,''The  War," 
i.  p.  90. 


of  the  Troy  '•'■NortJiern  BudgeV')  and 
his  company  were  detached  from  the 
right,  witb  orders  to  march  by  the  I'oad 
on  the  bank  of  the  St.  Regis  River  and 
gain  the  rear  of  Captain  Montigny's 
house ;  while  Captain  Tilden,  with  his 
company,  were  detached  from  the  left, 
with  orders  to  move  along  the  bank  of 
the  St.  Lawrence  River,  to  gain  the 
rear  of  Mr.  Donnelly's  house,  to  secure 
the  enemy's  boats,  and  to  cut  off  his 
retreat.  At  the  appointed  time,  Major 
Young,  with  Captain  Higbie's  and  Mc- 
Neil's companies,  moved  against  the 
front  of  the  enemy's  position ;  and 
when  he  had  arrived  within  a  hundred 
and  fifty  yards  of  Captain  Montigny's 
house,  the  fire  of  Captain  Lyon's  com- 
pany, in  its  rear,  indicated  that  the  lat- 
ter had  reached  his  position  and  en- 
gaged the  enemy.  At  that  instant  an 
ensign  of  the  enemy,  in  attempting  to 
escape  from  the  house,  in  front,  attract- 
ed the  fire  of  Captain  Higbie's  first 
platoon ;  when  the  enemy,  finding  him- 
self surrounded,  surrendered  without 
oftering  any  resistance.^ 

The  fruit  of  this  well-conducted  little 
affair  was  forty  prisoners,  with  their 
arms,  a  stand  of  colors,  two  batteaux,  a 
quantity  of  baggage  and  stores,®  among 
which  were  eight  hundred  blankets, 
which  liad  been  sent  by  Sir  George 
Prevost  as  subsidies  to  the  Indians.^ 
Of  the  Americans,  not  a  man  was  hurt ;  * 


■  Maj.  Young's  Dispatch,  Oct.  24  ;  Thomson's  Sketches, 
p.  78  ;  O'Connor,  p.  60  ;  "  The  War,"  i.  p.  90  ;  Hough, 
p.  157. — '  Maj.  Young's  Dispatch,  Oct.  24  ;  Niles'  Regis- 
ter, iii.  p.  171;  Thomson's  Slietches,  p.  78;  O'Connor, 
p.  60;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  106;  IngersoU's  Hist,  of 
War,  i.  p.  98. — '  Niles'  Register,  iii.  p.  171. 

*  Maj.  Young's  Dispatch,  Oct.  24;  O'Connor,  p.  60; 
''The  War"  i.  p.  90  ;  Hough,  p.  157. 


Chap.  XXXIII.] 


THE  CAPTURE  OF  THE  ^lACEDONIAN. 


1Y5 


of  tlie  enemy,  Lieutenant  Rottotte,  Ser- 
geant McGillivray,  and  six  men  were 
killed.^ 

The  Americans,  after  securing  the 
trophies  of  their  victory,  recrossed  the 
St.  Regis  River  at  the  village ;  and, 
with  their  prisoners  and  spoils,  reached 
the  camp  at  eleven  o'clock  the  same 
morning.^ 

It  is  an  interesting  fact — on  which 
much  of  the  interest  which  attaches  to 
this  affair  depends — that  the  flag  which 
was  captured  at  St.  Regis,  on  this  occa- 
sion, was  the  first  flag  wliich  had  heen 


taken ^  by  the  land-forces  of  the  United 
States,  during  the  war;^  and  that  the 
captor  of  that  interesting  trophy  was 
Lieutenant  William  L.  Marcy,  then  a 
young  man,  residing  in  Troy,  after- 
wards one  of  the  most  accomplished 
statesmen  of  his  time,  and  head  of  the 
Department  of  War  during  the  war 
with  Mexico.^ 


[Note. — The  Dispatch  of  Maj.  Young  to  Gen.  Bloom- 
field,  which  had  been  provided  for  the  illustration  of  this 
chapter,  has  been  omitted  by  the  Publishers  for  want  of 
room.] 


CHAPTER     XXXIII. 

October  25,  1812. 

THE     CAPTURE     OF    THE    MACEDONIAN, 


Havhstg  refitted  his  squadron,  on  the 
eighth  of  October,  1812,  Commodore 
Rodgers  sailed  from  Boston,  with  the 
President^  bearing  his  own  flag;  the 
United  States^  commanded  by  Captain 
Stephen  Decatur;  the  Congress^  com- 
manded by  Captain  Smith ;  and  the 
Argus^  Lieutenant  -  commandant  Sin- 
clair.^ On  the  twelfth,  after  cruising 
without  meeting  any  thing,  the  United 
States  and  the  Argus  parted  company 
with  the  Commodore,  and  each  was  left 
alone  to  follow  her  fortunes.* 

Captain  Decatur  resolved  to   cruise 


J  Christie,  p.  88.  Maj.  Young  supposes  that  five,  onlj', 
fell ;  but  Mr.  Christie  being  a  Canadian  authority,  I  have 
followed  him. — '^  Maj.  Young's  Dispatch,  Oct.  24  ;  Thom- 
son's Sketches,  p.  78  ;  Hough,  p.  1-57. 

^  McKenzie's  Life  of  Decatur  (Sparks'  American  Biog., 
xxi.),  p.  170;  Cooper's  Naval  Hist.,  {Ed.  1856),  ii.  p.  60. 

*  McKenzie,  p.  170  ;  Sketches  of  the  War,  p.  113. 


on  the  track  of  the  British  East  India- 
men  ;  and,  with  that  object,  he  stood  to 
the  southward  and  eastward,^  until,  on 
Sunday,  the  twenty-fifth  of  October,  he 
neared  the  island  of  Madeira.*  On  the 
same  day,  while  cruising  in  latitude 
29°  K,  longitude  29°  30'  W.,^  Captain 
Decatur  made  a  large  sail  to  windward 
— the  former  running  towards  the  lat- 
ter, who  was  standing  to  the  northwest, 
under  a  heavy  press  of  sail.® 

Having  come  within    a   league,   the 
stranger  hauled  up,  and  passed  to  wind- 

^  Christie,  p.  88  ;  O'Connor,  p.  60  ;  James'  Mil.  Occur., 
i.  p.  107  ;  Ingersoll's  War,  i.  p.  98  ;  Auchinleck,  p.  117. 

'  Ingersoll,  i.  p.  98  ;  Hough,  p.  157. 

'  Cooper,  ii.  p.  61 ;  McKenzie,  p.  170. — ''  McKenzie,  p. 
170.—'  Capt.  Decatur  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Oct.  30  ;  Capt. 
Garden  to  the  Admiralty,  Oct.  28  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  61  ; 
Naval  Chronicle,  xxviii.  p.  507. — °  Capt.  Decatur  to  Sec. 
of  Navy.  Oct.  30,  1812;  Capt.  Carden  to  the  Admiralty, 
Oct.  28,  1812  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  61. 


1Y6 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


ward ;  but,  immediately  afterwards,  she 
wore,  and  came  round  on  the  same  tack 
with  the  United  States^  hauled  up  on  an 
easy  bowline,  with  her  mizzen-topsail 
aback ;  and,  at  the  distance  of  about  a 
mile,  soon  after  nine  o'clock,  she  opened 
her  fire.^  Captain  Decatur,  perceiving 
her  design,  delivered  his  larboard  broad- 
side, wore  round,  and  came  up  to  the 
wind  on  the  other  tack,  heading  north- 
erly.^ As  he  passed  the  stranger  he 
delivered  his  starboard  broadside,  and 
wore  a  second  time,  bringing  the  United 
States  on  the  same  tack  as  the  stranger ; 
when  both  vessels,  with  their  mizzen- 
topsails  aback,  steered  the  same  course 
and  continued  the  action.^ 

The  fire  of  the  United  States  told 
fearfully  on  the  stranger ;  while  that  of 
the  latter  did  but  little  injury  on  the 
former;  until  half  an  hour  after  the 
commencement  of  the  action,  when  the 
mizzen-topmast  and  gaff  were  shot  away, 
and  the  stranger  bore  up  for  closer  ac- 
tion.* But  then,  even  moi-e  than  be- 
fore, the  splendid  gunnery  of  the  Amer- 
ican crew  was  fully  displayed ;  and  it 
was  not  long  before  the  mizzen-mast  of 
the  sti'anger  came  over  her  lee-quarter,^ 
Soon  afterwards  her  fore  and  main  top- 
masts went  over  her  side,  her  mainyard 
was  cut  away  in  the  slings,  her  fore- 
mast was  tottering,  and  her  bowsprit 
and  mainmast  were  badly  wounded; 
while  the  Uiiited  States  was,  compara- 
tively, uninjured.^  Perceiving  that  the 
stranger  was  no  longer  capable  of  an 
effectual    resistance.    Captain    Decatur 


'  Capt.  Cavden  to  the  Admiralty,  Oct.  28  ;   Cooper,  ii. 
p.  61 ;  McKenzie,  p.  172.—'  Cooper,  ii.  p.  61.—'  Ibid. 
*  McKenzie,  p.  173  ;  New  London  "  Gazette,"  Dec.  5, 1812. 
'  Cooper,  ii.  p  61  ;  McKenzie,  p.  173.—"  Ibid. 


now  filled  his  mizzen-topsail,  gathered 
fi'esh  way,  and  tacked.'^ 

It  is  said  the  stranger  supposed  the 
United  States  was  preparing  to  run 
away  when  she  filled  her  mizzen-topsail; 
and  that  her  crew  saluted  the  supposed 
fugitive  with  three  cheers :  but  when 
they  witnessed  the  manoeuvre  which 
was  intended  by  Captain  Decatur,  and 
knew  that  the  object  was  to  close  with 
them,  for  more  effectual  action,  they 
struck  their  colors  and  surrendered,^  an 
hour  and  a  half  after  the  opening  of 
tlie  engagement,^ 

As  the  United  States  crossed  the  stern 
of  the  stranger,  she  hailed  and  demand- 
ed the  name  of  her  opponent,  when  it 
appeared  that  she  was  His  Britannic 
Majesty's  frigate  Macedonian^  of  thirty- 
eight  guns,  commanded  by  Captain 
John  S.  Carden,  and  that  she  had 
struck  her  colors,*  She  was  found  to 
have  suffered  very  severely — in  Captain 
Carden's  own  words,^  "  the  mizzen-mast 
having  been  shot  away  by  the  board ; 
topmasts  shot  away  by  the  caps ;  main- 
yard  shot  in  pieces  ;  a  small  proportion 
only  of  the  foresail  left  on  the  foreyard ; 
all  the  guns  on  the  quarter-deck  and 
forecastle  disabled  but  two,  and  filled 
with  wreck;  two  guns  on  the  main- 
deck  disabled ;  several  shot  between 
wind  and  water ;  and  a  very  great  pro- 
portion of  the  crew  killed  and  wound- 
ed," 

In   this   well-conducted   engagement 

'  Cooper,  ii.  p.  61. — '  Ibid.;  Headley's  History  of  War, 
i.  p.  153. — '  Capt.  Decatur  to  Secretary  of  Navy,  Oct.  30. 
Capt.  Carden  says  they  fought  two  hours  and  ten  minutes. 

*  Cooper,  ii.  p.  61. — 'Capt.  Carden  to  the  Admiralty. 
See  also  Capt.  Decatur  to  Secretary  of  Navy,  Oct.  30 ; 
Auchinleck's  History  of  War,  p.  71  ;  Clark's  Naval  His- 
tory, p.  157. 


ri 


i 


zi      ■?? 


122 


e 


&i    -^ 


ps 


TJi3 


Chap.  XXXIII.] 


THE  CAPTURE  OF  THE  MACEDONIAN. 


177 


the  strength  of  the  opposing  ships  was 
nearly  equal — the  United  States  mount- 
ing thirty  long  twenty-fours  on  her 
main-deck,  and  twenty-two  forty-two 
pound  carronades  and  two  long  twenty- 
fours  on  her  quarter-deck  and  fore- 
castle ;^  and  was  manned  with  a  crew  of 
four  hundred  and  seventy-eight  men:^ 
while  the  Macedonian  mounted  twenty- 
eight  long  eighteen -pounders  on  her 
gun-deck,  and  eighteen  thirty-two-pound 
carronades,  one  twelve-pound  carron- 
ade,  and  two  brass  nine-pounders  on 
her  quarter-deck  and  forecastle;^  while 
her  crew  numbered  three  hundred 
souls.^  She  was  a  new  ship,  of  the 
first  class,  and  had,  only  a  short  time 
before,  left  the  dock-yard,  where  she 
had  been  put  in  complete  order.^ 

The  loss  of  the  United  States  was  five 
men  Mlled^  and  Lieutenant  John  M. 
Funk  and  six  men  wounded^  of  whom 
Lieutenant  Funk  and  one  man  died 
soon  afterwards,®  The  loss  of  the  Mace- 
donian was  her  master's-mate,  school- 
master, boatswain,  and  twenty-five  sea- 
men, and  one  sergeant,  and  seven  ma- 
rines, Tcilled'  Lieutenant  Hope,  one  mid- 
shipman, twenty-nine  seamen,  and  five 
marines,   severely   wounded — of   whom 


'  McKenzie,  p.  171. — "James'  Naval  Occurrences,  pp. 
160, 161.—=  Ibid.,  p.  158  ;  Capt.  Decatur  to  Sec.  of  Navy, 
Oct.  30;  Clark,  p.  1.57. — *  James'  Naval  Occurrences,  p. 
159. — 'Capt.  Decatur  to  Secretary  of  Navy,  Oct.  30; 
Memoir  of  Decatur,  in  Analedic  Magazine,  i.  p.  463  ;  Mc- 
Kenzie, p.  170. — '  Capt.  Decatur  to  Secretary  of  Navy, 
Oct.  30 ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  62. 
Vol  II.— 23 


the  greater  portion  subsequently  died ; 
and  Lieutenant  Bulford,  one  master's- 
mate,  twenty-six  seamen,  and  four  ma- 
rines, were  wounded— makmg  a  total 
loss  of  one  hundred  and  four  men  in 
the  crew  of  the  Macedonian} 

Having  carried  his  pi-ize  into  New- 
port, and  the  United  States  into  New 
London,^  Captain  Decatur  received  the 
highest  honors  from  every  part  of  the 
country.  Congress  voted  its  thanks 
and  a  gold  medal ;  the  States  of  Vir- 
ginia and  Pennsylvania  their  thanks 
and  swords  of  honor;  the  States  of 
Massachusetts,  New  York,  and  Mary- 
land, their  thanks ;  the  city  of  Phila- 
delphia a  sword  of  honor ;  the  city  of 
New  York  its  freedom  ;  ^  while  the  peo- 
ple, from  one  extreme  of  the  confedera- 
cy to  the  other,  from  that  time  to  the 
present,  have  not  ceased  to  honor  him. 
On  the  other  side,  the  people  of  Great 
Britain  were  deeply  agitated  on  the 
subject;  and,  especially  among  the  ofii- 
cers  of  the  navy,  were  the  causes  and 
remedies  of  these  repeated  misfortunes 
made  the  subject  of  an  extended,  anx- 
ious, and  protracted  discussion.* 


'  Capt.  Carden  to  the  Admiralty,  Oct.  28  ;   Cooper,  ii. 
p.  62  ;  Naval  Chronicle,  xxviii.  p.  507. 
'  Cooper,  ii.  p.  62  ;   ''The  Far,"  i.  p.  107. 

*  Clark,  pp.  158,  159. 

*  Vide  letters  signed,  "^olits,"  "An  Iron  Gun  of  a  large 
Calibre,"  '"Albion,"  "An  Englishman"  "Faber,"  "Noah," 
' 'Arion, "  "J.C.,"  ' 'Albion, "  "  William  Henry  Tremldt,  Capt. 
R.  N.,"  "Naval  Patriot,"  "31.,"  "Impartial,"  "  A71  half -pay 
Officer,"  &c.,  in  the  Naval  Chronicle,  vol.  xxix.,  beside 
others  in  the  succeeding  volumes  of  that  work. 


DOCUMEINTTS. 


COMMODORE  DECATUE  S  DISPATCH  TO  THE  8ECEE- 
TAKY  OF  THE  NAVY. 

U.  S.  Ship  United  States,  at  Sea,  ) 
October  30,  1812.  i 

Sir  : — I  have  the  honor  to  inform  you,  that 
on  the  25th  instant,  being  in  the  latitude  29°  N., 
longitude  29°  30'  W.,  we  fell  in  with,  and  after 
an  action  of  an  hour  and  a  half,  captured  His 
Britannic  Majesty's  ship  Macedonian,  command- 
ed by  Captain  John  Garden,  and  mounting  for- 
ty-nine carriage-guns  (the  odd  gun  shifting). 
She  is  a  frigate  of  the  largest  class,  two  years 
old,  four  months  out  of  dock,  and  reputed  one 
of  the  best  sailers  in  the  British  service.  The 
enemy  being  to  windward,  had  the  advantage 
of  engaging  us  at  his  own  distance,  which  was 
so  great,  that  for  the  first  half  hour  we  did  not 
use  our  carronades,  and  at  no  moment  was  he 
within  the  complete  effect  of  our  musketry  or 
grape — to  this  circumstance,  and  a  heavy  swell, 
which  was  on  at  the  time,  I  ascribe  the  unusual 
length  of  the  action. 

The  enthusiasm  of  every  officer,  seaman,  and 
marine  on  board  this  ship,  on  discovering  the 
enemy — their  steady  conduct  in  battle,  and  pre- 
cision of  their  fire,  could  not  be  surpassed. 
Where  all  met  my  fullest  exjiectations,  it  would 
be  unjust  for  me  to  discriminate.  Permit  me, 
however,  to  recommend  to  your  particular  no- 
tice my  first-lieutenant,  William  H.  Allen.  He 
has  served  with  me  upwards  of  five  years,  and 
to  his  unremitted  exertions  in  disciplining  the 
crew,  is  to  be  imputed  the  obvious  superiority 
of  our  gunnery,  exhibited  in  the  result  of  this 
contest. 

Subjoined  is  a  list  of  the  killed  and  wounded 
on  both  sides.  Our  loss,  compared  with  that  of 
the  enemy,  will  appear  small.  Among  our 
wounded  you  will  observe-the  name  of  Lieuten- 
ant Funk,  who  died  in  a  few  hours  after  the  ac- 
tion.    He  was  an  officer  of  great  gallantry  and 


promise,  and  the  service  has  sustained  a  severe 
loss  in  his  death. 

The  Macedonian  lost  her  mizzen-mast,  fore 
and  main  topmasts,  and  mainyard,  and  was 
much  cut  up  in  her  hull.  The  damage  sustained 
by  this  ship  was  not  such  as  to  render  her  re- 
turn into  port  necessary,  and  had  I  not  deemed 
it  important  that  we  should  see  our  prize  in, 
should  have  continued  our  cruise. 

With  the  highest  consideration, 
I  am  yours,  &c., 

Stephen  Decatuk. 
The  Hon.  Paul  Hamilton. 


11. 


CAPTAIN     CAKDEN  S     DISPATCH     TO     THE     ADMI- 
RALTY. 

D.  S.  Ship  United  States,  at  Sea,  ^ 
Ocloh<ir  28,  1812.  \ 

Sir  : — It  is  with  the  deepest  regret  I  have  to 
acquaint  you,  for  the  information  of  my  Lords 
Commissioners  of  the  Admiralty,  that  His  Maj- 
esty's late  ship  Macedonian  was  captured  on 
the  25th  instant,  by  the  United  States  ship 
United  States,  Commodore  Decatur  command- 
ei".     The  detail  is  as  follows : 

A  short  time  after  daylight,  steering  n.  w.  by 
w.,  with  the  wind  from  the  southward,  in  lati- 
tude 29°  N.,  and  longitude  29°  30'  W.,  in  the 
execution  of  their  lordships'  orders,  a  sail  was 
seen  on  the  lee-beam,  which  I  immediately  stood 
for,  and  made  her  out  to  be  a  large  frigate,  un- 
der American  colors.  At  nine  o'clock  I  closed 
with  her,  and  she  commenced  the  action,  which 
we  returned ;  but,  from  the  enemy  keeping  two 
points  off"  the  wind,  I  was  not  enabled  to  get  as 
close  to  her  as  I  could  have  wished.  After  an 
hour's  action  the  enemy  backed,  and  came  to 
the  wind,  and  I  was  then  enabled  to  bring  her 
to  close  battle.  In  this  situation  I  soon  found 
the  enemy's  force  too  superior  to  expect  sue- 


Chap.  XXXIIL] 


DOCUMENTS. 


179 


cess,  unless  some  very  fortunate  chance  occurred 
in  our  favor,  and  with  this  hojDe  I  continued 
the  battle  to  two  hours  and  ten  minutes ;  when, 
having  the  mizzen-mast  shot  away  by  the  board, 
topmasts  shot  away  by  the  caps,  main-yard  shot 
in  pieces,  lower  masts  badly  wounded,  lowering 
rigging  all  cut  to  j^ieces,  a  small  proportion  only 
of  the  foresail  left  to  the  fore-yard,  all  the  guns 
on  the  quarter-deck  and  forecastle  disabled,  but 
two,  and  filled  with  wreck,  two  also  on  the 
main-deck  disabled,  and  several  shot  between 
wind  and  water,  a  very  great  proportion  of  the 
crew  killed  and  wounded,  and  the  enemy  com- 
paratively in  good  order,  who  had  now  shot 
ahead,  and  was  about  to  j^lace  himself  in  a  rak- 
ing position,  without  our  being  enabled  to  re- 
turn the  fire ;  being  a  perfect  wreck,  and  un- 
manageable log,  I  deemed  it  prudent,  though  a 
painful  extremity,  to  surrender  His  Majesty's 
ship  ;  nor  was  this  dreadful  alternative  resorted 
to,  till  every  hope  of  success  was  removed,  even 
beyond  the  reach  of  chance,  nor  till,  I  trust 
their  lordships  will  be  aware,  every  effort  had 
been  made  against  the  enemy  by  myself,  my 
brave  oflicers,  and  men ;  nor  should  she  have 
been  surrendered  while  a  man  lived  on  board, 
had  she  been  manageable.  I  am  sorry  to  say 
our  loss  is  very  severe ;  I  find,  by  this  day's 
muster,  thirty-six  killed,  three  of  whom  lingered 
a  short  time  after  the  battle ;  thirty-six  severely 
wounded,  many  of  whom  cannot  recover  ;  and 
thirty-two  slightly  wounded,  who  may  all  do 
well :  total,  one  hundred  and  four. 

The  truly  noble  and  animating  conduct  of  my 
officers,  and  the  steady  bravery  of  my  crew  to 
the  last  moment  of  the  battle,  must  ever  render 
them  dear  to  their  country. 

My  first-lieutenant,  David  Hope,  was  severely 
wounded  in  the  head,  towards  the  close  of  the 
battle,  and  taken  below,  but  was  soon  again  on 
deck,  displaying  that  greatness  of  mind  and  ex- 
ertion, which,  though  it  may  be  equalled,  can 
never  be  excelled.  The  third-lieutenant,  John 
Balford,  was  also  wounded,  but  not  obliged  to 
quit    his   quarters;    Second-lieutenant    Samuel 


Mottley,  and  he,  deserve  my  highest  acknowl- 
edgments. The  cool  and  steady  conduct  of 
Mr.  Walker,  the  master,  was  very  great  during 
the  battle ;  as  also  that  of  Lieutenants  Wilson 
and  Magill  of  the  Marines.  On  being  taken  on 
board  the  enemy's  ship,  I  ceased  to  wonder  at 
the  result  of  the  battle.  The  United  States  is 
built  with  the  scantling  of  a  seventy-four-gun 
ship,  mounting  thirty  long  twenty-four-jjounders 
(Enghsh  ship-guns)  on  her  main-deck,  and  twen- 
ty-two forty-two-pound  carronades,  -vvith  two 
long  twenty-four-pounders  on  her  quarter-deck 
and  forecastle,  howitzer-guns  in  her  tops,  and  a 
travelling  carronade  on  her  upper  deck,  with  a 
comjilement  of  four  hundred  and  seventy-eight 
picked  men. 

The  enemy  has  suffered  much  in  masts,  rig- 
ging, and  hull,  above  and  below  water.  Her 
loss  in  killed  and  wounded  I  am  not  aware  of, 
but  I  know  a  lieutenant  and  six  men  have  been 
thrown  overboard. 

Inclosed  you  will  be  pleased  to  receive  the 
names  of  the  killed  and  wounded  on  board  of 
the  Macedonian;  and, 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  &c., 

J.  S.  Caeden. 

John  William  Choker,  Esq. 


Li»t  of  officers  and  men  Jellied  and  wounded  on  loard 
His  Majesty''s  ship  Macedonian^  &c.  (of  which  the 
names  are  given,  comprising)  : 

Killed. — One  master's-mate,  the  schoolmaster, 
boatswain,  twenty-three  petty  officers  and  sea- 
men, two  boys,  one  sergeant,  and  seven  privates 
of  marines — total,  thirty-six. 

Wounded  dangerously. — Seven  petty  officers 
and  seamen  (two  since  dead).  Severely. — One 
lieutenant,  one  midshipman,  eighteen  petty  offi- 
cers and  seamen,  four  boys,  and  five  private 
marines — total,  dangerously  and  severely,  thir- 
ty-six. 

Wounded  slightly. — One  lieutenant,  one  mas- 
ter's-mate, twenty-six  petty  officers  and  seamen, 
and  four  private  marines — total,  thirty-two. 
J.  S.  Garden,  Captain. 


CHAPTER    XXXIV. 


November    25   to    December    1§,   I  §12.' 

THE  EXPEDITION   AGAINST  THE   MISSISSINNEWAY  TOWNS. 


Refeeenoe  has  been  made  in  several 
preceding  chapters  of  this  volume  to 
the  disaiFection  of  the  Miamis,  whose 
defeat  by  General  Wayne,  in  1794,  had 
not  been  either  forgotten  or  forgiven. 
The  enmity  of  this  tribe  had  been 
marked  with  the  most  relentless  cruel- 
ty ;  their  professions  of  a  desire  for 
peace,  made  when  a  body  of  troops, 
near  their  villages,  threatened  their  de- 
struction, had  been  disregarded  when 
the  producing  cause  was  removed ;  and 
there  appeared  no  hope  of  a  peaceful 
conclusion  of  the  troubles. 

For  these  reasons,  among  others.  Gen- 
eral Harrison,  who  commanded  in  the 
northwest,  detached  Colonel  Simrall's 
regiment  of  dragoons.  Major  Ball's 
squadron  of  cavalry.  Captain  Elliott's 
company  of  the  Nineteenth  -United 
States  infantry,  Colonel  Alexander's  re- 
giment of  mounted  riflemen,  and  "The 
Pittsburg  Blues,"  under  Captain  Butler 
— all  mounted — about  six  hundred  in  all, 
under  the  command  of  Lieutenant-col- 
onel Campbell  of  the  Nineteenth  infant- 
ry, to  visit  the  villages  of  this  tribe  on 
the  Mississinneway,  and  to  punish  their 
inhabitants.^    The  detachment  marched 


'  From  a  misprint  of  the  date  of  Lieut. -Col.  Campbell's 
dispatch,  Mr.  O'Connor  has  supposed  there  were  two  ex- 
peditions, and  Mr.  Breckenridge  and  Mr.  Davis  have 
fallen  into  the  same  error. — '  McAfee's  War  in  the  West- 
em  Country,  p.  178  ;  Perkins'  Western  Annals,  p.  625. 


fi'om  Franklinton  on  the  twenty-fifth  of 
November,  by  way  of  Dayton,  to  Green- 
ville ;  and  on  the  fourteenth  of  Decem- 
ber, each  man  carrying  ten  days'  ra- 
tions, it  left  the  latter  place,  taking  up 
its  line  of  march  for  the  Indian  towns, 
about  eighty  miles  distant.-^ 

The  weather  was  exceedingly  cold, 
and  the  ground,  hard  frozen,  was  cov- 
ered with  snow.  On  the  evening  of 
the  thii'd  day  of  the  march,  when  about 
twenty  miles  from  the  villages,  a  coun- 
cil was  called,  to  determine  on  a  plan 
of  operations ;  when  it  was  determined 
to  march  all  night,  and  to  assault  the 
villages  early  next  day.  Accordingly 
the  troops  formed  in  order  of  battle — 
Colonel  Simrall's  regiment  forming  the 
left  column,  the  infantry  the  centre,  and 
Major  Ball's  cavalry  the  right — and, 
with  proper  caution,  they  approached 
the  villages.  An  intervening  swamp, 
of  which  the  guides  were  ignorant,  de- 
layed their  progress  a  short  time ;  but 
it  was  quickly  turned,  and  the  line  of 
march  was  again  renewed.^ 

When  within  a  short  distance  of  the 
\nllages  a  scout  of  four  Indians,  mount- 
ed, was  seen  in  front — the  first  evidence 
of  the  presence  of  an  enemy — and  they 
were  pursued  without  success.  The  ap- 
proach of  the  column  having  been  dis- 

'  McAfee,  p.  178.—^  Ibid. 


Chap.  XXXIV.]     EXPEDITION  AGAINST  THE  MISSISSINNEWAY  TOWNS.         181 


covered,  it  became  necessary  to  hasten 
the  attack,  in  order  to  prevent  the 
escape  of  the  savages;  and  at  eight 
o'clock  the  detachment  charged  at  full 
speed,  surrounding  the  nearest  village 
within  a  few  minutes  after  the  disap- 
pearance of  the  scout.  The  greater 
part  of  the  villagers,  however,  had  es- 
caped by  crossing  the  river ;  while  of 
those  who  had  not  been  able  to  secure 
their  flight,  after  a  slight  resistance,  the 
greater  part — embracing  forty-two  men, 
women,  and  children — surrendered.  In 
the  attack,  seven  warriors  and  two  of 
the  assailants  were  slain.-^ 

Having  secured  the  prisoners  and 
burned  the  village,  the  dragoons  pro- 
ceeded down  the  river,  three  miles,  to 
the  village  of  Silver  Heels,  which,  with 
two  others,  was  plundered  and  burned ; 
after  which  the  detachment  encamped 
for  repose.^  The  spot  selected  for  the 
encampment  was  on  the  bank  of  the 
Mississinneway,  on  which,  forming  a 
square  of  about  two  hundred  yards 
front,  the  troops  pitched  their  tents. 
The  infantry  and  riflemen  occupied  the 
bank  of  the  river;  Colonel  Simrall's 
dragoons  formed  the  left  and  half  the 
rear  line  ;  and  Major  Ball's  squadron 
formed  the  right  and  the  remainder  of 
the  rear.  Strong  guards  were  thrown 
out,  with  small  redoubts  at  each  angle 
of  the  encampment,  at  the  distance  of 
sixty  yards  from  it ;  and  beyond  these, 
at  the  same  distance,  were  placed  the 
line  of  sentinels.^ 

Every  thing  remained  quiet  during 

'  Lieut. -Col.  John  B.  Campbell  to  Gen.  W.  H.  Harrison, 
Dec.  18,  1812  ;  McAfee,  pp.  178,  179  ;  Perkins'  Hist,  of 
War,  p.  98. — °  Lieut. -Col.  Campbell's  Dispatch  ;  McAfee, 
p.  179 ;  Sketches  of  the  War,  p.  158.—'  McAfee,  p.  179. 


the  day ;  and,  with  the  exception  of  an 
occasional  glimpse  of  a  prowling  Indian, 
the  greater  part  of  the  succeeding  night, 
also,  passed  without  disturbance.  The 
watchful  commander  of  the  expedition 
did  not  appear  to  rest  easily  under  the 
movements  of  the  savages ;  and  when, 
at  an  early  hour,  a  signal  fire  appeared 
down  the  river,  the  detachment  was 
quietly  aroused,  and  prepared  to  re- 
ceive an  enemy.  The  result  showed 
that  his  caution  w^as  well-timed ;  and 
when  the  reveille  beat, — ^two  hours 
before  dajdight, — and  the  officers  were 
summoned  to  a  council,  at  head-quar- 
ters, it  betokened  something  serious.^ 
Yet  all  remained  quiet  until  half  an 
hour  before  day,  when  a  large  body  of 
savages  suddenly  attacked  the  angle  of 
the  encampment  where  the  rear  of  the 
right  column  rested.*^  In  a  moment  the 
lines  were  formed,  and  the  assault  was 
repelled  with  great  spirit.  Captain 
Pierce,  who  commanded  the  redoubt 
which  covered  the  point  of  attack, 
bravely  maintained  his  gi'ound  until 
he  was  shot  and  tomahawked ;  and, 
soon  afterwards,  his  command  was  over- 
powered and  compelled  to  give  way. 
Captains  Garrard  and  Hopkins,  who 
commanded  the  companies  which  were 
directly  attacked,  resisted  the  savages 
with  great  firmness ;  and  within  a  few 
minutes  the  entire  right  column  and 
part  of  the  rear — Major  Ball's  com- 
mand— =were  engaged.  The  spies  and 
the  "Pittsburg  Blues"  moved  promptly 
to  the  support  of  the  defence, — taking 
post  on  the  left  of  Captain  Hopkins, — 


'McAfee,  pp.  179,  180.— '  Lieut. -CoL  Campbell's  Dis- 
patch ;  McAfee,  p.  180. 


182 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


and,  for  nearly  an  hour,  the  conflict  was 
continued  with  great  spirit.^ 

At  length,  soon  after  daybreak.  Cap- 
tain Trotter,  with  his  troop,  moved 
against  the  enemy's  right  flank ;  while, 
at  the  same  time,  Captain  Johnston 
made  a  similar  movement  on  his  left, 
the  design  being  to  take  the  Indians  in 
their  flanks  and  rear.  This  combined 
movement  was  beyond  the  understand- 
ing of  the  enemy ;  and,  notwithstand- 
ing the  savages  strugged  manfully,  for 
the  victory,  a  short  time,  they,  at  length, 
yielded  and  fled  in  every  direction,  leav- 
ing fifteen  of  their  dead  behind  them — 
an  evidence,  in  itself,  of  the  complete- 
ness of  their  rout. 

The  loss  of  the  detachment  was  eight 
killed  and  forty-eight  wounded,  several 
of  whom  subsequently  died.^ 

After  dressing  the  wounds  and  pro- 
viding litters  for  the  removal  of  the 
wounded,  the  detachment  commenced 
its  return ;  and  as  Colonel  Campbell 
learned  that  Tecumth^,  with  six  hun- 
dred warriors,  was  not  far  distant,  the 


>  McAfee,  p.  180  ;  Sketches  of  the  War,  p.  158  ;  Bieck- 
enridge's  Histoiy  of  War,  p.  68. 

'  Lieut.-Col.  Campbell's  Dispatch  ;  McAfee,  p.  180  ; 
Perkins'  History  of  War,  p.  99. 


march  was  conducted  with  all  possible 
speed.  Many  of  the  troops  were  frost- 
bitten, however ;  and  this,  with  the 
care  of  the  wounded,  rendered  the 
progress  a  slow  one,  and  much  distress 
was  experienced.  Intrenchments  were 
thrown  up  every  night,  and,  at  the  same 
time,  one-third  of  the  detachment  was 
placed  on  guard — steps  which  were  made 
necessary  by  the  vigilance  of  the  ene- 
my. With  the  utmost  firmness  and  gal- 
lantry, however,  the  detachment  pushed 
forward,  and  when,  some  days  after- 
wards, it  reached  Greenville,  three 
hundred  of  its  number  were  rendered 
"  unfit  for  duty  by  frost,  sickness,  and 
wounds."  ^ 

Of  the  good  effects  of  this  expedition 
the  entire  West  were  soon  the  wit- 
nesses. The  Delawares  and  other  tribes 
who  had  been  inclined  towards  peace, 
without  accepting  it,  separated  from 
Tecumth^  and  his  party ;  and  the  moral 
sti'ength  of  the  Western  alliance  was 
completely  broken.'^ 

•  McAfee,  p.  181  ;    Perkins'  Western  Annals,  p.  625  ; 
Sketches  of  the  War,  p.  158.—'  McAfee,  p.  182. 


[Note. — Lieut.-Col.  Campbell's  Dispatch,  which  was 
provided  for  the  illustration  of  this  chapter,  has  heen 
omitted  by  the  Publishers  for  want  of  room.] 


i/^%..:j^^;^fci»M^.^''^/'  UUmimiMlimimh  m  im 


.^riU-dl.f  Ui, 


Johnson  fty  &  Co.  Pailishei>;.  'N.M  '-ic 


CHAPTER    X  X  X  Y. 

December  29,  I  §12. 
THE      CAPTUKE      OF      THE      JAVA. 


The  Constitution^  after  her  engage- 
ment with  the  Guerriere^  had  been 
placed  under  the  command  of  Captain 
William  Bainbridge;^  and,  after  hav- 
ing been  refitted,  she  sailed  from  Bos- 
ton, in  company  with  the  Hornet^  on  the 
twenty-sixth  of  October,  1812.  After 
looking  into  the  port  of  San  Salvador, 
and  leaving  the  Hornet  before  that  har- 
bor, to  watch  a  British  cruiser  which 
laid  at  anchor  there.  Commodore  Bain- 
bridge  stood  to  the  southward,  along 
the  coast  of  Brazil.^ 

At  nine  in  the  morning  of  the  twen- 
ty-ninth of  December,  when  in  latitude 
13°  6'  S.,  and  longitude  38°  W.,  thirty 
miles  from  the  coast,  two  strange  sails 
were  made.^  They  were  inshore  and  to 
windward;*  and  as  one  of  them  altered 
her  course,  with  an  apparent  desire  to 
meet  the  Constitution^  the  latter,  also, 
tacked  to  close  with  her.^ 

It  was  a  pleasant  day,  the  wind  being 
light,  from  e.  k.  e.,  with  but  little  sea ;  * 
and  at  eleven  o'clock,  being  satisfied  the 
stranger  was  an  enemy.  Commodore 
Bainbridge  tacked  again,  making  to  the 


'  Cooper's  Naval  History,  ii.  p.  59. — '^  Ibid.,  p.  67. 

'  Com.  Bainbridge's  Dispatch,  Jan.  3, 1813  ;  Com.  Bain- 
bridge's  Jour.,  Dec.  29  ;  Details  of  the  Action,  presented 
by  Lieut.  Chads  to  the  Court  of  Inquiry  ;  Claris,  p.  162. 

*  Cooper,  ii.  p.  68. — '  Com.  Bainbridge's  Journal,  Dec. 
29  ;  Lieut.  Chads'  Dispatch,  Dec.  31. 

'  Cooper,  ii.  p.  68. 


southward  and  eastward,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  drawing  her  ofi^  the  laud.^  At  a 
quarter-past  twelve  both  vessels  showed 
their  colors,  and  threw  out  their  sig- 
nals.^ At  twenty-six  minutes  past  one 
o'clock,  having  drawn  the  stranger  a 
sufiBcient  distance  from  the  shore,  the 
Constitution  took  in  her  mainsails  and 
royals,  tacked,  and  stood  for  her;^ 
while  the  stranger,  twenty-five  minutes 
afterwards,  bore  down  with  an  inten- 
tion of  raking,  which  was  prevented  by 
wearing.*  The  stranger  having,  mean- 
while, lowered  his  ensign,  at  two  o'clock, 
the  Commodore  ordered  a  single  gun  to 
be  fired  ahead  of  him,  to  draw  it  out 
again,  which  was  successful;^  when  a 
broadside  was  delivered  from  the  lar- 
board guns,  which  was  returned  from 
the  stranger's  starboard  guns,  and  the 
action  commenced  with  round  and 
grape  shot,  but  at  a  greater  distance 
than  was  desirable.^  At  thirty  minutes 
past  two  the  wheel  of  the  Constitution 
was  shot  away,^  and  as  the  stranger  was 


'  Com.  Bainbridge's  Journal  ;  Lieut.  Chads'  Dispatch, 
Dec.  31  ;  Details  of  the  Action. — *  Com.  Bainbridge's 
Jour. ;  Details  of  the  Action,  &c. ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  68. 

'  Com.  Bainbridge's  Journal  ;  Lieut.  Chads'  Dispatch, 
Dec.  31  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  68. — *  Com.  Bainbridge's  Jour.; 
Cooper,  ii.  p.  69. — '  Ibid. ;  Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  96  ; 
Clark,  ii.  p.  163. — °  Com.  Bainbridge's  Journal  ;  Lieut. 
Chads'  Dispatch,  Dec.  31  ;  Details  of  the  Action,  &c. 

'  Com.  Bainbridge's  Journal ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  69  ;  Thom- 
son's Sketches,  p.  96. 


184 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II, 


making  an  effort  to  secure  a  position 
for  raking,  the  former  wore  again,  and 
the  stranger  following,  tlie  heads  of 
both  vessels  were  again  brought  to  the 
eastward.^  Soon  afterwards  the  same 
attempt  was  repeated  with  the  same 
result,  during  which  the  Constitution 
succeeded  in  throwing  in  an  efficient 
raking  fire  into  her  opponent.^  Both 
vessels  now  ran  free,  with  the  wind  on 
their  quarter,  the  stranger  being  to 
windward ;  and  the  latter,  at  five  min- 
utes before  three,  attempted  to  close 
by  running  down  on  the  Constitution's 
quarter.^  Running  her  jib-boom  into 
the  mizzen-rigging  of  the  Constitution^ 
the  stranger  suffered  severely  without 
acquiring  any  advantage  ;  *  and  at  three 
o'clock  her  jib-boom  and  the  head  of 
her  bowsprit  were  shot  away.^  About 
the  same  time  a  heavy  raking  broadside 
was  thrown  into  her  stern ;  ®  and,  a  few 
minutes  afterwards,  her  foremast  went 
overboard/ 

The  same  complicated  movements,  to 
secure  an  opportunity  for  raking  and  to 
prevent  it,  continued  some  time  longer ; 
when,  at  five  minutes  past  four,  having 
shot  away  the  stranger's  main-topmast 
and  the  mizzen-mast,  and  wounded  his 
fore  and  main  masts,  the  Constitution 
hauled  aboard  her  tacks,  luffed  athwart 
the  stranger's  bow,  and  passed  out  of 
the  combat  to  windward,  with  her  top- 
sails, courses,  spanker,  and  jib  set,  and 

J  Com  Bainbridge's  Journal ;  Details  of  the  Action,  &c. 
"^  Com.  Bainbridge's  Journal ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  69. 
°  Com.  Bainbridge's  Journal ;  Details  of  the  Action,  &c. 
*  Com.  Bainbridge's  Journal ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  69. 
°  Com.  Bainbridge's  Journal ;  Lieut.  Chads'  Dispatch, 
Dec.  31  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  69. 
°  Details  of  the  Action,  &c. 
'  Com.  Bainbridge's  Journal;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  69. 


spent  an  hour  in  repairing  her  damages 
and  securing  her  masts.^ 

Having  done  so  the  Constitution  bore 
up  to  the  wreck** — for  the  stranger  was 
but  a  wreck,  having  lost  her  mainmast, 
also,  while  the  Constitution  was  repair- 
ing®— but  the  commander  of  the  former 
had  fallen,*  and  her  second  in  command 
wisely  considered  his  condition  and  de- 
termined to  continue  the  contest  no 
longer.^  Her  colors  were  accordingly 
struck,  and  Lieutenant  Parker  took  pos- 
session of  her  at  six  o'clock ;  ®  reporting 
her  as  His  Britannic  Majesty's  frigate 
Jwva^  of  thirty-eight  guns.  Captain  Hen- 
ry Lambert  commanding/ 

In  this  very  spirited  affair,  which  re- 
flected equal  credit  both  on  the  victor 
and  the  vanquished,  the  Java  was  en- 
tirely dismasted ;  six  of  her  quarter- 
deck guns,  four  forecastle  guns,  and 
many  of  those  on  the  main-deck  were 
disabled ;  her  hull  was  "  knocked  to 
pieces;"  the  foremast,  in  falling,  had 
gone  through  the  forecastle  and  main 
decks ;  the  ship  was  leaking  badly,  with 
one  of  her  pumps  disabled  ;®  and  of  her 
crew,  three  mates,  two  midshipmen, 
three  petty  ofiicers,  and  fourteen  men, 
were  Tcilled ;  Captain  Lambert,  Lieu- 
tenant Chads,  her  master,  boatswain, 
four  midshipmen,  and  fifty-nine  seamen ; 
Lieutenant   Davies   of  the  Royal  raa- 

1  Com.  Bainbridge's  Journal ;  Lieut.  Chads'  Dispatch, 
Dec.  31. — "Com.  Bainbridge's  Jour.;  Cooper,  ii.  pp.  69, 
70. — '  Com.  Bainbridge's  Jour.;  Lieut.  Chads'  Dispatch, 
Dec.  31. — ■'Lieut.  Chads'  Dispatch,  Dec.  31;  Details  of 
the  Action,  &c.;  Communication  of  Dr.  T.  C.  Jones,  in 
Naval  Chronicle,  xxix.  p.  416. — °  Lieut.  Chads'  Dispatch, 
Dec.  31  ;  Lieut.  Chads'  defence  before  the  Court  of  In- 
quiry.— '  Com.  Bainbridge's  Jour.;  Details  of  the  Action, 
&c. ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  70, — '  Com.  Bainbridge's  Jour.;  Cooper, 
ii.  p.  70. — °  Lieut.  Chads'  Dispatch,  Dec.  31  ;  Details  of 
the  Action,  &c. 


Chap.  XXXV.] 


DOCUMENTS. 


185 


rines,  and  twenty-one  petty  officers  and 
privates  (marines),  and  thirteen  passen- 
gers, wounded}  The  Constitution  did 
not  lose  a  spar.^  An  eighteen-pound 
shot  passed  through  her  mizzen-mast, 
her  foremast  was  wounded,  and  her 
main-topmast  was  slightly  injured  ;  her 
sails  and  running-rigging  were  consider- 
ably cut  up ;  her  hull  had  received  sev- 
eral round  shot;^  and  of  her  crew  nine 
were  hilled^  and  Commodore  Bainbridge, 
Lieutenant  Aylwin,  and  twenty-three 
men  were  wounded.* 

The  tTava  was  one  of  the  finest  ves- 
sels in  the  service ;  mounted  twenty- 
eight  long  eighteen-pounders,  eighteen 
thirty-two  pound  carronades,  a  twenty- 
four-pounder,  and  two  long  nines  ;^  and 
was  bound  to  the  East  Indies,  having 
on    board,    as    passengers.    Lieutenant- 


general  Hislop  and  his  staff,  Captain 
Marshall  and  Lieutenant  Saunders,  of 
the  Royal  Navy,  and  upwards  of  a 
hundred  other  officers  and  men,  who 
were  destined  for  the  service  in  the 
East;^  the  Constitution  mounted  thir- 
ty-two long  twenty -four-pounders,  twen- 
ty-two thirty-two-pound  carronades,  and 
one  eighteen-pound  carronade. 

After  examining  his  prize.  Captain 
Bainbridge  determined  to  destroy  her, 
in  consequence  of  her  severe  injuries,  the 
distance  she  was  from  the  United  States, 
and  the  difficulty  in  obtaining  masts  in 
that  vicinity ;  and  after  lying  by  her 
two  days,  and  removing  the  wounded, 
she  was  blown  up,^  the  Constitution 
returning  to  San  Salvador,  and  thence 
to  Boston,  where  she  arrived  on  the 
eighth  of  February.^ 


DOCUMENTS 


CAPTAIN   BAINBRIDGE  S   DISPATCH    TO    THE    SEC- 
EETAKY    OF   THE   NAVY. 

U.  S.  Feigate  Constitution,  St.  Salvador,  I 
January  3,  1813.  1 

Sir: — I  have  to  inform  you,  that  on  the  29th 
ultimo,  at  two  p.  m.,  in  south  latitude  13°  6', 
and  west  longitude  38°,  ten  leagues  distance 
from  the  coast  of  Brazil,  I  fell  in  with  and  cap- 
tured His  Britannic  Majesty's  frigate  Java,  of 

'  Report  of  loss,  &c.,  appended  to  Lieut.  Chads'  Dis- 
patch, Dec.  31, 1812.  It  is  said  to  have  been  much  more 
by  some  writers. — ''  Cooper,  ii.  p.  70. 

'  Com.  Bainbridge's  Jour.;  Niles'  Register,  iii.  p.  412. 

*  List  of  killed,  &c.,  appended  to  Com.  Bainbridge's 
Dispatch,  Jan.  3,  1813.  It  has  been  said  the  loss  was 
greater,  but  I  have  found  do  authority  to  sustain  the  as- 
sertion.— '  Niles'  Register,  iii.  p.  412  ;  Com.  Bainbridge's 
Dispatch,  Jan.  3,  1813.  Lieut.  Chads  (Dispatch,  Dec.  31) 
says  she  mounted  foiiy-six. 
Vol.  11—24 


forty-nine  guns,  and  upwards  of  four  hundred 
men,  commanded  by  Captain  Lambert,  a  very 
distinguished  officer.  The  action  lasted  one 
hour  and  fifty-five  minutes,  in  Avhich  time  the 
enemy  was  completely  dismasted,  not  having  a 
spar  of  any  kind  standing.  The  loss  on  board 
the  Cojistitution  was  nine  killed  and  twenty-five 
wounded,  as  per  inclosed  list.  The  enemy  had 
sixty  killed  and  one  hundred  and  one  wounded, 
certainly  (among  the  latter,  Captain  Lambert, 
mortally) ;  but,  by  the  inclosed  letter,  written  on 
board  the  ship  (by  one  of  the  ofiicers  of  the 
Java),  and  accidentally  found,  it  is  evident  that 
the  enemy's  wounded  must  have  been  much 
greater  than  as  above  stated,  and  who  must 
have  died  of  their  wounds  previously  to  their 
being  removed.     The  letter  states  sixty  killed 

'  Com.  Bainbridge's  Dispatch,  Jan.  3. — '  Ibid.;  Lieut. 
Chads'  defence  before  the  Court  of  Inquiry. 
^  Niles'  Register,  iii.  p.  412. 


186 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


and  one  hundred  and  seventy  wounded.  For 
further  details  of  the  action,  I  beg  leave  to  refer 
you  to  the  inclosed  extracts  from  my  journal. 
Tlie  Java  had,  in  addition  to  her  crew,  upwards 
of  one  hundred  supernumerary  officers  and  sea- 
men, to  join  the  British  sliips  of  war  in  the 
East  Indies :  also.  Lieutenant-general  Hislop, 
appointed  to  the  command  of  Bombay,  Major 
Walker  and  Captain  Wood,  of  his  staff,  and 
Captain  Marshall,  master  and  commander  in  the 
British  navy,  going  to  the  East  Indies  to  take 
command  of  a  sloop  of  war  there. 

Should  I  attempt  to  do  justice,  by  representa^ 
tion,  to  the  brave  and  good  conduct  of  all  my 
officers  and  crew,  during  the  action,  I  should 
fail  in  the  attempt ;  therefore,  suffice  it  to  say, 
that  the  whole  of  their  conduct  was  such  as  to 
merit  my  highest  encomiums.  I  beg  leave  to 
recommend  the  officers  particularly  to  the  no- 
tice of  government,  as  also  the  mifortunate  sea- 
men who  were  wounded,  and  the  families  of 
those  brave  men  who  fell  in  the  action. 

The  great  distance  from  our  own  coast,  and 
the  perfect  wreck  we  made  of  the  enemy's 
frigate,  forbad  every  idea  of  taking  her  to  the 
United  States ;  and,  not  considering  it  prudent 
to  trust  her  into  a  port  of  Brazil,  particularly 
St.  Salvador,  as  you  will  perceive  by  the  in- 
closed letters,  numbers  one,  two,  and  three,  I 
had  no  alternative  but  burning  her,  which  I  did 
on  the  31st  ultimo,  after  receiving  all  the  pris- 
oners and  their  baggage,  which  was  very  te- 
dious work,  only  having  one  boat  left  (out  of 
eight),  and  not  one  left  on  board  the  Java.  On 
blowing  up  the  frigate  Java.,  I  proceeded  to  this 
place,  where  I  have  landed  all  the  prisoners  on 
their  parole,  to  return  to  England,  and  there  re- 
main until  regularly  exchanged,  and  not  to  serve 
in  their  professional  capacities  in  any  place  or  in 
any  manner  whatever  ag-ainst  the  United  States 
of  America,  until  the  exchange  shall  be  effected. 
I  have  the  honor  to  be,  &c., 

William  Bainbkidge. 

To  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy. 


[Inclosure.] 
EXTRACT    FROM   COM.    WM.    BAINBEIDGe's  JOUENAI,. 

Tuesday,  December  29,  1812. 
At  nine  o'clock  a.  m.  discovered  two  strange 
sails  on  the  weather-bow.     At  ten  discovered 


the  strange  sails  to  be  ships ;  one  of  them  stood 
in  for  the  land,  and  the  other  stood  off  shore,  in 
a  direction  towards  us.  At  three-quarters  past 
ten  A.  M.,  we  tacked  ship  to  the  northward  and 
westward,  and  stood  for  the  sail  standing  to- 
wards us,  and  at  eleven  a.  m.  tacked  to  the 
southward  and  eastward,  hauled  up  the  mainsail 
and  took  in  the  royals.  At  half-past  eleven, 
made  the  private  signal  for  the  day,  which  was 
not  answered,  and  then  set  the  mainsail  and  roy- 
als, to  draw  the  strange  sail  off  from  the  neutral 
coast,  and  separate  her  from  the  sail  in  com- 
pany. 

Wednesday,  December  30,  1812. 

In  latitude  13°  19'  S.,  longitude  38°  W.,  ten 
leagues  from  the  coast  of  Brazil,  commences 
with  clear  weather  and  moderate  breezes  from 
E.  N.  E.,  hoisted  our  ensign  and  pendant.  At 
fifteen  minutes  past  meridian,  the  ship  hoisted 
her  colors — an  English  ensign,  having  a  signal 
flying  at  her  main — red,  yellow,  red. 

At  twenty-six  minutes  past  one  p.  m.,  being 
sufficiently  from  the  land  and  finding  the  ship 
to  be  an  English  frigate,  took  in  the  mainsail 
and  royals,  tacked  ship  and  stood  for  the  enemy. 
At  half-past  one  p.  m.  the  enemy  bore  down 
with  an  intention  of  raking  us,  which  we  avoid- 
ed by  wearing.  At  two  p.  m.,  the  enemy  being 
within  half  a  mile  of  us,  and  to  windward,  and 
having  hauled  down  his  colors,  except  the  Union 
Jack  at  the  mizzen-masthead,  induced  me  to 
give  orders  to  the  officers  of  the  Third  division 
to  fire  one  gun  ahead  of  the  enemy,  to  make  him 
show  his  colors,  which  being  done,  brought  on 
a  fire  from  us  of  the  whole  broadside,  on  which 
the  enemy  hoisted  his  colors,  and  immediately 
returned  our  fire.  A  general  action  with  round 
and  grape  then  commenced ;  the  enemy  keeping 
at  a  much  greater  distance  than  I  wished ;  but 
could  not  bring  him  to  close  action  without  ex- 
posing ourselves  to  several  rakes.  Considerable 
manoeuvres  were  made  by  both  vessels  to  rake 
aad  avoid  being  raked. 

The  following  minutes  were  taken  during  the 
action : 

At  2  :  10  p.  M.,  commenced  the  action  within 
good  grape  and  canister  distance,  the  enemy  to 
windward,  but  much  farther  than  I  wished. 

2  :  30,  our  wheel  was  shot  entirely  away. 

2  :  40,  determined  to  close  with  the  enemy, 


Chap,  XXXV.l 


DOCUMENTS. 


18T 


notwithstanding  his  raliing.     Set  the  fore  and 
main  sails,  and  luffed  up  to  him. 

2  :  50,  the  enemy's  jib-boom  got  foul  of  our 
mizzen-rioroinof. 

3  :  00,  the  head  of  the  enemy's  bowsprit  and 
jib-boom  shot  away  by  us. 

3  :  5,  shot  away  his  foremast  by  the  board. 
3:15,  shot  away  his  main-topmast  just  above 
the  cap. 

3  :  40,  shot  away  the  gaff  and  spanker-boom. 

3  :  55,  shot  away  his  mizzen-mast  nearly  by 
the  board. 

4  :  5,  having  silenced  the  fire  of  the  enemy 
completely,  and  his  colors  in  the  main-rigging 
being  down,  supposed  he  had  struck ;  then 
hauled  aboard  the  courses  to  shoot  ahead  to  re- 
pair our  rigging,  which  was  extremely  cut ; 
leaving  the  enemy  a  complete  wreck ;  soon 
after  discovered  that  the  enemy's  flag  was  still 
flying.    Hove  to,  to  repair  some  of  our  damage. 

4  :  20,  the  enemy's  mainmast  went  nearly  by 
the  board. 

4:50,  wore  ship  and  stood  for  the  enemy. 

5  :  25,  got  close  to  the  enemy,  in  a  very  effec- 
tual raking  position,  athwart  his  bows,  and  was 
at  the  very  instant  of  raking  him,  when  he  most 
prudently  struck  his  flag ;  for  had  he  suffered 
the  broadside  to  have  raked  him,  his  additional 
loss  must  have  been  extremely  great — as  he  laid 
an  unmanageable  wreck  upon  the  water.  After 
the  enemy  had  struck,  wore  ship  and  reefed  the 
topsails — then  hoisted  out  one  of  the  only  two 
remaining  boats  we  had  left  out  of  eight,  and 
sent  Lieutenant  Parker,  first  of  the  Constitu- 
tion, to  take  possession  of  the  enemy,  which 
proved  to  be  His  Britannic  Majesty's  frigate 
Java,  rated  thirty-eight,  but  carried  forty-nine 
guns,  and  manned  with  upwards  of  four  hun- 
dred men,  commanded  by  Captain  Lambert,  a 
very  distinguished  officer,  who  was  mortally 
wounded.  The  action  continued,  from  the  com- 
mencement to  the  end  of  the  fire,  one  hour  and 
fifty-five  minutes.  The  Co-nstitution  had  nine 
killed  and  twenty-five  wounded.  The  enemy 
had  sixty  killed  and  one  hundred  and  one  cer- 
tainly wounded ;  but,  by  a  letter  written  on 
board  the  Constitution  by  one  of  the  officers  of 
the  Java,  and  accidentally  found,  it  is  evident 
the  enemy's  wounded  must  have  been  consider- 
ably greater  than   as  above  stated,   and  must 


have  died  of  their  wounds  previously  to  their 
being  removed.  The  letter  states  sixty  killed 
and  one  hundred  and  seventy  wounded.  The 
Java  had  her  own  complement  of  men  com- 
plete, and  upwards  of  one  hundred  supernu- 
meraries, going  to  join  the  British  ships  of  war 
in  the  East  Indies — also  several  officers,  pas- 
sengers, going  out  on  promotion.  The  force 
of  the  enemy,  in  number  of  men  at  the  com- 
mencement of  the  action  was,  no  doubt,  consid- 
erably greater  than  we  have  been  able  to  ascer- 
tain, which  is  upwards  of  four  hundred  men. 
The  oflScers  were  extremely  cautious  in  discov- 
eiing  the  number.  By  her  quarter-bill,  she  had 
one  man  more  stationed  at  each  gun  than  we  had. 

The  Constitution  was  very  much  cut  in  her 
sails  and  rigging,  and  many  of  her  spars  injured. 

At  1  p.  M.,  the  boat  returned  with  Lieutenant 
Chads,  the  first-lieutenant  of  the  enemy's  frigate, 
and  Lieutenant-general  Hislop  (appointed  gov- 
ernor of  Bombay),  Major  Walker,  and  Captain 
Wood,  belonging  to  his  staff. 

Captain  Lambert,  of  the  Java,  was  too  dan- 
gerously wounded  to  be  removed  immediately. 

The  cutter  returned  on  board  the  prize  for 
the  prisoners,  and  brought  Captain  Marshall, 
master  and  commander  in  the  British  navy,  who 
was  a  passenger  on  board,  also  several  other  na- 
val oflacers,  destined  for  ships  in  the  East  Lidies. 

The  Java  was  an  important  ship,  fitted  out  in 
the  completest  manner,  to  carry  Lieutenant- 
general  Hislop  and  staff  to  Bombay. 


n. 


CAPTAIN   CHADS    DISPATCH. 

U.  S.  Frigate  Constitution,  off  St.  Salvador,  | 
December  31,  1812.  ) 

Sir  : — It  is  with  deep  regret  that  I  write  to 
you,  for  the  information  of  the  Lords  Com- 
missioners of  the  Admiralty,  that  His  Majesty's 
ship  Java  is  no  more,  after  sustaining  an  action 
on  the  29th  instant,  for  several  hours,  with  the 
American  frigate  Constitution,  which  resulted 
in  the  capture  and  ultimate  destruction  of  His 
Majesty's  ship.  Captain  Lambert  being  dan- 
gerously wounded  in  the  height  of  the  action, 
the  melancholy  task  of  writing  the  detail  de- 
volves on  me. 

On  the  morning  of  the  29th  instant,  at  eight 


188 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


A.  M.,  off  St.  Salvador  (coast  of  Brazil),  the  wind 
at  N.  E.,  we  perceived  a  strange  sail ;  made  all 
sail  in  chase,  and  soon  made  her  out  to  be  a 
large  frigate.  At  noon,  prepared  for  action, 
the  chase  not  answering  our  private  signals, 
and  tacking  towards  us  under  easy  sail.  When 
about  four  miles  distant  she  made  a  signal,  and 
immediately  tacked  and  made  all  sail  away  upon 
the  wind.  We  soon  found  we  had  the  advan- 
tage of  her  in  sailing,  and  came  up  with  her 
fast,  when  she  hoisted  American  colors.  She 
then  bore  about  three  points  on  our  lee  bow. 
At  fifty  minutes  past  one  p.  m.  the  enemy  short- 
ened sail,  upon  which  we  bore  down  upon  her. 
At  ten  minutes  past  two,  when  about  half  a 
mile  distant,  she  opened  her  fire,  giving  us  her 
larboard  broadside,  which  was  not  returned  un- 
til we  were  close  on  her  weather-bow.  Both 
ships  now  manoeuvred  to  obtain  advantageous 
positions,  our  opponent  evidently  avoiding  close 
action,  and  firing  high  to  disable  our  masts ;  in 
which  he  succeeded  too  well,  having  shot  away 
the  head  of  our  bowsprit,  with  the  jib-boom, 
and  our  running  rigging  so  much  cut  as  to  pre- 
vent our  preserving  the  weather-gage. 

At  five  minutes  past  three,  finding  the  ene- 
my's raking  fire  extremely  heavy,  Captain  Lam- 
bert ordered  the  ship  to  be  laid  on  board,  in 
which  we  would  have  succeeded  had  not  our 
foremast  been  shot  away  at  this  moment,  the 
remains  of  our  bowsprit  passing  over  his  tafirail ; 
shortly  after  this  the  main-topmast  went,  leav- 
ing the  ship  totally  unmanageable,  with  most  of 
our  starboard  guns  rendered  useless  from  the 
wreck  lying  over  them. 

At  half-past  three  our  gallant  Captain  re- 
ceived a  dangerous  wound  in  the  breast,  and 
was  carried  below.  From  this  time  we  could 
not  fire  more  than  two  or  three  guns  until  a 
quarter-jaast  four,  when  our  mizzen-mast  was 
shot  away.  The  ship  then  fell  off  a  little,  and 
brought  many  of  our  starboard-guns  to  bear. 
The  enemy's  rig'ging  was  so  much  cut  that  he 
could  not  avoid  shooting  ahead,  which  brought 
us  fairly  broadside  to  broadside.  Our  main- 
yard  now  went  in  the  slings ;  both  ships  con- 
tinued engaged  in  this  manner  till  thirty-five 
miniates  past  four,  we  freqixently  on  fire  in  con- 
sequence of  the  wreck  lying  on  the  side  en- 
gaged.     Our  opponent  now  made  saU  ahead. 


out  of  gun-shot,  where  he  remained  an  hour, 
repairing  his  damages,  leaving  us  an  unman- 
ageable wreck,  with  only  the  mainmast  left, 
and  that  tottering.  Every  exertion  was  made 
by  us,  during  this  interval,  to  place  the  ship  in 
a  state  to  renew  the  action.  We  succeeded  in 
clearing  the  wreck  of  our  masts  from  our  guns ; 
a  sail  was  set  on  the  stumps  of  the  foremast  and 
bowsprit ;  the  weather-half  of  the  main-yard  re- 
maining aloft,  the  main-tack  was  got  forward, 
in  the  hope  of  getting  the  ship  before  the  wind, 
our  helm  being  still  perfect.  The  effort,  unfor- 
tunately, proved  ineffectual,  from  the  mainmast 
falling  over  the  side,  and  from  the  heavy  rolling 
of  the  ship,  which  nearly  covered  the  whole  of 
our  starboard-guns.  We  still  waited  the  attack 
of  the  enemy,  he  now  standing  towards  us  for 
the  purpose.  On  his  coming  nearly  within  hail 
of  us,  and  from  his  manoeuvres  perceiving  he  in- 
tended a  position  ahead,  when  he  could  rake  us 
without  the  possibility  of  our  returning  a  shot ; 
I  then  consulted  the  officers,  who  agreed  with 
myself,  that  our  having  a  great  part  of  our 
crew  killed  and  wounded,  our  bowsprit  and 
three  masts  gone,  several  guns  useless,  we 
should  not  be  justified  in  wasting  the  lives  of 
more  of  those  remaining ;  who,  I  hope  their 
lordships  and  the  country  will  think  have  bravely 
defended  His  Majesty's  ship.  Under  these  cir- 
cumstances, however,  reluctantly,  at  fifty  min- 
utes past  five,  oiu'  colors  were  lowered  from  the 
stump  of  the  mizzen-mast,  and  we  were  taken 
possession  of  a  little  after  six  by  the  American 
frigate  Constitution,  commanded  by  Commo- 
dore Bainbridge,  who,  immediately  after  ascer- 
taining the  state  of  the  ship,  resolved  on  burn- 
ing her,  which  we  had  the  satisfaction  of  see- 
ing done  as  soon  as  the  wounded  were  re- 
moved. Annexed  I  send  you  a  return  of  the 
killed  and  wounded ;  and  it  is  with  pain  I  per- 
ceive it  is  numerous;  also  a  statement  of  the 
comparative  force  of  the  two  ships,  when  I  hope 
their  lordships  will  not  think  the  British  flag 
tarnished,  although  success  has  not  attended  us. 
It  would  be  presumptuous  in  me  to  speak  of  Cap- 
tain Lambert's  merits,  who,  though  still  in  dan- 
ger from  his  wound,  we  still  entertain  the  great- 
est hopes  of  his  being  restored  to  the  service 
and  his  country. 

It  is  most  gratifying  to  my  feelings  to  notice 


Chap.  XXXVL]  THE  PRIVATEER  COMET,  OF  BALTIMORE. 


189 


the  gallantry  of  every  officer,  seaman,  and  ma- 
rine on  board.  In  justice  to  the  officers,  I  beg 
leave  to  mention  them  individually.  I  can 
never  speak  too  highly  of  the  able  exertions  of 
Lieutenants  Hevinghara  and  Buchanan,  and 
also  Mr.  Robinson,  master,  who  was  severely 
wounded,  and  Lieutenants  Mercer  and  Davis, 
of  the  royal  marines,  the  latter  of  whom  also 
was  severely  wounded.  To  Captain  John  Mar- 
shall, Royal  Navy,  who  was  a  passenger,  I  am 
particularly  obliged  for  his  exertions  and  advice 
throughout  the  action.  To  Lieutenant  Alpin, 
who  was  on  the  main-deck,  and  Lieutenant 
Saunders,  who  commanded  the  forecastle,  I  also 
return  my  thanks.  I  cannot  but  notice  the 
good  conduct  of  the  mates  and  midshipmen, 
many  of  whom  are  killed,  and  the  greater  part 
wounded.  To  Mr.  T.  C.  Jones,  surgeon,  and 
his  assistants,  every  praise  is  due  for  their  un- 
wearied assiduity  in  the  care  of  the  wounded. 
Lieutenant-general  Hislop,  Major  Walker,  and 


Captain  Wood,  of  his  staff,  the  latter  of  whom 
was  severely  wounded,  were  solicitous  to  assist 
and  remain  on  the  quarter-deck. 

I  cannot  conclude  this  letter  without  express- 
ing my  grateful  acknowledgments,  thus  public- 
ly, for  the  generous  treatment  Captain  Lambert 
and  his  officers  have  experienced  from  our  gal- 
lant enemy,  Commodore  Bainbridge  and  his 
officers.  I  have  the  honor  to  be,  &c., 

Henet  D.  Chads, 
First-Lieut,  of  His  Majesty's  late  ship  Java. 

P.  S. — The  Constitution  has  also  suffered  se- 
verely, both  in  her  rigging  and  men  ;  having 
her  fore  and  mizzen  masts,  main-topmasts,  main- 
topsail-yards,  spanker-boom,  gaff,  and  trysail- 
mast,  badly  shot ;  and  the  greatest  part  of  the 
standing-rigging  very  much  damaged  ;  with  ten 
men  killed,  the  commander,  fifth-lieutenant,  and 
forty-six  men  wounded,  four  of  whom  are  since 
dead. 


CHAPTER     XXXVI. 

January  11,  1§13. 

THE    PRIVATEER     COMET,    OF     BALTIMORE. 


The  privateers  which  sailed  from  the 
ports  of  the  United  States,  during  the 
war  with  Great  Britain,  as  before  stated, 
were  exceedingly  active  and  successful. 
One  of  these,  the  Come^  of  Baltimore, 
commanded  by  Captain  Boyle,  sailed 
from  that  port  in  the  latter  part  of  De- 
cember, 1812 ;  and,  taking  advantage 
of  a  dark,  stormy  night,  succeeded 
in  passing  through  the  enemy's  block- 
ading squadron,  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Chesapeake,  without  being  discovered. 
Shaping  his  course  for  the  coast  of 
Brazil,  he  reached  the  offing  of  the 
harbor  of  Pernambuco  on  the  ninth  of 
January,  1813,  and  was  infoi-med  by  a 
coaster  that  some  English  vessels  which 


were  in  the  harbor  were  to  sail  within 
a  few  days. 

At  one  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  of 
the  fourteenth,  four  sail  of  vessels  were 
seen  standing  out  of  the  harbor ;  when 
the  Comet  laid  to  for  the  purpose  of 
giving  them  an  opportunity  to  get  off 
shore,  and,  afterwards,  of  cutting  them 
off.  Two  hours  afterwards,  the  stran- 
gers standing  before  the  wind,  six 
leagues  from  the  shore,  the  Comet  bore 
up,  and  made  all  sail  in  chase.  The 
superior  sailing  qualities  of  the  clipper 
enabling  her  to  outsail  the  heavily- 
laden  strangers,  she  quickly  overhauled 
them ;  and  at  seven  o'clock  she  hoisted 
her  colors,  and  sheered  close  up  to  the 


190 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


largest  of  the  four, — -a  large  man-of-war 
brig, — whicli  had  hoisted  Portuguese 
colors.  The  captain  of  the  latter  hailed 
the  clipper,  and  sent  his  boat  on  board 
the  latter,  from  the  commander  of  which 
Captain  Boyle  learned  that  the  brig 
was  a  Portuguese  brig  of  war,  mounting 
twenty  thirty-two-pounders,  and  manned 
with  one  hundred  and  sixty-five  men; 
that  the  three  others  were  English  ves- 
sels, laden  with  wheat, — a  ship  mount- 
ing fourteen  guns,  and  two  brigs,  each 
mounting  ten  guns, — bound  for  Europe, 
under  his  protection  ;  and  that  the 
Comet  Tnust  not  molest  tlievi.  After 
Captain  Boyle  had  informed  the  officer 
of  the  character  of  the  Comet ;  that  she 
had  been  authorized  to  seize  British 
vessels ;  that  she  would  do  so,  in  this  in- 
stance, if  she  could ;  and  that  he  (the  Por- 
tuguese) had  no  right  to  interfere  with 
her,  the  boat  returned  whence  it  came, 
promising  to  return,  but  not  doing  so. 

After  waiting  some  time  for  the  re- 
turn of  the  boat.  Captain  Boyle  in- 
quired if  she  was  coming  back ;  but  the 
captain  of  the  brig  equivocated,  and 
Captain  Boyle  "told  him  again  of  his 
determination,  very  distinctly,  so  that 
he  might  not  be  misunderstood."  At 
the  same  time  he  made  sail  on  the  clip- 
per, which  shot  ahead  and  quickly  came 
up  with  the  ship — although  the  three 
vessels  were  close  together — when  he 
hailed  her  and  ordered  her  to  back  her 
main-topsail.  Being  under  full  head- 
way, the  Com,et  shot  past  the  strangers 
in  a  very  short  time  ;  yet  Captain  Boyle 
hailed  again,  telling  them  he  would  be 
alongside  within  a  few  minutes,  and  if 
his  orders  were  not  obeyed  he  would 
then  give  them  a  broadside.    A  few  min- 


utes afterwards — the  Portuguese  brig, 
meanwhile,  pursuing  the  Comet  as  rap- 
idly as  possible — the  latter  tacked ;  and, 
at  half-past  eight  in  the  evening,  she 
ranged  alongside  the  ship,  and  opened 
her  broadside  on  that  vessel  and  on  one 
of ^  the  brigs  which  had  closed  in  with 
the  ship.  All  the  vessels  were  running 
before  the  wind,  under  a  crowd  of  can- 
vas, and  the  clipper  was  frequently 
compelled  to  tack,  in  order  to  check 
her  progress  and  keep  within  range  of 
the  strangers.  These  manoeuvres  en- 
abled the  clipper  to  bestow  her  fire,  in 
turn,  on  all  the  vessels,  as  she  nimbly 
sped  between  them ;  while  the  convoy, 
suffering  very  severely  in  the  contest, 
was  compelled  to  open,  from  time  to 
time,  in  order  that  the  Portuguese  brig 
might  throw  in  her  fire  in  return. 

Thus  tiring  out  the  entire  squadron, 
while  she  remained  comparatively  un- 
injured, the  Compel  continued  the  con- 
test until  one  o'clock  the  next  morning 
(Jan.  15,  1813),  when  the  ship  surren- 
dered, "  being  cut  to  pieces,  and  ren- 
dered unmanageable."  Immediately  af- 
terwards the  brig  Bowes  surrendered, 
and  was  taken  possession  of;  when  the 
Portuguese  brig  sheered  off,  followed 
by  the  Coinet^  which  continued  the  ac- 
tion. A  short  time  afterwards  the  third 
vessel  struck  her  colors  ;  but  the  Portu- 
guese continuing  the  action,  Captain 
Boyle  was  unable  to  take  possession 
of  the  brig  which  last  surrendered,  or 
of  the  ship,  both  of  which  were  very 
much  cut,  and  were  kept  afloat  only  with 
great  difficulty.  About  two  o'clock  the 
moon  went  down,  and  the  night  becom- 
ing very  dark  and  squally,  it  was  con- 
sidered prudent  to  suspend  the  action 


Chap.  XXXYIL] 


THE  BATTLE  OF  FRENCHTOWN. 


191 


until  morning.  At  that  time  the  Por- 
tuguese stood  for  the  dipper,  with  an 
evident  desire  to  renew  the  action ;  and, 
at  the  same  time,  the  latter  tacked  and 
stood  for  the  ship  and  brig  which  had 
not  been  taken  possession  of.  For  some 
reasons,  which  have  not  been  recorded, 
it  appears  that  they  were  not  boarded ; 
and  that  the  Portuguese,  joining  them, 
made  for  Pernambuco ;  while  the  Comet 
and  her  prize — the  Bowes — also  went 
their  way  without  farther  obstruction. 

It  appeared  afterwards  that  the  ves- 
sels which  escaped  were  the  ship  George^ 
of  Liverpool,  and  the  brig  Gambia^  of 
Hull ;  that  they  were  carried  into  port 
with  the  greatest  difficulty,  with  dam- 
aged cargoes ;  that  the  Portuguese  lost 


her  first-lieutenant  and  five  men  killed, 
and  a  number,  including  the  Captain, 
were  wounded ;  and  that  she,  also,  was 
a  very  severe  sufferer. 

When  it  is  considered  that  the  clip- 
per mounted  only  two  long-nines  and 
ten  twelve-pounders,  with  a  crew  of 
one  hundred  and  twenty  men ;  and 
that,  with  these,  she  gallantly  engaged 
four  vessels,  mounting  fifty-four  guns, 
compelling  three  of  them  to  strike  their 
colors,  the  character  of  the  contest  will 
need  no  farther  elucidation. 


[Note. — ^The  extract  from  the  ComeVs  log- 
book, in  Capt.  Coggeshall's  '"'' History  of  Araeri- 
can  Privateers.,''^  has  been  my  sole  authority  for 
this  chapter.] 


CHAPTER    XXXVII. 

Januarj"  1§,  1§13. 

THE      BATTLE      OF      FRENCHTOWN. 


At  the  close  of  the  year  1812  the 
left  wing  of  the  army  of  the  West,  com- 
manded by  General  Winchester,  was 
marching  towards  the  Miami  Rapids;^ 
and  Leslie  Combs,  of  Kentucky, — well 
known  to  many,  at  the  present  day,  as 
a  devoted  friend  to  the  late  Henry 
Clay, — had  been  sent  through  the 
woods,  on  foot.,  a  distance  of  more  than 
a  hundred  miles,  to  inform  General 
Harrison  of  the  movement.^    While  the 

'  Armstrong's  Notices  of  the  War  of  1812,  i.  p.  66. 

'  McAfee's  Hist,  of  the  War  ia  the  West,  p.  201.  In 
consequence  of  an  immense  fall  of  snow,  and  the  absence 
of  any  appearance  even  of  a  pathway  through  the  im- 
broken  forest,  this  was  an  undertaking  as  perilous  as  it 
was  important,  and  the  youthful  Combs,  and  his  guide, — 
A.  Ruddle, — deserved  great  credit  for  the  perseverence 
and  courage  which  they  displayed  in  this  undertaking. 


detachment  was  still  on  its  march,  a 
dispatch,  from  the  commander-in-chief, 
had  reached  General  Winchester  recovv- 
mending  him  to  abandon  the  intended 
movement,  in  consequence  of  the  re- 
ported strength  of  the  Indians  on  the 
Wabash ;  but  General  Winchester  did 
not  notice  it,  and  on  the  tenth  of  Jan- 
uary he  reached  the  Rapids,  occupied  a 
position  on  the  north  bank  of  the  river, 
and  fortified  his  camp.-^ 

On  the  evening  of  the  thirteenth  of 
January  two  messengers,  from  the  set- 
tlements on  the  River  Raisin,  reached 
the  camp,  informing  the  General  that 
the  Indians   were  uniting  their  forces 

>  McAfee,  pp.  201,  202  ;  Western  Annals,  p.  625. 


192 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


with  those  of  the  British  at  Maiden ; 
that  they  had  threatened  to  revenge 
themselves  at  the  expense  of  the  settle- 
ments ;  and  that  the  protection  of  the 
troops  would  alone  secure  these  out- 
posts of  civilization  from  the  fury  of 
the  savages.  On  the  fourteenth  a  sec- 
ond messenger  arrived ;  and,  on  the  six- 
teenth, two  others,  all  from  the  Raisin 
River,  imploring  protection  for  the  ex- 
posed settlements.-^ 

With  that  ardor  which  characteiized 
the  men  of  the  West,  at  that  early  day, 
the  entire  detachment  was  aroused  to 
the  greatest  degree ;  and  when  a  coun- 
cil of  officers  met  to  consult  with  the 
General,  on  the  subject,  and  advised 
the  detachment  of  a  strong  force  to 
cover  the  settlements,  it  only  reflected 
the  general  sentiment  of  the  army,  from 
the  field-officers  to  the  privates.^  Ac- 
cordingly, on  the  morning  of  the  sev- 
enteenth, five  hundred  and  fifty  men, 
under  Colonel  Lewis,  left  the  camp ; 
and,  a  few  hours  afterwards,  an  addi- 
tional force  of  one  hundred  and  ten 
men,  under  Colonel  Allen,  of  Kentucky, 
followed  to  support  him.^  These  two 
parties  united  at  Presque  Isle  (Erie, 
Penn.),  where  they  passed  the  night ; 
and  thence,  on  the  morning  of  the  eigh- 
teenth, an  express  was  dispatched  to 
General  Winchester,  with  intelligence 
of  the  strength  of  the  Indians  at  the 
Raisin  River,  and  of  the  approach  of  a 
strong  British  force,  from  Maiden,  with 
the  intention  of  resisting,  in  connection 


'  McAfee,  p.  204  ;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  184  ;  HaU's 
Life  of  Gen.  Harrison,  p.  207  ;  DarneU's  Jour.,  Jan.  13, 
15,  16.—=  McAfee,  p.  204  ;  Hall's  Life  of  Gen.  Harrison, 
p.  207. — '  McAfee,  p.  205  ;  James'  Military  Occurrences, 
i.  p.  184 ;  Darnell's  Journal,  Jan.  17. 


Avith  the  Indians,  the  progress  of  the 
army  towards  Detroit.-^  Not,  in  the 
least,  intimidated  with  the  information 
which  they  had  received  from  the 
Raisin,  and  forwarded  to  General  Win- 
chester, Colonels  Lewis  and  Allen  called 
forth  the  greater  energies  to  overcome 
the  enemy  before  the  allied  savages 
and  British  could  unite  their  respective 
forces ;  and  for  this  purpose,  with  the 
desire  of  reaching  the  Raisin  as  speed- 
ily as  possible,  the  detachments  were 
moved  from  Presque  Isle  at  a  very 
early  hour  in  the  morning  (January  18, 
1813)  ;  and  taking  the  frozen  surface  of 
Lake  Erie  and  the  Miami  Bay,  it  pressed 
forward  as  rapidly  as  possible.^ 

When  yet  six  miles  from  its  destina- 
tion, the  progress  of  the  detachment 
was  discovered  by  a  party  of  Indians, 
who  hastened  to  alarm  the  main  body 
of  the  enemy ;  and,  soon  afterwards, 
while  it  was  still  on  the  margin  of  the 
lake,  it  halted  to  take  refreshments. 
Before  reaching  the  Raisin  the  detach- 
ment was  formed  in  order  of  battle — 
the  light  column,  composed  of  Cap- 
tains McCracken's,  Bledsoe's,  and  Mat- 
son's  companies,  being  commanded  by 
Colonel  Allen ;  the  left  column,  com- 
posed of  Captains  Hamilton's,  Williams', 
and  Kelly's  companies,  commanded  by 
Major  Graves ;  and  the  centre,  com- 
posed of  Captains  Hightower's,  Collier's, 
and  Sebree's  companies,  under  Major 
Madison ;  while  the  companies  under 
Captains  Hickman,  Claver,  and  James, 
commanded  by  Captain  Ballard,  acted 

'  McAfee,  p.  205  ;  Hall's  Life  of  Gen.  Harrison,  p.  207  ; 
Darnell's  Journal,  Jan.  17  ;  Col.  Lewis  to  Gen.  Winches- 
ter, Jan.  20. — =  McAfee,  p.  205  ;  Darnell's  Journal,  Jan. 
18  ;  Col.  Lewis  to  Gen.  Winchester,  Jan.  20. 


Chap.  XXXVII.] 


THE  BATTLE  OF  FRENCHTOWN. 


193 


as  an  advanced  guard — and  in  tliis  or- 
der it  approached  Frenclitown.^ 

When  within  a  quarter  of  a  mile  of 
the  villas'e,  Colonel  Lewis  formed  his 
lines  in  order  to  receive  the  enemy, 
whose  movements  appeared  to  indicate 
a  projected  attack;  but  it  soon  became 
evident  that  an  engagement  in  the  open 
field  was  not  the  plan  of  operations 
which  had  been  adopted,  and  a  corre- 
sponding change  of  the  order  of  the 
Americans  became  necessary.  The  lines 
were  broken  into  columns  by  the  right 
of  companies,  and  in  this  order  the  de- 
tachment moved  forward,  under  a  heavy 
fire  from  the  enemy,  until  it  reached 
the  south  bank  of  the  river,  when  the 
lines  were  again  formed,  and  prepara- 
tions were  made  to  attack  the  enemy.^ 

The  village  of  Frenchtown,  in  which 
the  enemy  was  posted,  among  the 
houses  and  behind  the  pickets  of  the 
gardens,  is  situate  on  the  north  bank 
of  the  River  Raisin ;  and  the  line  of 
the  detachment  was  formed,  as  before 
stated,  on  the  opposite  bank  of  the 
river,  under  a  heavy  fire  of  musketry 
and  a  howitzer,  with  which  the  enemy's 
position  was  defended.^  Although  the 
ice  on  the  river,  in  many  places,  was  ex- 
ceedingly slippery;  and  notwithstand- 
ing the  troops  were,  generally,  engaged 
for  the  first  time,  the  passage  of  the 
river  was  successfully  accomplished ; 
and  when  the  detachment  reached  the 
northern  bank,  the  "long  roll"  of  the 


'  McAfee,  pp.  205,  206  ;  H-aU's  Harrison,  p.  208  ;  Thom- 
son's Sketches,  p.  101;  Col.  LewistoGen.  Winchester,  Jan. 
20.—=  McAfee,  p.  206  ;  DarneH's  Jour.,  Jan.  18  ;  Thom- 
son's Sketches,  p.  101 ;  Col.  Lewis  to  Gen.  Winchester, 
Jan.  20. — '  McAfee,  p.  206  ;  DarneH's  Journal,  Jan.  18  ; 
Aroistrong's  Notices,  i.  p.  70 ;  Col.  Lewis  to  Gen.  Win- 
chester, Jan.  20. 
Voi,.  IL— 25 


drum  summoned  it  to  a  general  charge 
on  the  position  of  the  enemy.^  Majors 
Graves  and  Madison  moved  ao'ainst  it 
in  front;  while  Colonel  Allen,  by  a 
detour,  moved  again.st  the  enemy's  left 
flank — both  pressing  forward,  with  the 
greatest  gallantry,  under  a  heavy  fire, 
and  both  being  alike  successful  in  dis- 
lodging the  enemy  fi'om  his  well-chosen 
position.^  After  retreating  about  half 
a  mile,  to  a  piece  of  woods,  he  rallied 
his  troops,  and  made  a  stand  with  his 
howitzer,  under  cover  of  some  houses 
and  a  range  of  fences,  having  a  thick 
wood,  filled  with  fallen  timber,  on  his 
rear ;  and  in  this  position  he  renewed 
the  action  with  great  vigor.^ 

Against  this  new  position  the  Ameri- 
can troops  moved  with  great  resolution 
— Majors  Graves  and  Madison,  by  a  de- 
tour, occupying  the  wood  on  the  left, 
and  falling  on  the  enemy's  right  flank  ; 
while  Colonel  Allen  moved  against  him 
in  front,  as  soon  as  the  fire  on  the  left 
indicated  the  engagement  of  the  flank- 
ing parties  under  Majors  Graves  and 
Madison.*  Thus  simultaneously  attack- 
ed in  front  and  on  his  right  flank,  the 
enemy  again  fell  back,  slowly,  into  the 
woods ;  while,  at  the  same  time,  he 
gradually  concentrated  his  forces  on  his 
left,  with  the  intention  of  forcing  the 
right  of  Colonel  Allen's  line.  In  this, 
however,  he  was  not  successful ;  and  he 


■  McAfee,  p.  206  ;  Darnell's  Jour.,  Jan.  18 ;  Thomson's 
Sketches,  p.  101  ;  Breokenridge's  History  of  War,  p.  97  ; 
Col.  Lewis  to  Gen.  Winchester,  Jan.  20.—=  McAfee,  p.  206  ; 
Hall's  Harrison,  p.  208  ;  Darnell's  Jour.,  Jan.  18  ;  Thom- 
son's Sketches,  p.  101.—'  McAfee,  p.  206 ;  Hall's  Harrison, 
p.  208  ;  Darnell's  Jour.,  Jan.  18  ;  Col.  Lewis  to  Gen.  Win- 
chester, Jan.  20.—'  McAfee,  p.  206  ;  Thomson's  Sketches, 
p.  102  ;  Armstrong's  Notices,  i.  p.  70  ;  Col.  Lewis  to  Gen. 
Winchester,  Jan.  20. 


194 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


was  kept  slowly  retreating,  contesting 
eveiy  foot  of  the  ground,  until  dark, 
when  the  detachment  returned  to  the 
village,  in  good  order,  and  encamped.^ 

In  this  spirited  and  carefully  con- 
ducted engagement,  "  every  officer  and 
soldier  did  his  duty.  There  was  not 
a  solitary  instance  of  delinquency;"^ 
while  the  arrangement  of  the  forces, 
both  on  the  march  and  in  the  action, 
reflected  great  credit  on  the  skill  of 
Colonel  Lewis,  the  commanding  officer. 

The  enemy's  force  was  composed  of 
about  one  hundred  British  soldiers,  under 
Major  Reynolds,^  and  about  four  hundred 
Indians,*  under  Round-head  and  Walk- 
in-the-water,^  with  a  piece  of  artillery ; 
while  the  Americans,  as  already  stated, 
numbered  about  six  hundred  and  sixty 
men,  armed  only  with  small-arms.® 


The  loss  of  the  Americans  was  twelve 
killed  and  fifty-five  wounded,  among 
the  latter  of  whom  were  Captains  Hick- 
man, Matson,  and  Ballard;^  the  loss 
of  the  enemy,  although  not  certainly 
known,  must  have  been  great,  as  fifteen 
were  left  dead  on  the  ground  where  the 
first  engagement  took  place.*^ 

On  the  same  evening  a  messenger 
was  sent  to  General  Winchester,  with 
intelligence  of  the  victory;^  and  the 
troops  were  permitted  to  enjoy  a  tem- 
porary repose  before  entering,  a  few 
days  afterwards,  on  another  and  more 
disastrous  field. 


[Note. — The  Dispatches  of  the  commanders  of  both 
forces,  to  their  respective  governments,  which  had  been 
provided  for  the  illustration  of  this  chapter,  have  been 
omitted  by  the  Publishers  for  want  of  room.] 


CHAPTER    XXXYIII. 

January  22,  1§13. 
THE    BATTLE    AND    MASSACRE    AT    THE    RIVER    RAISIN. 


The  advance  of  Colonel  Lewis,  with 
a  detachment  from  the  left  wing  of  the 
army  of  the  Northwest ;  his  successful 
occupation  of  Frenchtown  ;  and  the  dis- 
patch of  a  messenger  to  the  head-quar- 


1  McAfee,  p.  207  ;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  185  ;  Hall's 
Harrison,  p.  209  ;  Darnell's  Jour.,  Jan.  18  ;  Armstrong's 
Notices,  i.  p.  71  ;  Col.  Lewis  to  Gen.  Winchester,  Jan.  20. 

"  McAfee,  p.  207  ;  Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  102. 

'  McAfee,  p.  207  ;  Col.  Lewis  to  Gen.  Winchester,  Jan. 
20.  Mr.  James  {Mil.  Occicr.,  i.  p.  185)  says  it  was  only 
"thirty  of  the  Essex  militia;"  and  Mr.  Auchinleck  (Hist,  of 
the  War,  p.  125)  sustains  him.—''  McAfee,  p.  207  ;  Col. 
Lewis  to  Gen.  Winchester,  Jan.  20.  Mr.  James  {3Iil. 
Occur.,  i.  p.  185)  says  it  was  "a  band  of  two  hundred  In- 
dians (Potawatomies),"  &c.  -'  Drake's  Book  of  the  In- 
dians, book  V.  pp.  129, 130.—'  Vide  p.  192,  col.  1,  note  3. 


ters  of  General  Winchester,  with  intel- 
ligence of  his  victory,  have  been  al- 
ready alluded  to  in  the  preceding  chap- 
ter of  this  book.* 

The  intelligence  of  Colonel  Lewis' 
success  . created  "a  complete  ferment" 
in  General  Winchester's  camp ;  ^  and  as 

'  Col.  Lewis  to  Gen.  Winchester,  Jan.  20  ;  Brecken- 
ridge,  p.  98 ;  McAfee,  p.  207.  Darnell  {Jour.,  Jan.  18) 
says  it  was  "  eleven  killed  and  fifty  wounded  ;"  Gen.  Har- 
rison {Dhpaich  to  Gov.  Meigs,  Jan.  20)  says,  "Our  loss  is 
ten  killed — two  captains  and  twenty  privates  wounded  ;" 
The  "Sketches  of  the  War"  (Rutland,  Vt.,  1815),  p.  159.  way 
fifty-two  were  wounded. — '  McAfee,  p.  207.  It  was  report- 
ed {Darnell's  Jour.,  Jan.  18)  that  the  enemy  lost  54  killed 
and  140  wounded.— ^  McAfee,  p.  208.—"  Chap.  XXXVII. 

'  McAfee,  p.  208  ;  Ingersoll's  Hist,  of  War,  i.  p.  133. 


Chap.  XXXVni.]      BATTLE  AND  MASSACRE  AT  THE  RIVER  RAISIN. 


195 


Frenchtown,  where  the  former  was  en- 
camped, was  only  eighteen  miles  from 
Maiden,  the  principal  post  of  the  Brit- 
ish, in  the  Northwest,  the  situation  of 
the  detachment  was  considered  a  criti- 
cal one,  and  an  immediate  movement 
was  made  to  relieve  it.^  Leaving  Cap- 
tain Morris's  command,  as  a  rear-guard, 
—with  whom  was  also  left  the  bag- 
gage,^— General  "Winchester  and  Col- 
onel Wells  moved  with  about  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  men,  on  the  afternoon  of 
the  nineteenth  of  January,  1813,  and 
reached  Frenchtown  at  three  o'clock  in 
the  afternoon  of  the  next  day.^  Colonel 
Lewis  was  encamped  in  the  gardens  of 
the  village, — where  the  pickets  afforded 
shelter  to  his  troops  against  the  small- 
arms  of  any  enemy  who  might  appear,* 
— and  when  Colonel  Wells  came  on 
the  ground  he  encamped  below,  and  on 
the  right  of  the  detachment,  about  a 
hundred  yards  from  it.^  Thei-e  was  but 
little  order  in  the  encampment,  and 
another  and  more  eligible  position  was 
selected  and  surveyed  ;  preparations  be- 
ing made  to  occupy  and  fortify  it  the 
next  day.^  That  event,  however,  was 
never  to  be  seen  by  the   unfortunate 


1  McAfee,  p.  208. — "  Mem.  of  conversation  of  Gen.  Win- 
chester with  Sec.  of  War;  Maj.  Madison's  Narrative.  Gen. 
Harrison  {Letter  to  Gov.  Meigs,  Jan.  24,  1813)  and  Mr.  Dar- 
nell (Jour.,  Jan.  21)  say  "  two  hundred  and  thirty  men." 

'  Mem.  of  convei'sation,  &c.;  Maj.  McClanehan  to  Gen. 
Harrison,  Jan.  26,  1813. — *  Mem.  of  conversation,  &c. ; 
McAfee,  p.  208. — 'Mem.  of  conversation,  &c.;  Maj.  Mc- 
Clanehan to  Gen.  Harrison,  Jan.  20,  1813.  Mr.  Inger- 
soll  (Hist,  of  War,  i.  p.  135)  says  Col.  Lewis  urged  the 
General  to  post  Col.  Wells  within  the  pickets,  where,  on  his 
left,  there  was  room  unoccupied  ;  that  as  Col.  Wells  be- 
longed to  the  regular  army,  and  ranked  Col.  Lewis,  he 
would  not  take  position  on  the  left  of  the  latter  ;  that,  in 
order  to  foini  on  the  right,  he  went  into  an  open  field,  in 
that  direction  ;  and  hence  the  trouble. — '  Darnell's  Jour. , 
Jan.  21 ;  Maj.  McClanehan  to  Gen.  Harrison,  Jan.  26, 1813. 


party ;  and  the  sun  of  another  day  wit- 
nessed a  sadder  spectacle  than  the  open- 
ing of  newer  and  stronger  defences  for 
its  protection. 

Late  in  the  evening  of  the  twenty- 
first,  a  Frenchman,  from  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Maiden,  came  to  General  Win- 
chester's quarters  and  informed  him 
that  a  large  body  of  British  and  In- 
dians— not  far  from  three  thousand  in 
number  —  was  about  to  march  from 
that  place  when  he  left  it;^  but  both 
officers  and  men  appeared  to  discredit 
it,  and  not  the  smallest  preparation  was 
made  for  the  protection  of  the  troops.^ 
Licleed  so  wholly  secure  did  the  troops 
appear  to  consider  themselves,  that 
many  of  them  wandered  around  the 
town — singly  or  in  small  parties,  as 
their  humors  dictated — until  late  at 
night,  notwithstanding  Colonel  Lewis 
and  Major  Madison  cautioned  them  to 
be  prepared  for  a  visit  from  the  enemy, 
at  any  moment.^  The  usual  sentries 
were  placed  ;  but,  on  the  plea  of  the 
severity  of  the  weather,  no  pickets 
were  sent  out  on  the  roads  which  a2> 
proached  the  village.* 

On  the  next  morning  (^Jan.  22,  1813) 
the  reveille  commenced  to  beat  at  the 
usual  time,  and  the  troops  were  arous- 
ing themselves  for  the  discharge  of 
their  morning  duties,  when  three  mus- 

>  Darnell's  Jour.,  Jan.  21  ;  Armstrong's  Notices,  i.  p. 
73  ;  Mem.  of  conversation,  &c. ;  Maj.  McClanehan  to  Gen. 
Harrison,  Jan.  26,  1813. — '  Mem.  of  conversation,  &c.; 
Maj.  McClanehan  to  Gen.  Harrison,  Jan.  26,  ]  81 3  ;  McAfee, 
p.  212.  Mr.  Darnell  {Journal,  Jan.  21)  denies  that  the  men 
were  indifferent  to  the  Frenchman's  story,  althougli  he  ad- 
mits that  by ' '  some  of  the  leading  men,  who  were  regaling 
themselves  with  whiskey  and  loaf  sugar,"  it  "was  not 
believed." — '  McAfee,  p.  212  ;  Armstrong's  Notices,  i.  p. 
72. — *  Armstrong's  Notices,  i.  p.  72;  Mem.  of  conversa- 
tion, &c.;  McAfee,  p.  212. 


196 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II; 


ket-shots,  in  quick  succession,  from  the 
line  of  sentries,  indicated  the  immediate 
presence  of  a  stranger,  and,  possibly,  of 
an  enemy.^  It  was  still  dark,  and  tke 
surrounding  gloom,  in  whicli  the  camp 
was  enveloped,  gave  no  indication  of  the 
character  or  strength  of  the  intruders ; 
yet  the  troops  instantly  foiTned  in  order 
of  battle,  and  prepared  for  the  worst,^ 

Suddenly  a  heavy  fire,  from  several 
pieces  of  artillery^  on  the  front  of  the 
encampment,  followed  by  volleys  of 
musketry  on  its  flanks,  mingled  with 
the  yells  and  war-whoops  of  the  In- 
dians, told  too  plainly  the  character 
and  strength  of  the  assailants,  and  the 
folly  of  the  commanding  officers  in  dis- 
regarding, with  such  fatal  recklessness, 
the  infoi'mation  which  the  Frenchman 
had  brought  to  the  camp.^ 

It  appears  that  when  intelligence  of 
Colonel  Lewis's  occupation  of  French- 
town  reached  Maiden,  Colonel  Proctor, 
who  commanded  there,  prepared  to 
march  for  its  relief.  With  this  object 
he  marched  from  Brownstown,  on  the 
21st,  at  the  head  of  detachments  from 
the  Forty-first  regiment  of  the  line, 
the  Royal  Newfoundland  regiment,  the 
Tenth  veteran  battalion,  some  militia 
and  sailors,  and  a  party  of  the  Royal 
artillery  with  three  three-pounders  and 
a  five-and-a-half-inch  howitzer.*     These 


'  Gen.  Harrison  to  Gov.  Meigs,  Jan.  24 ;  DarneU's  Jour., 
Jan.  22  ;  Armstrong's  Notices,  i.  p.  72  ;  Mem.  of  conversa- 
tion, &c.;  McAfee,  p.  212. — "DarneU's  Jour..  Jan.  22;  Maj. 
McClanehan  to  Gen.  Harrison,  Jan.  26  ;  McAfee,  p.  212. 

'  Darnell's  Jour.,  Jan.  22 ;  Hall's  Life  of  Harrison,  p. 
■210 ;  Armstrong's  Notices,  i.  p.  72 ;  Mem.  of  conversa- 
tion, &c.;  Gen.  Winchester  to  Sec.  of  War,  Feb.  11,  1813. 

*  Montreal  Courant,  Feb.  6,  1813,  cited  by  Mr.  Niles  ; 
Letter  from  "  Fort  George,  Jan.  30,"  in  the  same  work  ; 
Gen.  Proctor  to  Gen.  Sheaffe,  Jan.  26,  1813  ;  James'  Mil- 
itary Occurrences,  1.  p.  186. 


troops — said  to  have  numbered  five 
hundred  men^ — were  accompanied  by 
six  hundred  Indians,  under  Round-head 
and  Walk-in-the- water ; ^  and,  favored 
by  the  recklessness  of  General  Winches- 
ter, at  an  early  hour  the  party  approach- 
ed the  camp,  put  its  artillery  in  battery, 
and  occupied  its  several  positions  around 
the  encampment,  without  disturbing  its 
occupants,  as  before  related.® 

As  soon  as  the  enemy  approached 
the  front  of  the  position  which  had 
been  occupied  by  Colonel  Lewis  since 
the  close  of  the  action  on  the  eighteenth, 
a  steady  and  well-directed  fire  was  open- 
ed on  him  with  great  success,  and  his 
shattered  forces  fell  back  in  consider- 
able disorder.* 

On  the  right  of  the  position,  where 
were  posted  the  troops  which  had  come 
forward  with  General  Winchester  and 
Colonel  Wells,  the  enemy  was  more 
successful — the  Americans,  after  main- 
taining their  ground  for  some  time, 
with  considerable  firmness,  being  com- 
pelled to  give  way  before  a  greatly  su- 
perior force — and  when  General  Win- 
chester came  on  the  field  of  action  he 
found  them  retreating,  and  opening  the 
right  of  Colonel  Lewis's  line  to  the  as- 


'  Christie's  Naval  and  Military  Operations,  p.  100. 
The  Montreal  Courant,  Feb.  6,  says  it  embraced  "300 
regulars,  150  militia,  and  some  Indians."  The  Montreal 
Herald,  Feb.  6,  1813,  says,  "300  troops  of  the  line  and 
sailors." 

2  Montreal  Herald,  Feb.  6, 1813  ;  Christie,  p.  100  ;  Mr. 
Thomson  [Sketches  of  War,  p.  103)  makes  the  enemy  tioo 
thousand  one  hundred  strong,  with  Teeumtha  at  the  head  of 
the  Indians  ;  Mr.  Perkins  (History  of  War,  p.  100)  says  the 
Indians  numbered  one  thousand;  and  Mr.  Drake  {Book  of 
the  Indians,  book  v.  p.  129)  sustains  the  assertion. 

'  Armstrong,  i.  p.  72  ;  McAfee,  p.  212. 

*  Darnell's  Journal,  p.  22;  Hall's  Harrison,  p.  210; 
Armstrong,  i.  p.  73  ;  Gen.  Winchester  to  Secretary  of 
War,  Feb.  11,  1813  ;  McAfee,  p.  212. 


Chap.  XXXVIII.]       BATTLE  AND  MASSACRE  AT  THE  RIVER  RAISIN. 


197 


saults  of  the  enemy.^  To  prevent  the 
mischief  which  this  retrograde  move- 
ment would  inevitably  produce,  the 
General  ordered  the  fugitives  to  rally 
behind  a  fence  and  the  second  bank  of 
the  river,  and  to  incline  towards  the 
centre,  where  shelter  could  be  obtained 
behind  the  pickets  of  the  gardens, 
which  were  in  that  vicinity.^  At  the 
same  time  a  reinforcement  of  a  hundred 
men  was  sent  by  Colonel  Lewis  to  sup- 
port this  part  of  the  army ;  ^  but  all 
this  availed  nothing,  and  while  the 
British  continued  to  press  forward  in 
front,  a  large  body  of  Indians  fell  on 
the  light  flank,  and  the  whole  of  that 
wing  retreated,  in  disorder,  over  the 
river,  sweeping  away  with  it  the  rein- 
forcement which  Colonel  Lewis  had 
sent  to  its  assistance.*  Duly  appreciat- 
ing the  consequences  which  would  en- 
sue unless  this  misfortune  could  be 
overcome.  Colonels  Lewis  and  Allen 
had  both  followed  the  fus-itives  and 
attempted  to  rally  them  ;  leaving  their 
own  commands  under  the  control  of 
Majors  Graves  and  Madison.^  After 
they  had  passed  the  river  the  most  des- 
perate efforts  to  rally  them,  behind  the 
houses  and  garden-fences,  were  again 
made  by  General  Winchester,  Colonels 
Lewis  and  Allen,  and  their  own  oflS.- 
cers ;  but  here,  too,  the  same  want  of 
success  attended  their  efforts;  and,  im- 

'  Darnell's  Journal,  Jan.  22;  Hall's  Harrison,  p.  210; 
Armstrong,  i.  p.  73;  McAfee,  pp.  212,  213.— =  Darnell's 
Journal,  Jan.  22  ;  Memorandum  of  conversation,  &c.  ; 
Maj.  McClanehan  to  Gen.  Harrison,  Jan.  26,  1812. 

^Armstrong,  i.  p.  73;  Mem.  of  conversation,  &c.; 
Breckenridge,  p.  98  ;  Perkins'  Western  Annals,  p.  627  ; 
Niles'  Register,  iv.  p.  11  :  Perkins'  Hist.  War,  p.  101. 

'  Hall's  Harrison,  p.  211  ;  Niles'  Register,  iv.  p.  11  ; 
McAfee,  p.  213. — '  Hall's  Harrison,  p.  211  ;  Mem.  of  con- 
versation, &c.;  McAfee,  p.  213. 


mediately  afterwards,  the  left  and  rear 
of  the  line,  as  well  as  the  right  and 
front  of  it,  were  possessed  by  the  In- 
dians.^ In  their  confusion  the  fuo^itives 
sought  safety  in  flight,  by  way  of  the 
road  which  leads  from  the  village  to- 
wards the  rapids,  but  the  Indians  lined 
the  fences  on  either  side,  and  shot  them 
down  in  every  direction."  Others  turn- 
ed to  their  right,  and  plunged  into  the 
pathless  forest,  hoping  to  find  safety  in 
its  deep  recesses ;  but  here,  too,  the  sav- 
ages surrounded  and  massacred  them, 
without  distinction — nearly  one  hun- 
dred men  falling  under  the  tomahawks 
within  the  distance  of  a  hundred  yards.^ 
A  small  party  of  fifteen  or  twenty  men, 
under  Lieutenant  Garrett,  after  retreat- 
ing about  a  mile  and  a  half,  were  com- 
pelled to  surrender,  and  all,  except  the 
Lieutenant,  were  immediately  toma- 
hawked and  scalped.*  A  similar  party 
of  about  forty  men,  after  securing  a 
retreat  nearly  three  miles,  was  over- 
taken, and  more  than  one-half  its  num- 
ber was  massacred  in  cold  blood.^  Col- 
onel Allen,  although  wounded,  gallantly 
attempted,  in  vain,  to  rally  the  men  ; 
and,  when  all  hope  had  vanished,  had 
escaped  about  two  miles,  when  from 
exhaustion  he  sat  down  on  a  log,  deter- 
mined to  meet,  without  resistance,  any 
fate  which  might  befall  him.  An  In- 
dian chief  observing  him,  and  knowing 
his  rank,  approached  and  demanded  his 
surrender,  promising  protection  if  he 
would  do  so  without  resistance.  At 
the  same  moment   two   other   savages 

'  Niles'  Register,  iv.  p.  12  ;  McAfee,  p.  213. 
=  McAfee,  p.  213.—'  Ibid.—*  Hall's  Harrison,  p.  211. 
*  Statement  of  Lieut.  Baker,  its  commandant,  in  the 
' ^ Albany  Argus ;"  Hall's  Harrison,  p.  211. 


198 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


approached,  from  other  directions,  and 
showed  signs  of  hostility.  One  of  these 
was  killed,  as  he  approached,  by  a  sin- 
gle stroke  of  the  Colonel's  sword ;  the 
other,  raising  his  rifle,  shot  the  prison- 
er.-^ Colonel  Lewis  and  General  Win- 
chester were  taken  prisoners  by  Round- 
head, the  Indian  chief,  stripped  of  their 
cloaks,  coats,  vests,  and  hats,  and  carried 
back  to  the  British  lines,  where  Colonel 
Proctor  rescued  them  from  the  hands  of 
their  captors,  after  considerable  trouble.^ 

In  the  mean  time  the  party  of  troops 
on  the  left,  which  Colonels  Lewis  and 
Allen  had  left  behind  the  pickets  of 
the  gardens,  defended  itself  in  the 
most  obstinate  manner,  notwithstanding 
every  effort  which  the  enemy  made  to 
overcome  it;^  and,  at  ten  o'clock,  find- 
ing that  his  loss  was  becoming  very 
serious.  Colonel  Proctor  withdrew  his 
forces,  with  the  intention  of  abandon- 
ing the  attempt,  or  of  awaiting  the  re- 
turn of  his  savage  allies,  who  had  not 
yet  completed  their  bloody  work  with 
the  unfortunate  men  who  had  formed 
the  right  wing  of  the  American  force.* 

Unfortunately,  about  this  time  the 
commanding-general  was  brought  into 
Colonel  Proctor's  lines,  a  prisoner  in 
the  hands  of  the  Indians ;  and  the  lat- 
ter officer,  with  that  cowardice  which 
always  characterizes  such  as  he,  deter- 
mined to  avail  himself  of  the  anxiety  of 

1  Hairs  Harrison,  p.  211  ;  McAfee,  pp.  213,  214. 

2  Darnell's  Journal,  Jan.  22  ;  Hall's  Harrison,  p.  211  ; 
Christie,  p.  100 ;  Gen.  Proctor  to  Gen.  Sheaffe,  Jan.  26, 
1813  ;  Drake's  Book  of  Indians,  book  v.  p.  129  ;  James' 
Mil.  Occur.,  i.  pp.  188,  189.— '  Darnell's  Jour.,  Jan.  22; 
Hall's  Life  of  Harrison,  p.  212  ;  Christie,  p.  100  ;  Gen. 
Proctor  to  Gen.  Sheaffe,  Jan.  26,  1813  ;  Gen.  Winchester 
to  Secretary  of  War,  Jan.  23,  1813. 

*  Darnell's  Journal,  Jan.  22;  Hall's  Life  of  Harrison, 
p.  212  ;  McAfee,  pp.  214,  215. 


the  General,  in  his  unhappy  situation, 
to  secure  what  his  own  prowess  could 
not  accomplish  by  force  of  arms.  Ac- 
cordingly, "  he  represented  to  the  Gen- 
eral that  nothing  but  au  immediate  sur- 
render would  save  the  Americans  from 
an  indiscriminate  massacre  by  the  In- 
dians;" and  General  Winchester,  igno- 
rant of  the  position  and  success  of  his 
left  wing,  yielded  to  the  wiles  of  the 
dishonorable  enemy .-^  A  flag  of  truce 
was  sent  by  Major  Overton,  one  of  the 
aids  of  General  Winchester,  with  orders 
from  that  officer  for  the  surrender  of 
the  gallant  party  behind  the  garden 
pickets ;  while  Colonel  Proctor,  in  per- 
son, accompanied  it  to  receive  the  sub- 
mission, through  diplomacy,  which  he 
had  failed  to  secure  by  force.^ 

Whether  the  General,  a  prisoner  in 
the  hands  of  an  enemy,  could  legally 
exercise  any  authority  over  those  who 
were  still  at  their  post  of  duty,  under 
the  flag  of  their  country,  is  exceedingly 
questionable  ;  and  Major  Madison,  with 
great  propriety,  so  far  disregarded  the 
"c>rt/(?r"  of  the  General,  that  he  refused 
to  "  agree  to  any  capitulation  which 
General  Winchester  might  direct,  un- 
less the  safety  and  protection  of  his 
men  were  stipulated."^  Colonel  Proc- 
tor, with  the  haughtiness  which  is  so 
general  among  men  of  little  minds,  im- 
periously inquired  if  the  Major  meant 
"  to  dictate  to  Idin  ?  "  and  when  he  had 
been  informed  that  the  Major  "  meant 

1  Darnell's  Jour.,  p.  54,  note;  Hall's  Harrison,  p.  212  ; 
Christie,  p.  100  ;  Armstrong,  1.  pp.  74-76  ;  Mem.  of  con- 
versation, &c. ;  Gen.  Winchester  to  Sec.  of  AVar,  Jan.  23, 
1813.— 2  Hall's  Harrison,  p.  212  ;  Christie,  p.  100  ;  Gen. 
Winchester  to  Sec.  of  War,  Jan.  23,  1813  ;  McAfee,  p.  215. 

^  Darnell's  Journal,  Jan.  22  ;  Hall's  Harrison,  pp.  212, 
213  ;  McAfee,  p.  215. 


Chap.  XXXVIH.]       BATTLE  AND  MASSACRE  AT  THE  RIVER  RAISIN. 


199 


to  dictate  for  himself;''''  and  that  lie 
and  his  party  pi-eferred  "  to  sell  their 
lives  as  dearly  as  possible,  rather  than 
be  massacred  in  cold  blood,"  he  recon- 
ciled himself  to  his  fate,  and  as^reed  to 
receive  a  surrender  on  the  condition 
"that  all  private  property  should  be 
respected ;  that  sleds  should  be  pro- 
cured for  the  removal  of  the  wounded, 
on  the  following  day,  to  Amherstburg ; 
that,  meanwhile,  the  disabled  should  be 
protected  by  a  guard  ;  and  that  the 
side-arms  of  the  officers  should  be  re- 
turned when  the  prisoners  reached  Mai- 
den.-^ On  these  conditions^  after  con- 
sulting with  his  officers,  Major  Madison 
surrendered,  with  his  entire  party,  as 
prisoners  of  war.^ 

The  Indians  immediately  began  to 
plunder  the  baggage  of  the  prisoners, 
but  Major  Madison  ordered  them  to 
oppose  the  intruders,  even  to  the  ex- 
tent of  a  charge  of  bayonets;^  and,  so 
far  as  this  portion  of  the  detachment 
was  concerned,  the  practice  ceased. 

About  twelve  o'clock,  on  the  twenty- 
second,  the  British  took  up  their  line  of 
march  for  Maiden,  taking  with  them  all 
the  prisoners  who  could  march  ;^  and 
leaving  behind  them,  as  guards  of  the 
wounded,  under  the  provisions  of  the 
surrender,  only  Major  Reynolds — the 
commander  of  the  force  which  had  been 
defeated  at  Frenchtown,  four  days  be- 
fore— and  a  few  interpreters.®  The 
wounded  appear  to  have  been  collected 
and  taken  into  several  houses  in  the 
village,  where  they  were  properly  at- 


1  DarnelFs  Jour.,  Jan.  22;  Christie,  p.  100;  McAfee, 
pp.  215,  216.—'  Darnell's  Jour.,  Jan.  22  ;  McAfee,  p.  216. 

'  McAfee,  p.  216.—-'  Darnell's  Jour.,  Jan.  22  ;  Arm- 
strong, i.  p.  77. — '  Darnell's  Jour.,  Jan.  22 ;  McAfee,  p.  216. 


tended  to  by  Doctors  Todd  and  Bow- 
ers, of  the  Kentucky  volunteers  ;^  while 
the  greater  part  of  the  savages  accom- 
panied the  British  as  far  as  Stoney 
Creek,  six  miles  from  Maiden,  where 
"a  frolic"  had  been  provided  for  them 
by  their  civilized  allies.^ 

The  night  was  passed,  both  by  the 
wounded  prisoners  and  by  Major  Rey- 
nolds, in  the  most  intense  anxiety,  the 
fact  being  apparent  to  all,  that  the  sav- 
ages intended  to  return  to  Frenchtown, 
and  that  the  nominal  "guard"  which 
Colonel  Proctor  had  left  was  wholly  in- 
adequate to  insure  the  safety  of  the  pris- 
oners.^ 

At  an  early  hour  the  next  morning 
(Jan.  23,  1813),  about  two  hundred  In- 
dians, painted  black  and  red,  entered 
the  village  from  Maiden.*  A  council 
was  immediately  held,  in  which  it  was 
resolved  to  kill  all  the  prisoners  who 
could  not  march  with  them,  as  a  sacri- 
fice to  appease  the  spirits  of  those  of 
their  companions  who  had  fallen  in  the 
battle ;  and  a  series  of  the  most  fright- 
ful antics  were  immediately  commenced; 
as  an  earnest  of  their  cruelties.®  Thence 
they  proceeded  to  plunder  the  houses 
of  the  inhabitants ;  and,  afterwards, 
those  in  which  the  wounded  were  laid 
were  entered,  the  suiferers  robbed  of 
their  clothing  and  blankets,  and  then 
tomahawked  without  mercy.®  Captain 
Hickman  was  dragged  to  the  door  of 
one  of  the  houses,  tomahawked,  and 
thrown  back  into  the  house ;  and  this 


'  Darnell's  Journal.  Jan.  22  ;  Narrative  of  John  Daven- 
port.— =  McAfee,  p.  217.—^  Darnell's  Journal,  Jan.  22  ; 
McAfee,  p.  217. — ■•  Darnell's  Journal,  Jan.  23. 

'  McAfee,  p.  217.—°  Darnell's  Journal,  Jan.  23  ;  Dr. 
Bower  to  J.  Bledsoe,  April  24,  1813. 


200 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


appeared  to  be  the  signal  for  the  con- 
summation of  the  outrages.'  The  houses 
of  Jean  B.  Jereaume  and  Gabriel  God- 
frey, into  which  the  greater  part  of  the 
prisoners  had  been  taken,  were  set  on 
fire ;  and,  as  many  of  the  wounded  were 
able  to  drag  themselves  to  the  doors 
and  windows,  hoping  to  save  them- 
selves from  the  flames,  they  were  met 
by  the  savages,  tomahawked,  and  thrown 
back  into  the  burning  buildings,  amidst 
the  triumphant  yells  of  the  Indians.^ 
Others,  who  were  not  in  those  houses, 
were  tomahawked  and  thrown  into  the 
flames;^  while  others,  similarly  mutilat- 
ed, were  left  in  the  streets  and  high- 
ways, to  be  devoured  by  the  dogs  or 
hogs  which  rambled  around.*  A  few, 
stronger  than  their  fellows,  were  march- 
ed off  towards  Maiden,  and,  as  often  as 
their  strength  failed,  they  were  toma- 
hawked, scalped,  and  left  by  the  side 
of  the  road.^ 

The  details  of  this  tragedy,  as  nar- 
rated by  the  writers  of  that  day,  are 
too  horrible  to  be  repeated.®  Suffice  it 
to  say  that  the  vilest  passions  of  which 
man  is  capable,  appear,  in  this  case,  to 
have  been  allowed  to  run  wild.  Even 
Wyoming  was  less  terrible  ;  and  the 
the  darkest  of  all  the  chaplets  which 
had  been  woven  in  America  for  the 
brow  of  Britannia,  was  that  which  was 


'  McAfee,  p..  218.—'  DarneU's  Journal,  Jan.  23  ;  Arm- 
strong, i.  p.  78 —  ' McAfee,  p.  218.^ — *  Ensign  Baker  to 
Gen.  Winchester,  Feb.  25,  1813. — '  Darnell's  Jour.,  Jan. 
23  ;  Mallary's  Narrative;  McAfee,  p.  218.—'  Those  who 
feel  desirous  of  more  elaborate  details  of  the  massacre 
can  find  them  in  Darnell's  Journal ;  McAfee's  History  of 
War  in  Western  Country;  Mallary's  Narrative;  Davenport's 
Narrative;  Armstrong's  Notices  of  the  War ;  Thomson's 
Sketches;  Niles'  Register,  iv.;  Perkins'  Annals  of  the  West,  &c. 


sent  from  the  banks  of  the  Raisin 
River. 

Of  the  American  forces  only  thirty- 
three  escaped — three  hundred  and  nine- 
ty-seven having  been  killed  or  missing, 
and  five  hundred  and  thirty-seven  taken 
prisoners.'  The  enemy  (British)  is  said 
to  have  lost  twenty-four  killed,  and  one 
hundred  and  fifty-eight  wounded;'^  his 
allies  (the  Indians)  had  many  killed 
and  wounded,  but  the  number  is  not 
known. 

For  his  cowardly  inhumanity, — to 
use  no  stronger  term, — Colonel  Proctor 
was  promoted  to  the  command  of  a 
Brigadier-general ;  and  the  government 
affirmed  the  appointment.^ 

The  severity  of  this  blow  was  felt 
throughout  the  entire  Confederacy,  but 
in  Kentucky,  above  all  other  States,  it 
was  felt  most  keenly.  Nearly  every 
prominent  family  was  thrown  into 
mourning ;  and  on  every  hand  the  most 
poignant  grief  was  manifested.  But 
then,  more  than  ever  before,  did  the 
people  of  that  gallant  State  rally  around 
the  banners  of  their  country;  and  under 
the  leadership  of  the  veteran  Shelby, 
Johnson,  and  other  well-known  officers, 
they  visited  the  same  Proctor,  and  his 
savage  allies,  some  months  afterwards, 
with  a  terrible  retribution. 


[Note. — The  Dispatches  of  Gen.  Winchester  to  the  Sec- 
retary of  War,  and  those  of  Col.  Proctor  to  Gen.  Sheaffe, 
which  had  been  provided  for  the  illustration  of  this  chap- 
ter, have  been  omitted  by  the  Publishers  for  want  of  room.] 

'Returns,  signed  "James  Garraed,  jr.,  Brig.-Insp.," 
appended  to  Gen.  Winchester's  Dispatch  to  Secretary  of 
War,  Feb.  11,  1813.—=  Montreal  Courant,  Feb.  6  ;  Chris- 
tie, p.  100  ;  Auchinleck's  History  of  War,  p.  125  ;  British 
"  General  Orders,"  signed  "  Ed.  Baynes,  Adj. -Gen.  N.  A." 

'  Christie,  p.  101 ;  Auchinleck,  p.  126. 


CHAPTER    XXXIX 


February  7,  1§13.' 

THE    EXPEDITION    TO    ELIZ ABETHTO WN,   U.  C. 


The  troubles  between  Great  Britain 
and  the  United  States,  during  the  last 
war  between  the  two  countries,  pro- 
duced the  most  intense  excitement  along 
the  borders  of  Canada  and  the  northern 
States ;  and  the  respective  countries 
found  few  more  zealous  advocates  than 
among  those  who  lived  in  the  immedi- 
ate vicinity  of  the  boundary  between 
the  two  nations.  In  many  cases,  in- 
deed, the  zeal  which  was  there  display- 
ed was  not  tempered  with  prudence  or 
propriety ;  and  gradually,  but  surely,  a 
most  bitter  state  of  animosity  was  pro- 
duced on  either  side.  Among  other 
instances  of  this  zealous  interference 
with  the  policy  of  the  enemy,  were  the 
inducements  which  were  offered  to  the 
discontented  among  his  troops  to  en- 
courage desertion,  and  the  faithful  pro- 
tection of  those  who  thus  abandoned 
the  ser^nce  of  the  King.  As  a  legiti- 
mate consequence  of  this  system  of  op- 
erations, the  King's  officers  made  fre- 
quent inroads  into  the  border  counties 
of  the  United  States — especially  into 
St.  Lawrence  County,  New  York — and 
seized  such  of  the  deserters  as  they 
could  lay  their  hands  on ;  in  the  course 
of  which,  it  is  probable,  they  extended 
theii-  operations,  where  they  could  do 


'  Mr.  Auchinleck  {Hist  of  (he  War,  p.  130)  and  some  other 
writers  say  this  affair  occurred  on  the  sixth  of  February. 
Vol.  n.— 26 


so  with  safety,  by  harassing  the  inhab- 
itants, by  seizing  their  property,  and  by 
carrying  off  their  persons.^ 

In  the  beginning  of  1813,  several  of 
these  persons,  prisoners  and  deserters, 
were  confined  in  the  common  jail  at 
Elizabethtown,  in  Upper  Canada;^  and 
a  knowledge  of  that  fact  was  speedily 
productive  of  a  determination  to  rescue 
them — a  desire  to  retaliate,  probably, 
influencing  the  people,  in  this  respect, 
as  much  as  sympathy  with  the  prisoners. 
With  this  avowed  object,  on  the  even- 
ing of  the  sixth  of  February,  Major 
Benjamin  Forsyth,  of  the  United  States 
Rifles,^  who  was  then  stationed  at  Og- 
densburg,  assembled  detachments  from 
his  own  command,  and  from  Captain 
Lydle's  company  of  volunteei-s,  together 
with  a  party  of  citizens,* — the  whole 
numbering  about  two  hundred  men,^ — 


1  Breckenridge's  Hist,  of  War,  p.  116  ;  Letter  from  Og- 
densburg,  Feb.  7,  in  Niles'  Kegister,  iii.  pp.  408,  409  ; 
Hough's  Hist,  of  St.  Lawrence  Co.,  p.  625;  Thomson's 
Sketches,  p.  118. — ^  Letter  in  Niles'  Kegister ;  Hough's 
History  of  St.  Lawrence  Co.,  p.  625. 

'  This  officer  has  been  styled  "Captain  Forsyth"  by 
Messrs.  Hough,  Niles,  Thomson,  and  other  writers ;  but 
as  his  commission  as  Major  was  issued  Jan.  20, 1813,  there 
is  no  reason  why  he  should  be  so  styled.  He  was  an  offi- 
cer of  long-standing  and  of  great  gallantry,  and  his  sub- 
sequent services  have  not  received  that  notice  which 
they  justly  merit. 

*  'TAc  War,"  i.  p.  147  ;  Breckenridge,  p.  116  ;  Letter 
in  Niles'  Eegister. — '  "The  War,"  i.  p.  147  ;  Letter  in 
Niles'  Register ;  Hough's  History  of  St.  Lawrence  Co., 
pp.  625,  626  ;  Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  118. 


202 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


aud  proceeded,  at  about  nine  o'clock,  in 
sleighs,  along  the  southern  bank  of  the 
river  to  Morristown.'^  At  this  place 
they  halted  a  short  time,  and  procured 
a  guide, — one  Arnold  Smith,  a  tavern- 
keeper  of  that  place,^ — after  which  the 
party  prepared  to  cross  the  river,  the 
icy  surface  of  which  afforded  every  fa- 
cility for  that  purpose. 

Dividing  his  party  into  two  divisions, 
with  proper  flanking  parties, — the  Ma- 
jor leading  one  division,  in  person ; 
while  Colonel  Benedict,  of  the  New 
York  militia,  led  the  other ;  Lieuten- 
ants Wells  and  Johnson  commanding 
the  flanking  parties,® — at  three  o'clock 
the  expedition  commenced  to  move 
across  the  river.*  As  the  ice  was  not 
strong,  the  columns  moved  in  open  or- 
der ;  and,  as  they  approached  the  op- 
posite shore,  the  flanking  parties  were 
detached,  on  either  side  of  the  village, 
to  cut  off  the  retreat,  and  to  hold  in 
check  any  reinforcements  which  might 
approach  to  strengthen  the  place.^ 

Elizabethtown, — now  well  known  to 
all  Northern  tourists  as  Srockville^ — 
Upper  Canada,  is  pleasantly  situated  on 
the  northern  bank  of  the  St.  Lawrence 
River,  about  eleven  miles  above  Og- 
densburg.  It  is  built  on  a  succession 
of  ridges,  rising  gradually,  one  above 
another,  from  the  water's  edge,  and 
running  parallel  with  the  river ;  on  the 
upper  one  of  which — the  highest  part 
of  the  village — then,  as  now,  were  the 
court-house  and  jail,  an  elegant  brick 
building,  occupying  one  side  of  a  public 

'  ''The  War,"  i.  p.  147  ;  Hough's  St.  Lawrence  Co.,  p. 
626.— »  Hough's  St.  Lawrence  Co.,  p.  626.—'  Ibid. 
*  ''The  War,"  i.  p.  147  ;  Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  118. 
''  Hough's  St.  Lawrence  Co.,  p.  626. 


square.^  Passing  through  the  village 
the  expedition  moved  towards  the  jail, 
— where  had  been  confined  the  desert- 
ers and  prisoners  who  had  been  the  ob- 
jects of  the  excursion, — and,  after  de- 
taching small  parties  to  secure  the  dif- 
ferent streets  in  the  village.  Major  For- 
syth, with  a  small  party,  entered  the 
building,  demanded  the  keys  from  the 
jailer,  and  released  those  of  the  prison- 
ers— sixteen  in  number — who  had  been 
taken  from  the  United  States — leaving 
a  murderer,  the  only  felon  in  the  prison, 
as  the  solitary  occupant  of  the  cells, 
notwithstanding  his  urgent  appeal  for 
a  participation  in  the  freedom  which 
had  been  extended  to  his  fellow-prison- 
ers.^ 

After  securing  Major  Carley,  three 
captains,  two  lieutenants, — all  belong- 
ing to  the  militia,  and,  probably,  not 
on  duty, — with  forty-six  other  prison- 
ers ;  one  hundred  and  twenty  muskets, 
twenty  rifles,  two  casks  of  fixed  ammu- 
nition, and  some  other  public  stores, 
the  expedition  returned  to  Morristown, 
and,  thence,  to  Ogdensburg,  where  it 
arrived  before  daylight,  without  the 
loss  of  a  man.® 

This  gallant  exploit  elicited  consid- 
erable applause  throughout  the  coun- 
try; and  Major  Forsyth  was  rewarded 
with  a  brevet  rank  as  Lieutenant-col- 
onel in  the  army,  dating  from  the  sixth 
of  February,  as  a  memorial  of  the  event.* 


'  Smith's  Canada,  ii.  p.  303. — '  Hough's  St.  Lawrence 
Co.,  p.  626;  Letter  in  Niles'  Register;  James'  Military 
Occurrences,  i.  p.  134. 

'  Breckenridge,  p.  116  ;  Hough's  St.  Lawrence  Co.,  p. 
626,  in  which  the  names  of  the  prisoners  appear ;  Letter  in 
Niles'  Register  ;  Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  116  ;  "The  War," 
i.  p.  147  ;  James'  Military  Occurrences,  i.  p.  134. 

*  Gardner's  Dictionary  of  the  Army,  p,  177. 


CHAPTER    XL 


Febrnarj'  23,  1S13. 

THE    ATTACK     ON     OGDENSBURG,   N.  Y. 


The  expedition  against  Elizabeth- 
town,  under  Major  Forsyth,  which  has 
been  made  the  subject  of  a  chapter  in 
this  work,  excited  the  enemy  to  retali- 
ation ;  and  for  this  purpose  an  expedi- 
tion against  Ogdensburg  was  prepared, 
under  the  direction  of  Lieutenant-col- 
onel McDonnell.  Information  of  these 
designs  had  been  communicated  to  Ma- 
jor Forsyth,  and  he  had  applied,  in  vain, 
to  General  Dearborn  for  assistance ;  al- 
though permission  was  given  to  evacu- 
ate the  place  whenever  the  Major  might 
desire  to  do  so.^ 

The  militia  having  returned  home. 
Major  Forsyth's  command  alone  re- 
mained in  the  garrison ;  and,  on  receipt 
of  the  General's  letter,  having  taken 
council  of  his  officers,  that  officer  re- 
solved to  defend  the  village  to  the  last 
extremity.  With  this  object,  an  iron 
twelve-pounder — a  trophy  of  Saratoga 
— was  placed  in  battery  near  the  cor- 
ner of  Ford  and  Euphamia  (now  State) 
streets,  under  the  command  of  Captain 
Kellog,  of  the  Albany  Volunteers ;  in 
Ford-street,  between  State  and  Isabella 
streets,  was  placed  a  brass  six-pounder, 
mounted  on  wheels,  under  the  command 
of  Joseph  York,  sheriff  of  the  county ; 
at  a  short  distance  north  from  the 
northeast  corner  of  Mr.  Parish's  store, 

'  Hough's  History  of  St.  Lawrence  Count)',  p.  627. 


was  a  rude  wooden  breastwork,  on 
which  had  been  mounted  an  iron 
twelve-pounder, — a  trophy  of  Sarato- 
ga,— which  was  commanded  by  Joshua 
Conkey,  of  the  town  of  Canton  ;  on  the 
point  where  now  stands  the  light-house 
had  been  mounted  a  brass  six-pounder, 
mounted  on  a  sled,  and  commanded 
by  a  Sergeant  of  the  Albany  Volun- 
teers ;  behind  "  the  old  stone  garri- 
son," below  the  village,  were  two  old- 
fashioned  iron  six-pounders,  on  sleds, 
under  the  command  of  Daniel  W. 
Church  and  Lieutenant  Baird,  of  the 
Rifles ;  and  in  front  of  the  same  build- 
ings were  two  other  six-pounders,  one 
brass  and  one  iron,  also  on  sleds.  On 
the  bank  of  the  river,  dismounted,  wei*e 
several  pieces  of  cannon,  which  had 
been  thrown  ashore  from  gunboats 
which  had  been  dismantled  there.^ 

On  the  morning  of  the  twenty-second 
of  February,  a  strong  body  of  the  ene- 
my— regulars  and  militia — crossed  the 
river  and  approached  the  village.  His 
force  moved  in  two  divisions^ — the 
right  composed  of  a  detachment  from 
the  Glengary  Light-infantry  Fencibles, 
and  a  body  of  militia,  commanded  by 
Captain  Jenkins,  of  the  former,  moved 
against  the  left  of  the  American  posl- 

>  Hough's  St.  Lawrence  Co., pp.  627,  628.—'  Lieut. -CoL 
McDonnell  to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  Feb.  23,  1813  ;  Hough's  St. 
Lawrence  Co.,  p.  629  ;  Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  119. 


204 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


tion,  above  "  the  stone  garrison,"  to 
hold  that  portion  of  the  garrison  in 
check,  and  to  cut  oflf  its  retreat ;  the 
left,  composed  of  detachments  from  the 
King's  regiment  and  the  Royal  New- 
foundland Corps,  and  of  a  large  body 
of  local  militia,  commanded  by  Lieuten- 
ant-colonel McDonnell,  moved  against 
the  villas^e.-^ 

As  the  right  division  approached 
"  the  stone  garrison,"  where  were  sta- 
tioned Major  Forsyth  and  his  small 
command,  that  ofiicer  formed  his  men 
in  the  rear  of  that  building  and  pre- 
pared to  defend  his  position.  The  brass 
six-pounders,  under  Lieutenant  Baird, 
occupied  the  right  of  the  line  ;  while 
Adjutant  Church,  with  the  iron  six- 
pounder,  was  about  two-thirds  of  the 
way  down  the  line ;  and,  as  the  enemy 
approached  the  position.  Major  Forsyth 
walked  down  the  front  of  the  line,  en- 
couraged his  men,  and  directed  them  to 
reserve  their  fire  until  the  word  of  com- 
mand was  given.  When  the  enemy 
reached  the  edge  of  the  bank  he  opened 
his  fire,  but  without  effect;  soon  after 
which  Major  Forsyth  gave  orders  to 
open  his  fire,  when  eight  men  of  the 
enemy  fell  at  the  first  discharge.^  It  is 
said  that  the  enemy  afterwards  attempt- 
ed to  charge  on  the  American  line ;  but, 
the  militia  failing  to  support  the  light- 
infantry,  the  effort  failed,  with  the  loss 
of  a  number  of  prisoners,  together  with 
several  killed  and'wounded,  and  he  was 
compelled  to  withdraw.^ 

'  Lieut. -Col.  McDonnell  to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  Feb.  23, 
1813;  Hough's  St.  Lawrence''t!o. ,  p.  629;  James'  Mil. 
Occur.,  i.  p.  137.—"  Hough's  St.  Lawrence  Co.,  p.  629; 
Deposition  of  Adj.  Church,  Feb.  24,  1814. 

'Lieut. -Col,  McDonnell  to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  Feb.  23, 
1813  ;  Deposition  of  Adj.  Church,  Feb.  24,  1814. 


In  the  mean  time.  Lieutenant-colonel 
McDonnell  had  entered  the  village,  not- 
withstanding the  fire  of  the  pieces  un 
der  Sheriff  York  and  Captain  Kellogg — 
the  former  maintaining  his  post  until 
two  of  his  men  had  fallen,  and  he  and 
his  entire  party  had  been  taken  prison- 
el's  ;  the  latter  until  his  gun  had  been 
disabled,  when  he  retired,  with  his  com- 
mand, and  joined  Major  Forsyth.^  Cap- 
tain Conkey  surrendered,  with  his  men 
and  gun,  without  resistance;^  and,  the 
few  men  who  had  been  posted  therein 
having  retired,  the  village  was  entirely 
in  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  About 
this  time  the  enemy's  right  wing  had 
retreated,  and  "the  stone  garrison"  be- 
came the  next  object  of  the  enemy's 
attention;  but  "he  procured  time"  for 
his  men  "to  recover  their  breath,"*  by 
sending  a  flag  to  the  garrison  with  a 
summons  to  surrender,^  accompanied 
with  a  threat  that  if  they  did  not, 
"  every  man  should  be  put  to  the  bayo- 
net."® Major  Forsyth  replied,  "there 
must  be  more  fighting  done  first;"  and, 
at  the  eai'liest  oppoi'tunity  after  the  re- 
turn of  the  flag,  he  discharged  two  of 
his  field-pieces  into  the  ranks  of  the 
enemy,  with  good  efiect.  Fearing  a  re- 
newal of  the  fire,  the  enemy  took  shel- 
ter behind  the  neighboring  buildings, 
and  began  to  pick  off  the  men  who  had 
assembled  around  the  pieces  near  "  the 
stone  garrison ; "  while  another  party 
appeared  to  be  preparing  for  an  assault 
on  the  work.     The  strength  of  the  as- 

'  Lieut. -Col.  McDonnell  to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  Feb.  23, 
1813  ;  Hough's  St.  Lawrence  Co.,  p.  629.—"  Hough's  St. 
Lawrence  Co.,  p.  629. — '  Ibid.;  Deposition  of  Adj.  Church, 
Feb.  24, 1814.— «  Lieut. -Col.  McDonnell  to  SirG.  Prevost, 
Feb.  23,  1813.—'  Ibid.— ^  Hough's  St.  Lawrence  Co.,  p. 
629  ;  Deposition  of  Adj.  Church,  Feb.  24,  1814. 


Chap.  XL.] 


THE  ATTACK  ON  OGDENSBURG,  N.  Y. 


205 


sailants — nearly  four  to  one,  it  is  said — 
being  so  great,  Major  Forsyth  consid- 
ered all  farther  resistance  useless,  and 
lie  evacuated  "the  garrison"  and  the 
village.-^ 

Thus  left  in  undisputed  possession  of 
the  village,  the  enemy  immediately 
commenced  to  remove  the  public  prop- 
erty to  Canada;  while  the  Indians^  and 
camp-followers, — among  whom  were  a 
number  of  women,  or  "  furies,"  as  a  con- 
temporary print  calls  them, — amused 
themselves  by  abusing  the  inhabitants 
and  plundering  the  houses.^ 

In  this  affair  the  enemy  numbered 
not  less  than  eight  hundred  men  ;* 
while  the  garrison  embraced  only  one 
company  of  riflemen,  a  small  number 
of  volunteers  from  Albany,  and  the  in- 
habitants of  the  village.^  The  loss  of 
the  Americans,   besides  the   prisoners, 

'  Hough's  History  of  St.  Lawrence  Co.,  p.  630  ;  Lieut. - 
Col.  McDonnell  to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  Feb.  23,  1813. 

^  No  writer  alludes  to  the  presence  of  any  Indians,  but 
the  village  paper,  published  at  the  time,  after  the  incur- 
sion, says,  positively,  there  were  Indians  present,  and  I 
have  followed  its  statement. 

'  Ogdensburg  Palladium,  Feb.  25  ;  Hough's  St.  Lawrence 
Co.,  p.  631  ;  Letter  from  Mrs.  Yorke,  "Ogdensburg,  Feb. 
26,"  in  Niles'  Register,  cited  by  Dr.  Hough. 

*  Deposition  of  Adj.  Church,  Fels.  24,  1814.  Mr. 
Thomson  (Sketches  of  the  War,  p.  118)  says  it  numbered 
twelve  hundred  men  ;  Lieut.-Col.  McDonnell  (Dispatch,  Feb. 
23),  "  about /oar  hundred  and  eighty  regulars  and  militia  ; " 
and  Mr.  James  (Military  Occurrences,  i.  p.  137)  agrees  with 
him.  Gen.  Macomb  (Dispatch,  Feb.  23)  and  Mr.  Brecken- 
ridge  (Hist,  of  War,  p.  116)  say  it  was  twelve  hundred  men. 

"  Hough's  St.  Lawrence  Co.,  p.  628. 


was  five  killed,  eighteen  wounded,  and 
a  few  prisoners ;  ^  that  of  the  enemy 
was  one  sergeant  and  six  men,  hilled ; 
and  Lieutenant-colonel  McDonnell,  Cap- 
tains Jenkins  and  McDonnell,  Lieuten- 
ants McKay,  Empey,  McLean,  and  Mc- 
Dermott,  and  forty-one  men,  wounded? 
But  the  loss  of  the  Americans  was  still 
greater.  Two  armed  schooners  and  two 
gun-boats  were  burned;^  fourteen  hun- 
dred stand  of  arms,  with  accoutrements, 
complete  ;  twelve  pieces  of  artillery ; 
"  a  vast  quantity  of  ammunition ;  two 
stands  of  colors ;  three  hundred  tents ; 
and  a  large  quantity  of  camp  equipage, 
together  with  a  very  considerable  quan- 
tity of  beef,  pork,  flour,  <fec.,"*  were 
taken,  and  considerable  damage  was 
done  to  private  property  in  the  village. 


[Note. — The  dispatches  of  Maj.  Forsyth  and  Lieut.-Col. 
McDonnell,  which  had  been  provided  for  the  illustration 
of  this  chapter,  have  been  omitted  by  the  Publishers  for 
want  of  room.] 


'  Hough's  St.  Lawrence  Co.,  p.  630. 

2  Returns  appended  to  "General  Orders,"  signed  "E. 
Batne,  Adj. -Gen."  Mr.  Auchinleck  (History  of  War,  p. 
131)  says  the  loss  was  eight  killed  und  ffty-two  wounded. 

^  "  General  Orders,"  signed  "  John  Harvey,  Dep.  Adj.- 
Gen.;"  James'  Military  Occurrences,  i.  p.  139. 

*  Ogdensburg  Palladium,  March  3,  1813  ;  Lieut.-Col. 
McDonnell  to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  Feb.  23  ;  Auchinleck's 
History  of  War,  p.  181  ;  James'  Military  Occurrences,  i. 
p.  139.  Col.  McComb  (Dispatch  to  Gen.  Dearborn,  Feb.  23, 
1813)  says,  "there  were  no  stores  of  any  consequence 
there  ; "  and  Mr.  Thomson  {Sketches  of  the  War,  p.  119) 
agrees  with  him. 


CHAPTER    XLI 


February  24,  1813. 

THE     CAPTURE     OF    THE     PEACOCK, 


In  a  former  chapter  of  this  work, 
the  blockade  of  San  Salvador,  by  the 
United  States  ship  Hornet^  Captain 
James  Lawrence,  was  briefly  referred 
to.-^  Eighteen  days  after  the  departure 
of  the  Constitution  from  that  port, — the 
Hornet^  meanwhile,  holding  the  Bonne 
Citoyenne  in  close  quarters, — His  Bri- 
tannic Majesty's  ship  Montague^  of  sev- 
enty-four guns,  drove  the  Hornet  into 
the  harbor,  from  which,  taking  advan- 
tage of  a  dark  night,  she  soon  after- 
wards escaped.^ 

After  cruising  along  the  coast  until 
the  twenty-fourth  of  February,  at  which 
time  she  was  off  the  mouth  of  Demarara 
River,  at  half-past  three  o'clock  of  that 
day,  the  Hornet  suddenly  made  two 
strange  sails — one,  which  was  evidently 
an  English  brig  of  war,  at  anchor  with- 
out the  bar ;  the  other,  whose  character 
was  not  ascertained,  was  on  her  weather- 
quarter,  edging  down  for  the  Hornet. 
At  twenty  minutes  past  four  the  second, 
which  also  appeared  to  be  a  brig  of  war, 
showed  British  colors ;  when  the  Hornet 
beat  to  quarters,  cleared  for  action,  and 
kept  close  to  the  wind,  in  order  to  gain 
the  weather-gage.  Fifty  minutes  after- 
wards, finding  that  she  could  weather 
the  strangers,  the  Hornet  showed  her 

•  Vide  Chap.  XXXV,  p.  183.—=  Capt.  Lawrence  to  Sec. 
of  Navy,  March  19,  1813  ;  Cooper's  Naval  Hist.,  ii.  p.  72  ; 
Clark's  Naval  Hist.,  p.  171;  Auchinleck's  Hist.,p.78,  «o<c. 


colors  and  tacked;  and  five  minutes 
afterwards — both  vessels  being  close  by 
the  wind,  and  standing  towards  each 
other — they  exchanged  broadsides,  at 
half  pistol-shot  distance,  as  they  passed, 
each  employing  her  larboard  battery. 
Immediately  afterwards  the  stranger 
put  her  helm  hard  up,  with  the  inten- 
tion of  wearing  short  around,  to  get  an 
opportunity  to  rake  the  Hornet  j  but 
her  design  was  understood,  and  by 
wearing,  and  receiving  her  larboard 
broadside,  the  Hornet  was  enabled  to 
run  her  close  on  board  on  the  star- 
board-quarter ;  and  after  continuing, 
from  that  favorable  position,  a  steady 
and  well-directed  fire,  for  about  fifteen 
minutes,  she  compelled  her  to  sur- 
render.-' 

Immediately  after  striking  her  colors, 
the  stranger  raised  a  signal  of  distress ; 
and,  immediately  afterwards,  her  main- 
mast went  over  the  side.^  Lieutenant 
Shubrick  having  been  dispatched  to 
take  possession  of  her,  he  soon  after- 
wards reported  her  to  be  His  Britannic 
Majesty's  brig  of  war  Peacock^  of  eigh- 
teen guns.  Captain  William  Peake ;  that 
her  captain  had  been  killed  late  in  the 


>  Capt.  Lawrence  to  Secretary  of  Navy,  March  19, 
1813  ;  Cooper,  ii.  pp.  72,  73  ;  Clark,  p.  172  ;  Sketches  of 
the  War,  p.  290. 

'  Capt.  Lawrence  to  Secretary  of  Navy,  March  19, 
1813  ;  James'  Naval  Occurrences,  p.  200. 


Chap.  XLL] 


DOCUMENT. 


207 


action ;  tliat  a  large  proportion  of  her 
crew  had  fallen ;  and  that  she  was  fast 
sinking.^ 

Orders  were  immediately  issued  for 
the  removal  of  the  wounded ;  and  both 
vessels  were  brought  to  an  anchor,  to 
facilitate  the  removal.  The  guns  of 
the  prize  were  also  thrown  overboard ; 
her  shot-holes  were  plugged ;  and  her 
pumps  were  rigged,  with  the  same  ob- 
ject ;  and  every  exertion  was  called  into 
requisition  to  save  the  ship,  until  the 
wounded  could  be  removed ;  yet  all 
these  were  unsuccessful — the  Peacock 
suddenl}^  settling  down  and  sinking, 
carrying  with  her  thirteen  of  her  crew, 
of  whom  four  were  saved  by  the  Hor- 
net^s  boats,  and  three  men  belonging  to 
the  Hornet^  who  had  been  sent  to  ren- 
der assistance  to  her  wounded  prison- 
ers. Several  others,  including  Lieuten- 
ant Connor,  of  the  Hornet^  narrowly 
escaped  the  same  fate.*^ 

The  relative  force  of  the  ships  favored 
the  Hornet — the  Peacock  mounting  six- 


teen twenty-four-pound  carronades,  two 
long-nines,  one  twelve-pound  carronade 
on  her  forecastle,  one  four  or  six  pound- 
er, and  two  swivels,^  manned  with  one 
hundred  and  thirty  men;^  while  that 
of  the  Hornet  was  eighteen  thirty-two- 
pound  carronades  and  two  long-twelves,^ 
manned  with  one  hundred  and  thirty- 
five  efficient  men.* 

The  loss  of  the  Hornet  was  inconsid- 
erable— although  her  sails  and  rigging 
were  much  cut,  her  hull  was  scarcely 
touched ;  and,  with  the  exception  of 
slight  wounds  in  her  mainmast  and 
bowsprit,  her  spars  were  uninjured ; 
while  of  her  crew,  only  one  was  killed 
and  two  slightly  wounded,  in  addition 
to  two  who  were  burned  by  the  explo- 
sion of  a  cartrido^e.^  That  of  the  Pea- 
cock  is  not  known,  with  any  degree  of 
certainty.  Captain  Peake  and  four  men 
were  found  killed'  four  officers  and 
twenty-nine  men  were  found  wounded  j 
and  nine  were  drowned,  as  before  re- 
lated.« 


DOCUMEJSTT. 


CAPTAIN    LAWRENCE  8    DISPATCH    TO    THE     SEC- 
RETARY  OF   THE   NAVT. 

U.  S.  Ship  Hornet,  HoLSfEs'  Hole,  j 
March  29,  1813.  1 

Sir  : — I  have  the  honor  to  inform  you  of  the 

arrival  at  this  port  of  the  United  States  ship 

Hornet^  under  my  command,  from  a  cruise  of 

one  himdred  and  forty-five  days,  and  to  state  to 

you,  that  after  Commodore  Bainbridge  left  the 

coast  of  Brazil  (January  6th),  I  continued  off 

the    harbor   of   St.    Salvador,   blockading   the 

Bonne  Citoyenne,   until    the    24th,    when   the 

•  Capt.  Lawrence  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  March  19,  1813 ; 
Cooper,  ii.  pp.  73,  74. — '  Capt.  Lawrence  to  Sec.  of  Navy, 
March  19, 1813  ;  Clark,  pp.  172, 173  ;  Auchinleck,  p.  135. 


Montague,   seventy -four,   hove   in    sight,   and 
chased  me  into  the  harbor,  but  night  coming 

'  Capt.  Lawrence  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  March  19,  1813  ; 
Clark,  p.  174.  Mr.  Cooper  (Hist,  ii.  p.  74)  says  nothing 
of  her  swivels.  Mr.  James  [Naval  Occur.,  p.  202)  admits 
the  swivels,  but  denies  "  the  four  or  six  pounders." 

»  Capt.  Lawrence  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  March  19,  1813  ; 
Cooper,  ii.  p.  74.  Mr.  James  (Naval  Occur.,  p.  202)  says 
she  had  only  one  hundred  and  twenty-two  men  and  boys. 

'Cooper,  ii.  p.  74.  Mr.  James  (Naval  Occur.,  p.  203, 
and  Warden  Refuted,  Table  I.)  makes  her  nine- pounders 
twelves. — *  Cooper,  ii.  p.  74  ;  Lieut.  Conner  to  N.  Y.  Com- 
mercial Advertiser.  Mr.  James  (Naval  Occur.,  pp.  203,  204, 
and  Warden  Refuted,  Table  1.)  makes  her  crew  one  hundred 
and  sixty-five  men. — '  Capt.  Lawrence  to  Secretary  of  Navy, 
March  19, 1813  ;  Clark,  p.  173.— «  Capt.  Lawrence  to  Sec- 
retary of  Navy,  March  19,  1813. 


208 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


on  I  wore,  and  stood  ont  to  the  sonthward. 
Knowing  that  she  left  Rio  Janeiro  for  the  ex- 
press purpose  of  relieving  the  Sonne  Citoyenne, 
and  the  packet  (which  I  had  also  blockaded  for 
fourteen  days,  and  obliged  her  to  send  her  mail 
to  Rio  in  a  Portuguese  smack),  I  judged  it 
most  prudent  to  shift  my  cruising-ground,  and 
hauled  by  the  wind  to  the  westwai'd,  with  the 
view  of  cruising  oiF  Pernambuco ;  and,  on  the 
14th  of  February,  captured  the  English  brig 
Resolution^  of  ten  guns,  from  Rio  Janeiro, 
bound  to  Maranham,  with  coffee,  &c.,  and  about 
twenty-five  thousand  dollars  in  specie.  I  took 
out  the  money  and  set  her  on  fire ;  I  then  ran 
down  the  coast  for  Maranham,  and  cruised  there 
a  short  time ;  from  thence  ran  off"  Surinam. 
After  cruising  off  that  coast,  from  the  5th  until 
the  22d  of  February,  without  meeting  a  vessel, 
I  stood  for  Demerara,  with  an  intention,  should 
I  not  be  fortunate  on  that  station,  to  run  through 
the  West  Indies  on  my  way  to  the  United  States. 
But  on  the  morning  of  the  24th  I  discovered  a 
brig  to  leeward,  to  which  I  gave  chase ;  ran 
into  quarter  less  four,  and  not  having  a  pilot, 
was  obliged  to  haul  off — the  fort  at  the  en- 
trance of  Demerara  River  at  this  time  bearing- 
southwest,  distance  two  and  a  half  leagues. 
Previously  to  giving  up  the  chase,  I  discovered 
a  vessel  at  anchor  outside  the  bar,  with  English 
colors  flying,  apparently  a  brig  of  war.  In  beat- 
ing round  Corobano  bank,  in  order  to  get  at 
her,  at  half-past  three  p.  m.,  I  discovered  an- 
other sail  on  my  weather-quarter,  edging  down 
for  us.  At  twenty  minutes  past  four  she  hoist- 
ed English  colors,  at  which  time  we  discovered 
her  to  be  a  large  man-of-war  brig; — beat  to 
quarters,  and  cleared  ship  for  action,  kept  close 
by  the  wind,  in  order,  if  possible,  to  get  the 
weather-gage.  At  ten  minutes  past  five,  find- 
ing I  could'*weather  the  enemy,  I  hoisted  Amer- 
ican colors,  and  tacked.  At  twenty  minutes 
past  five,  in  passing  each  other,  exchanged 
biioadsides  within  half-pistol  shot.  Observing 
the  enemy  in  the  act  of  wearing,  I  bore  up,  re- 
ceived his  starboard  broadside,  ran  him  close  on 
board  on  the  starboard  quarter,  and  kept  up 
such  a  heavy  and  well-directed  fire,  that  in  less 
than  fifteen  minutes  he  surrendered,  being  liter- 
ally cut  to  pieces,  and  hoisted  an  ensign,  union 
down,  from  his  fore-rigging,  as  a  signal  of  dis- 


tress. Shortly  after,  his  mainmast  went  by 
the  board  ; — dispatched  Lieutenant  Shubrick  on 
board,  who  soon  returned  with  her  first-lieuten- 
ant, who  reported  her  to  be  His  Britannic  Maj- 
esty's late  brig  Peacock^  commanded  by  Cap- 
tain William  Peake,  who  fell  in  the  latter  part 
of  the  action, — that  a  number  of  her  crew  were 
killed  and  wounded,  and  that  she  was  sinking 
fast,  having  then  six  feet  of  water  in  the  hold  ; — ■ 
dispatched  the  boats  immediately  for  the  wound- 
ed, and  brought  both  vessels  to  anchor.  Such 
shot-holes  as  could  be  got  at,  were  then  plugged ; 
her  guns  thrown  overboard  ;  and  every  possible 
exertion  used  to  keep  her  afloat,  until  the  pris- 
oners could  be  removed,  by  pmnping  and  bail- 
ing, but  without  effect,  and  she  unfortunately 
sunk  in  five  and  a  half  fathoms  water,  carrying 
down  thirteen  of  her  crew,  and  three  of  my 
brave  fellows,  viz. :  John  Hart,  Joseph  Wil- 
liams, and  Hannibal  Boyd.  Lieutenant  Con- 
nor, Midshipman  Cooper,  and  the  remainder  of 
the  Hornefs  crew  employed  in  removing  the 
prisoners,  with  difiiculty  saved  themselves  by 
jumping  into  a  boat  that  was  lying  at  her  bows, 
as  she  went  down.  Four  men  of  the  thirteen 
mentioned,  were  so  fortunate  as  to  gain  the  fore- 
toj),  and  were  afterwards  taken  off  by  the  boats. 
Previous  to  her  going  down,  four  of  her  men 
took  to  her  stern-boat,  which  had  been  much 
damaged  during  the  action,  which  I  hope  reach- 
ed the  shore  in  safety  ;  but  from  the  heavy  sea 
running  at  the  time,  the  shattered  state  of  the 
boat,  and  the  difiiculty  of  landing  on  the  coast, 
I  fear  they  were  lost.  I  have  not  been  able  to 
ascertain  from  her  officers  the  exact  number 
killed.  Captain  Peake  and  four  men  were  found 
dead  on  board.  The  master,  one  midshipman, 
carpenter,  and  captain's  clerk,  and  twenty-nine 
seamen,  were  wounded,  most  of  them  very  se- 
verely, three  of  whom  died  of  their  wounds  after 
being  removed,  and  nine  drowned.  Our  loss 
was  trifling  in  comparison  : — John  Place,  killed  ; 
Samuel  Coulson  and  Joseph  Dalrymple,  slightly 
wounded ;  George  Coffin  and  Lewis  Todd,  se- 
verely burnt  by  the  explosion  of  a  cartridge. 
Todd  survived  only  a  few  days.  Our  rigging 
and  sails  were  much  cut.  One  shot  through 
the  foremast,  and  the  bowsprit  slightly  injured. 
Our  hull  received  little  or  no  damage.  At  the 
time  the  Peacock  was  brought  to  action,  the 


Chap.  XLIL]       PRIVATEER  GENERAL  ARMSTRONG,  OF  NEW  YORK. 


209 


L''Espiegle  (the  brig  mentioned  above  as  being 
at  anchor),  mounting  sixteen  thiity-two-pound 
carronades  and  two  long  nines,  lay  about  six 
miles  in  shore,  and  could  plainly  see  the  whole 
of  the  action.  Apprehensive  she  would  beat 
out  to  the  assistance  of  her  consort,  such  exer- 
tions were  used  by  my  officers  and  crew,  in  re- 
pairing damages,  &c.,  that  by  nine  o'clock  our 
boats  were  stowed,  a  new  set  of  sails  bent,  and 
the  ship  completely  ready  for  action.  At  two 
o'clock  A.  M.,  got  under  weigh,  and  stood  by 
the  wind  to  the  northward  and  westward,  un- 
der easy  sail. 

On  mustering  next  morning,  found  we  had 
two  hundred  and  seventy- seven  souls  on  board, 
including  the  crew  of  the  American  hvig  ITuJiter, 
of  Portland,  taken  a  few  days  before  by  the 
Peacock.  And,  as  we  had  been  on  two-thirds 
allowance  of  provisions  for  some  time,  and  had 
but  three  thousand  four  hundred  gallons  of 
water  on  board,  I  reduced  the  allowance  to 
three,  pints  a  man,  and  determined  to  make  the 
best  of  my  way  to  the  United  States. 

The  Peacock  was  deservedly  styled  one  of 
the  finest  of  her  class  in  the  British  navy,  prob- 
ably .about  the  tonnage  of  the  Hornet.  Her 
beam  was  greater  by  five  inches ;  but  her  ex- 
treme length  not  so  great  by  four  feet.  She 
mounted  sixteen  twenty-four-pound  carronades, 
two  long  nines,  one  twelve-pound  carronade  on 
her  topgallant-forecastle,  as  a  shifting-gun,  and 


one  four  or  six  pounder  and  two  swivels  mount- 
ed aft.  I  find  by  her  quarter-bill,  that  her  crew 
consisted  of  one  hundred  and  thirty-four  men ; 
four  of  whom  were  absent  in  a  prize. 

The  cool  and  determined  conduct  of  my  offi- 
cers and  crew  during  the  action,  aud  their  al- 
most unexampled  exertions  afterwards,  entitle 
them  to  my  warmest  acknowledgments ;  and  I 
beg  leave  most  earnestly  to  i-ecommend  them 
to  the  notice  of  government. 

By  the  indisposition  of  Lieutenant  Stewart  I 
was  deprived  of  the  services  of  an  excellent  offi- 
cer ;  had  he  been  able  to  stand  the  deck,  I  am 
confident  his  exertions  Avould  not  liave  been 
surpassed  by  any  one  on  board.  I  should  be 
doing  injustice  to  the  merits  of  Lieutenant  Shu- 
brick,  and  acting  Lieutenants  Connor  and  New- 
ton, were  I  not  to  recommend  them  particularly 
to  your  notice. 

Lieutenant  Shubrick  was  in  the  action  with  the 
Guerriere  and  Java.     Captain  Hull  and  Com- 
modore Bainbridge  can  bear  testimony  to  his 
coolness  and  good  conduct  on  both  occasions. 
With  the  greatest  respect,  I  remain,  &c., 
James  Lawrence. 
Hon.  William  Jones,  Secretary  of  Navy. 

P.  S. — At  the  commencement  of  the  action, 
my  sailing-master  and  seven  men  were  absent 
in  a  prize,  and  Lieutenant  Stewart  and  six  men 
on  the  sick  list. 


CHAPTER    XLII 


March  11,  1S13. 
THE  PRIVATEER   GENERAL  ARMSTRONG,  OF  NEW  YORK. 


The  enterprise  of  Baltimore,  in  the 
equipment  of  vessels  for  the  piivateer 
service,  has  been  referred  to  in  a  former 
chapter  of  this  work;^  and  the  services 
of  the  merchants  of  the  city  of  New 
York — -by  whom  a  greater  number  of 
privateers   were   sent  out,   during   the 


1  Vide  Chapter  XXVII. 


Vol.  II.— 27 


war,  than  by  those  of  any  other  port  in 
the  United  States — deserve  especial  no- 
tice and  commendation.  As  in  the 
early  days  of  the  War  of  the  Revolu- 
tion, the  merchants  of  the  city  of  New 
York  tuere  tlie  leaders  of  the  j^eople  in 
every  otlter  colony ;  and  as  they  sti'uck 
the  earliest  and  heaviest  blow  on  that 
occasion,   so    in   the    "  War   of   1812," 


210 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II, 


among  the  earliest,  most  active,  and 
most  consistent  of  tlie  leaders  of  the 
people  of  the  United  States,  were  the 
merchants  of  the  emporium  of  America. 
Within  four  months  after  the  declara- 
tion of  war  twenty-six  fast-sailing  ves- 
sels, beai-ing  eighteen  long  guns,  one 
hundred  and  ninety-four  pieces  of  artil- 
leiy,  and  two  thousand,  two  hundred 
and  thirty-three  men  had  sailed  from 
New  York ;  while  seventeen  from  Bal- 
timore, carrying  twenty-two  long  guns, 
and  one  hundred  and  twenty -seven 
guns,^  nobly  seconded  the  entei'prise 
and  gallantry  of  their  neighbors ;  and 
all,  alike,  vindicated  the  freedom  of  the 
seas  and  the  rights  of  man. 

One  of  these,  the  General  Armstrong^ 
of  New  York — a  fine  schooner  of  two 
hundred  and  forty-six  tons,  mounting  a 
"  long  tom "  (a  forty-two-pounder)  and 
six  long  nines,^  and  owned  by  Rensse- 
laer Havens,  Thomas  Farmer,  Thomas 
Jenkins,  and  other  merchants  of  that 
city^ — early  in  March,  was  cruising  on 
the  coast  of  South  America;  and  on 
the  morning  of  the  eleventh  of  March, 
was  off  the  mouth  of  the  Surinam  River. 
At  seven  o'clock  in  the  morning  of  that 
day  she  made  a  vessel,  bearing  s.  s.  e.  ; 
at  eight,  the  stranger,  which  had  been 
at  anchor  under  the  land,  got  under 
way ;  and  at  half-past  eight  she  stood 
to  the  northward,  firing  three  guns  at 
the  privateer,  and  hoisting  British  col- 
ors.  The  latter  immediately  gave  chase ; 

'  Coggeshall's  Hist,  of  American  Privateers,  pp.  4,  5. 

'  Capt.  Coggesliall  (Hisl.  of  Am.  Privateers,  p.  4)  says  she 
movmted  eighteen  guns  and  a  "long-torn  ;"  but  a  I'efer- 
ence  to  the  ^'Protest"  of  her  Captain,  in  the  hands  of  the 
representatives  of  her  owners,  enables  me  to  correct  his 
error,  as  above. — '  The  original  records  and  accounts  are 
still  in  possession  of  the  family  of  Mr.  Havens. 


and  at  ten  minutes  past  nine  she  fired 
her  "  long  tom,"  and  hoisted  American 
colors. 

Both  vessels  being  still  on  the  same 
course,  at  five  minutes  before  ten,  the 
stranger  tacked  and  stood  as  near  the 
schooner  as  the  wind  would  permit, 
keeping  up  a  brisk  fire  on  the  lattei- 
from  her  main  battery,  with  but  little 
efi'ect.  About  twenty  minutes  later, 
the  schooner  still  standino'  to  the  north- 
ward,  the  crew  of  the  latter,  under  the 
supposition  that  the  stranger  was  a 
British  letter-of-marque,  "  unanimously 
agi-eed"  to  bear  down  and  board  her ; 
and  with  this  intention,  a  few  minntes 
afterwards,  the  schooner  put  her  helm 
up,  and  bore  down  with  the  intention 
to  give  the  stranger  her  starboard 
broadside ;  to  wear  ship,  run  alongside, 
and  give  her  larboard  broadside ;  and 
then  to  board  her.  This  bold  design, 
except  the  boarding,  was  fully  carried 
out,  in  the  course  of  which  it  was  dis- 
covered that  she  was  a  sloop-of-war, 
mounting  fourteen  guns  on  her  main- 
deck,  six  on  her  quarter-deck,  and  four 
on  her  forecastle ;  and  that  instead  of 
being  a  private  ship  she  was  one  of  the 
Royal  navy. 

This  important  discovery  would  have 
justified  an  immediate  retreat,  had  such 
a  course,  at  that  time,  been  included  in 
the  plan  of  operations.  Such,  however, 
was  not  the  case ;  but  keeping  up  the 
fire,  with  the  utmost  coolness,  within 
pistol-shot  of  her  opponent,  the  General 
ArmsP)'07ig  contended  gallantly  for  the 
mastery.  Three-quarters  of  an  hour 
this  contest  continued — the  ofiicers  and 
crews  using  their  pistols,  and  the  tops- 
men  of  the   stranger  employing  their 


Chap.  XLII.]       PRIVATEER  GENERAL  ARMSTRONG,  OF  NEW  YORK. 


211 


muskets  as  opportunity  offered.  At 
that  time  the  captain  of  the  schooner 
(^Guy  JR.  Champlhi)  was  wounded  by 
a  musket-ball,  fired  from  the  stranger's 
maintop, — the  ball  passing  through  his 
left  shoulder, — stnd.  went  below  to  have 
his  wound  dressed. 

Influenced  by  this  disaster,  and,  prob- 
ably, seeing  that  it  was  a  hopeless  con- 
test, the  crew  appear  to  have  suggest- 
ed, at  this  time,  the  propriety  of  surren- 
dering ;  and  information  of  the  proposal 
was  conveyed  to  the  captain,  then  in 
the  hands  of  the  surgeon,  below.  Fired 
with  resentment  at  such  a  proposal, 
although  faint  from  the  loss  of  blood, 
he  seized  a  loaded  pistol,  and  directed 
the  surgeon  to  go  on  deck,  and  "tell 
the  officers  and  men,  that  if  any  one  of 
them  dare  to  strike  the  colors,  he  would 
immediately  fire  into  the  magazine,  and 
blow  them  all  up  together."^  This 
messao;e  had  the  desired  effect :  and  as 
the  alternative  of  running  or  sinking 
was  offered,  the  former  was  preferred. 
Accordingly  the  schooner  luffed  to 
windward,  and  forereached  on  the 
stranger;  when,  with  the  assistance  of 
the  schooner's  jib  and  topgallant-sail, 
and  by  a  vigoi'ous  use  of  her  sweeps, 
she  soon  secured  her  escape,  notwith- 
standing the  stranger  opened  a  heavy 
fire  on  her  as  she  left  her. 

In  this  desperate  encounter  the  Arm- 
strong had  all  the  halyards  of  her  head 
sails  shot  away ;  her  foremast  and  bow- 
sprit were  badly  wounded ;  all  her 
shrouds,  except  one,  were  shot  away ; 
both  her  mainstays  and  her  running- 
rigging  were  cut  to  pieces ;   her  sails 

'  Coggeshall's  American  Privateers,  p.  108. 


had  been  severely  cut ;  several  shot, 
between  wind  and  water,  had  caused 
her  to  leak  badly ;  and  six  of  her  crew 
were  killed  and  sixteen  wounded. 

It  appeared,  subsequently,  that  the 
stranger  was  His  Britannic  Majesty's 
sloop-of-war  Coquette^  mounting  eighteen 
thirty-two  pound  carronades  upon  the 
main-deck,  six  eighteen-pound  carron- 
ades and  a  twelve-pound  launch-carron- 
ade  on  the  quarter-deck,  and  two  long 
sixes  on  the  forecastle ;  and  manned 
Avith  one  hundred  and  twenty-one  men 
and  boys  ;^  and  when  the  relative 
strength  of  the  two  vessels  are  con- 
sidered, it  will  be  seen  that  this  was 
one  of  the  most  daring  exploits  of  the 
war. 

Captain  Champlin  recovered ;  the 
schooner  ran  into  Charleston,  where 
she  arrived  on  the  fourth  of  April  ;^ 
the  owners  of  the  vessel,  in  session  at 
Tammany  Hall,  on  the  fourteenth  of 
April,  1813,  voted  the  thanks  of  the 
meeting  to  the  officers  and  crew,  "for 
their  gallant  defence;"  and  "a  sword, 
at  the  expense  of  the  stockholders,"  by 
a  vote  at  the  same  meeting,  was  pre- 
sented to  Captain  Champlin  "  for  his 
gallant  conduct  in  the  rencontre  above 
mentioned."  * 

[Note. — The  extract  from  the  schooner's  log- 
book, cited  by  Mr.  Niles,  in  the  WeeJcly  Register^ 
Saturday,  April  24,  1813,  has  been  the  basis  of 
this  narrative ;  and,  where  no  other  work  has 
been  cited,  this  is  the  only  authority.  Several 
other  accounts  have  been  examined,  but  as  they 
have  all  been  based  on  the  log-book  I  have  not 
cited  them. — h.  b.  d.] 

1  James'  Naval  Occurrences,  pp.  484,  485. — -  Tliomson's 
Sketches  of  the  War,  p.  203. — ■'  Proceedings  of  the  meet 
ing,  published  in  Niles'  £egister,  iy.  p.  133. 


CHAPTER    XLIII. 


March  13,  1§13.' 

THE   SCHOONER   ADELINE  AND   THE   BRITISH   GUNBOATS. 


Eaely  in  February,  1813,  a  strong 
naval  force  from  the  Britisli  fleet  en- 
tered the  Chesapeake.  After  anchoring 
in  Lynnhaven  Bay,  with  the  San  Do- 
mingo and  the  Dragon^  of  seventy-four 
guns  each,  the  JBelvidera^  Acastei\ 
Maidstone^  and  two  other  frigates,  and 
several  smaller  vessels,  the  bay  was  de- 
clared to  be  in  a  state  of  blockade,  and 
considerable  depredation  was  done,  both 
on  the  adjacent  shores  and  among  the 
shipping  which  entered  the  harbor. 
The  smaller  vessels,  in  addition  to  their 
duties  as  tenders,  acted  as  decoys  to 
entice  such  American  vessels,  as  were 
ignorant  of  the  blockade,  within  reach 
of  the  guns  of  the  enemy's  ships  within 
the  bay ;  and  several  vessels  were  thus 
treacherously  led  to  destruction.^ 

On  the  thirteenth  of  March,  1813, 
three  of  these  small  vessels  appeared 
off  the  anchorage-ground  of  a  flotilla  of 
United  States  gunboats,  which  was  sta- 
tioned a  short  distance  above ;  and  ap- 
peared desirous  of  drawing  the  latter 
from  their  mooi-ins^s.^  One  of  these 
small  vessels  was  the  Lottery^  of  Balti- 
more, a  clipper-schooner,  mounting  six 
guns,  which  had  been  captured,  after  a 
desperate  action,  a  short  time  previous- 

'  Commander  Sinclair's  letter,  March  13,  1813.  Mr. 
Clark  (Naval  Hist.,  p.  166)  says  it  occurred  on  the  tenth. 

"  ''The  War,"  i.  pp.  147,  148.— '  Com.  Sinclah-  to  his 
friend,  March  13,  1813. 


ly,  by  the  boats  of  the  enemy's  squad- 
ron ;  and  Commander  Arthur  Sinclair, 
who  commanded  the  flotilla,  immediate- 
ly hoisted  sail  on  the  schooner  Adeline^ 
mounting  two  or  three  guns,  and,  in  com- 
pany with  three  gunboats,  he  got  under 
weigh.  Notwithstanding  the  superiori- 
ty of  their  force  the  enemy  fled  before 
him ;  and  night  coming  on,  at  mid- 
night Commander  Sinclair  anchored  off 
Gwynn's  Island,  with  two  of  the  gun- 
boats— the  third  not  being  able  to  fetch 
in,  having  entered  the  Bappahannock.-^ 
Soon  afterwards  the  Adeline  was  hail- 
ed by  one  of  the  schooners,  and  having 
answered,  giving  her  name  and  charac- 
ter. Commander  Sinclair  repeated  the 
question,  without  receiving  a  reply,^ 
He  was  ordered,  however,  by  the  stran- 
ger, in  the  most  peremptory  manner, 
to  send  a  boat  on  l)oard  the  stranger, 
which  he  declined  to  do,  and  fired  a 
musket  ahead  of  the  latter.  It  was  im- 
mediately answered  with  a  broadside  of 
round  and  grape  shot,  and  with  a  dis- 
charge of  small-arms  from  the  stranger; 
when,  in  his  turn,  he  gave  her  a  broad- 
side, and  a  severe  engagement  ensued.^ 
After  continuing  the  action  twenty  min- 
utes the  stranger  was  silenced  ;  but  the 
extreme  darkness  of  the  night  prevent- 

'  Clark's  Naval  Hist.,  p.  166;  Thomson's  Sketches  of 
the  War,  p.  208.—-  Com.  Sinclair  to  his  friend,  March  13  ; 
Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  203. — ^  Clark,  pp.  166,  167. 


Chap.  XLIII.]       SCHOONER  ADELINE  AND  THE  BRITISH  GUNBOATS. 


213 


ed  Commander  Sinclair  from  seeing  if 
she  liad  surrendered,  and,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  ascertaining  her  condition,  he 
directed  one  of  his  gunboats  which  laid 
near  her,  to  hail  and  make  the  inquiry. 
Instead  of  answering,  however,  the 
stranger  renewed  the  fire  ;  and  Com- 
mander Sinclair,  notwithstanding  he 
feared  she  was  one  of  his  "  impru- 
dent, headstrong  countrymen,"^  was 
constrained  to  open  a  general  fire  from 
all  the  vessels  under  his  command. 
Twenty  minutes  moi-e  the  action  was 
continued — the  uncertainty  of  the  chai-- 
acter  and  strength  of  his  opponent  add- 
ing to  the  interest  which  an  engagement 
in  the  night  naturally  produces — and  as 
the  flashes  of  her  guns  broke,  for  a  mo- 
ment, the  darkness  of  the  night,  the 
crowds  of  men  on  her  deck  indicated 
the  general  character  of  the  stranger. 
A  second  time  her  fire  was  suspended, 
and  a  second  time  Commander  Sinclair, 
still  uncertain  of  her  nationality,  order- 
ed his  command  to  discontinue  the  ac- 
tion. In  the  most  treacherous  manner, 
however,  no  sooner  had  the  American 
fire  ceased  than  the  stranger  renewed 
the  action  ;  and,  a  third  time,  the  broad- 
side of  the  Adeline^  seconded  by  the 
gunboats,  poured  their  fire  into  her,  in 
return.  This  third  eno'ao-ement  contiu- 
ued  half  an  hour,  when,  a  third  time, 
the  stranger  suspended  her  fire.  Still 
anxious  to  avoid  an  unnecessary  effusion 
of  blood,  although  the  bad  faith  of  the 
stranger  would  have  warranted  a  more 
severe  course.  Lieutenant  Sinclair,  a 
third  time,  ordered  a  discontinuance  of 

'  Com.  Sinclair  to  his  friend,  March  13. 


the  action ;  and  an  ofiicer  was  immedi- 
ately sent  to  take  possession  of  her.^ 
After  a  thorough  search,  he  returned 
witJiout  finding  her^  and  the  mystery 
which  surrounded  the  entire  afi*air  was 
increased  by  the  uncertainty  which  pre- 
vailed respecting  the  fate  of  the  stran- 
ger and  her  crew.  When  daylight  dis- 
pelled the  gloom  the  floating  fragments 
of  the  wreck — some  of  them  ten  or 
twelve  feet  long,  torn  from  the  hull  of 
the  vessel  by  the  Adelines  shot — ap- 
peared to  give  weight  to  the  supposition 
that  she  had  gone  down,  with  all  her 
crew ;  while  an  anchor,  weighing  about 
eight  hundred  pounds,  and  a  large 
cable,  which  was  secured,  indicated  a 
vessel  of  not  less  than  two  hundred  tons 
burden.^ 

It  appeared,  subsequently,  that  the 
unknown  opponent  of  the  Adeline  was 
the  clipper  Lottery^  before  referred  to  ; 
that,  taking  advantage  of  the  night,  she 
slipped  away  from  the  scene  of  her  j)ro- 
tracted  struggle  ;  that  her  injuries  were 
so  great  that  the  most  determined  ef- 
forts of  her  crew  to  save  her  were  un- 
availing; and  that  she  sank  before 
morning,  before  she  could  reach  the 
anchorage  of  the  fleet  near  New  Point 
Comfort.* 

In  this  desperate  conflict  the  Adeline 
and  her  consorts  suflered  but  little  in- 
jury; and  of  the  crews,  only  one  man 
was  wounded.^ 

1  Clark,  p.  167;  Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  203.—^  Mr.  Clark 
{Hint,  of  War,  p.  1C7)  says  she  was  pursued  and  fired  on,  but 
I  find  no  evidence  of  such  a  course.  On  the  contrar)',  Com. 
Suiclair  expressed  great  anxiety  concerning  her  fate  ;  and 
he  could  not  have  done  so,  consistently,  had  he  known 
she  escaped. — '  Com.  Sinclair  to  his  friend,  March  13,  1813. 

"  Clark,  p.  167.—'  Ibid.;  Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  203. 


CHAPTER    XLIY. 


April  27,  1813. 

THE      CAPTURE      OF      YORK. 


The  operations  of  the  army  of  the 
North,  on  the  Canadian  frontiers,  in  the 
spring  of  1813,  appear  to  have  been 
dilatory  and  fruitless ;  and  in  this  re- 
sult the  indecision  of  the  Federal  gov- 
ernment, in  its  organization  of  a  plan  of 
operations,  was  not  less  instrumental 
than  the  inactivity  of  the  commanders.^ 

At  length,  on  the  twenty -fifth  of 
April,  1813,  General  Dearborn  embark- 
ed at  Sackett's  Harbor ;  and,  on  the 
twenty-fifth,  with  about  seventeen  hun- 
dred troops,*^  and  the  squadron,  com- 
posed of  the  Madison^  Oneida^  Fair 
A7)ierican^  Hamilton^  Governor  Tomp- 
kins^  Conquest,  Asp,  Pert,  Julia,  Growl- 
er, Ontario,  Scourge,  Lady  of  the  Lalce, 
and  Raven,  under  Commodore  Chaun- 
cey,^  he  moved  against  York,  the 
capital  of  Upper  Canada.'*  After  a 
tedious  passage  of  two  days,^  on  the 
twenty-seventh  the  expedition  entered 
the  harbor ;  and  at  eight  o'clock  com- 
menced to  land   the   troops.®     It   had 

'  Armstrong's  Notices,  i.  pp.  127-129. — *  Com.  Chaun- 
cey's  Dispatch  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  April  28,  1813  ;  Cooper's 
Naval  History,  ii.  p.  161  ;  Tliomson's  Slietches,  p.  120 ; 
Whiting's  Biog.  of  Pil<e  {Sparks'  Am.  Biog.,  xv.),  p.  298; 
Christie's  Military  and  Naval  Operations,  p.  103.  Gen. 
Sheaffe  supposed  there  were  from  1890  to  3000  men. 

'  Cooper,  ii.  p.  161. — ■*  Armstrong's  Notices,  i.  p.  129  ; 
Com.  Chauncey's  Dispatch,  April  28,  1813;  Thomson's 
Slietches,  p.  120. — ^  "After  a  tedious  passage  of  some 
days,  by  adverse  winds,  we  arrived,"  &c. — Gen.  Dear- 
born's Dispatch,  April  28,  1813. — °  Gen.  Dearborn's  Dis- 
patch, April  28;  Com.  Chauncey's  Dispatch,  April  28; 
James'  Military  Occurrences,  i.  p.  141. 


been  designed  to  land  near  the  site  of 
the  old  French  fort,  Toronto,  about  two 
miles  and  a  half  to  the  westward  from 
the  village ;  but,  in  consequence  of  the 
prevalence  of  a  strong  easterly  wind 
and  a  heavy  sea,  the  boats  wei'e  driven 
farther  to  the  westward;  and,  half  a 
mile  from  the  intended  point  of  debark- 
ation, the  troops  landed.-^  The  ill  effects 
of  this  change  in  the  plan  of  operations, 
were  increased  by  the  inability  of  the 
shipping  to  cover  the  landing  of  the 
troops  as  effectually  as  had  been  intend- 
ed;^ and  when  Major  Forsyth  and  his 
riflemen,  who  led  the  column,^  approach- 
ed the  shore,  they  were  severely  har- 
assed by  a  party  of  Indians  under  Major 
Givens,*  and  by  a  company  of  the  Glen- 
garry Fencibles,  which  had  been  sent 
forward  to  support  them,  both  of  which 
had  taken  a  position  in  a  thick  wood 
within  rifle-shot  of  the  place  of  landing.^ 
As  speedily  as  possible  Major  For- 
syth was  supported  by  Major  King  and 
a  battalion  of  infantry — not,  however, 

'  Gen.  Dearborn's  Dispatch,  April  28;  Com.  Chauncey's 
Dispatch,  April  28  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  161  ;  Auchinleck's 
Hist.,  p.  151  ;  Christie,  p.  103. — "  Gen.  Dearborn's  Dis- 
patch, April  28. — 'Ibid.;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  143; 
Auchinleck's  Hist.,  p.  151. — *  Gen.  Dearborn's  Dispatch, 
April  28  ;  Com.  Chauncey's  Dispatch,  April  28  ;  Gen. 
Sheaffe's  Dispatch,  May  5,  1813  ;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  1. 
p.  143  ;  Auchinleck,  p.  151. — '  Gen.  Dearborn's  Dispatch, 
April  28 ;  Gen.  Sheaffe's  Dispatch,  April  28  ;  James'  Mil. 
Occur.,  i.  p.  143  ;  Capt.  Moore  to  his  brother,  May  5, 
1813  ;  Auchinleck,  p.  152. 


Chap.  XLIY.] 


THE  CAPTURE  OF  YORK. 


215 


until  be  had  "lost  some  men,  but  no 
credit;"^  and  soon  afterwards,  Briga- 
dier-general Pike  and  the  main  body  of 
the  land  force  also  landed.^  In  the 
mean  time,  while  the  skirmishers  con- 
tinued to  harass  the  respective  forces, 
the  enemy  had  been  strengthened  by 
the  arrival  of  two  companies  of  the 
Eighth  (or  Kincfs)  regiment  of  the  line 
— "two  hundred  strong"^ — by  a  com- 
pany of  the  Royal  Newfoundland  regi- 
ment, and  by  a  large  body  of  militia;* 
and  as  the  American  troops,  immediate- 
ly after  landing,  had  formed  and  pressed 
forward,^  they  soon  encountered  this 
strong  force,  in  a  thick  wood,  in  which 
it  had  taken  a  position.^  The  column 
was  composed  of  the  Sixth,  Fifteenth, 
Sixteenth,  and  Twenty-first  regiments 
of  infantry,  and  detachments  of  light 
and  heavy  artillery;  with  Major  For- 
syth's riflemen  and  Lieutenant-colonel 
McClure's  volunteers  as  flanking  par- 
ties ;  and  when  it  entered  the  wood, 
the  artillery  was  unable  to  move  with- 
out great  difficulty/  The  enemy,  tak- 
ing advantage  of  this  difficulty,  fell  on 
the  flanks  with  a  six-pounder  and  two 
howitzers ;  but,  after  a  sharp  contest,  in 
which  both  suffered  severely,^  the  ene- 
my slowly  retired  to  his  works,  follow- 


■  Armstrong's  Notices,  i.  p.  130.  See  also  Whiting's 
Biog.  of  Pike,  pp.  299-302.—'  Gen.  Dearborn's  Dispatch, 
April  28;  Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  121. — '  Auchinleck,  p. 
152. — *  Gen.  Sheaffe's  Dispatch,  May  5  ;  James'  Military 
Occurrences,  i.  p.  143. — '  Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  122  ; 
Whiting's  Biography  of  Pike,  p.  303  ;  Christie,  p.  104. 

'  Gen.  Sheaffe's  Dispatch,  May  -5 ;  Letter  from  a  field- 
officer,  in  ''The  War,"  i.  p.  204;  Whiting's  Biography  of 
Pike,  p.  304.—'  Letter  from  a  field-oflicer,  in  --The  War," 
i.  p.  204 ;  Thomson's  Sketches,  i.  p.  122. 

*  Com.  Chauncey's  Dispatch,  April  28  ;  James'  Military 
Occurrences,  i.  p.  144  ;  Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  122  ; 
Breckenridge's  History  of  War,  pp.  118,  119. 


ed  by  the  Americans,^  under  the  imme- 
diate command  of  General  Pike.^ 

At  the  time  of  this  action,  York  was 
a  small  village,  finely  situated  on  the 
noi'thern  shore  of  an  excellent  harbor;^ 
and  was  defended  by  several  batteries, 
manned  by  a  force  of  about  six  hundred 
men,  besides  Indians  and  militia,  under 
the  command  of  Major-general  Sheafte, 
the  successor  of  the  gallant  Brock.*  It 
was  the  seat  of  government  of  the 
Province,  and  the  depository  of  large 
quantities  of  naval  stores  and  provi- 
sions ;  and,  at  the  time  in  question,  a 
fine  ship  of  war,  nearly  finished,  was  on 
the  stocks,^  and  the  Duke  of  Gloucester^ 
a  brig  of  war,  was  at  anchor  in  the 
harbor,  awaiting  repairs.® 

The  American  column  pressed  for- 
ward towards  the  village ;  and  as  it  ap- 
proached the  first  and  second  redoubts, 
the  enemy  who  were  posted  therein 
spiked  the  guns  and  retired  without 
offering  any  opposition.'^  As  the  troops 
were  somewhat  fatis^ued,  the  column 
was  immediately  halted ;  and  a  party 
of  observation,  under  Lieutenant  Rid- 
dle, was  sent  forward  to  reconnoitre  the 
main,  or,  as  it  was  called,  '■'•TlieWestern 
Battery r^  During  this  brief  period  of 
repose,  the  men  had  thrown  themselves 
on  the  grass,  and  were  watching  the 
effect  of  the  artillery  with  that  anxiety 

1  Gen.  Sheaffe's  Dispatch,  April  28  ;  Auchinleck,  p.  152  ; 
Breckenridge's  History  of  War,  pp.  118,  119. 

'^  Gen.  Dearborn's  Dispatch,  April  28  ;  Com.  Chauncey's 
Dispatch,  April  28  ;  Whiting's  Biography  of  Pike,  p.  303. 

'  Map  in  Auchinleck's  Hist,  of  War  ;  Smith's  Canada, 
ii.  p.  1. — *  Gen.  Sheaffe's  Dispatch,  May  5;  James'  Mil. 
Occur.,  i.  p.  143. — "  Gen.  Dearborn  to  Sec.  of  War.  May  3. 

'  Christie,  p.  104. — ''  Gen.  Dearborn's  Dispatch,  April 
28;  Letter  from  field-ofBcer,  in  'Tfe  War,"  i.  p.  204; 
Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  123. — °  James'  Military  Occur- 
rences, i.  p.  145;  Whiting's  Biography  of  Pike,  p.  304. 


216 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


whicli  the  circumstances  would  natural- 
ly elicit;^  while  General  Pike,  seated 
on  a  stump,  and  surrounded  by  his  staff, 
occupied  his  time  in  an  examination  of 
a  wounded  sergeant  wlio  liad  fallen  into 
the  hands  of  his  troops.^  At  this  mo- 
ment a  magazine,  in  which  had  been 
stored  large  quantities  of  military  stores, 
exploded,  and  spread  its  ruins  far  and 
wide  around.^ 

When  the  smoke  and  the  excitement 
of  the  moment  had  cleared  awaj'',  the 
terrible  effects  of  the  explosion  were 
seen  on  every  hand.  Within  a  circle  of 
three  or  four  hundred  yards  from  the 
site  of  the  magazine,  the  heavy  frag- 
ments of  stone  and  timbers  had  scat- 
tered destruction  and  death ;  and  fifty- 
two  of  the  American  column  laid 
dead,  while  one  hundred  and  eighty 
others,  wounded,  increased  the  melan- 
choly spectacle.*  But,  chief  among  the 
lost,  and  most  generally  lamented,  was 
General  Pike,  on  whose  back  a  heavy 
mass  of  stones  had  fallen,  and  who,  with 


'  Whiting's  Biog.  of  Pike,  p.  804. — ^  James'  Mil.  Occur., 
i.  p.  145  ;  Biog.  of  Pilte,  in  Analectic  Mug.,  iv.  p.  394. 

'  Gen.  Deaibovn's  Dispatch,  April  28  ;  Com.  Chauncey's 
Dispatch,  April  28;  Gen.  Sheaft'e's  Dispatch,  April  28; 
Letter  from  field-officer  ;  Capt.  Moore  to  his  brother,  May 
5;  Auchinleck,  pp.  152,  153  ;  Thomson's  Sketches,  pp. 
123, 124.  Com.  Ohauncey  says,  "a  train"  had  been  laid 
previously,  and  many  authors,  following  him,  have  en- 
tertained the  idea  that  the  explosion  was  intentional. 
Without  denying  that  a  train  migld  have  been  laid,  inas- 
much as  the  industrious  James  and  Auchinleck  (British 
autliorities)  also  state  that  such  was  the  case,  I  am  much  in- 
clined to  believe  that  Gen.  Sheaffe  was  correct  when  he 
states  that  it  was  accidental.  Nor  could  I  condemn  the 
enemy,  even  if  a  train  had  been  laid.  It  is  a  perfectly 
legitimate  mode  of  defence,  as  every  student  of  history 
knows  ;  and  why  should  we  censure  the  garrison  for  thus 
employing  an  acknowledged  means  of  defence,  to  check 
the  progress  of  an  invader  ? 

'■  "The  War,"  i.  p.  204.  Mr.  Kogers  {History  of  Canada, 
1.  p.  212)  says  one  hundred  of  the  enemy  also  were 
killed. 


two  of  his  aids  and  the  wounded  ser- 
geant, laid  struggling  with  death.^ 

As  quickly  as  order  could  be  restored 
among  the  terrified  troops,  the  column 
was  again  formed ;  and,  under  the  com- 
mand of  Colonel  Pierce,  it  gave  three 
cheers,  and  resumed  its  march  towards 
the  village.^ 

While  the  land  force  had  been  thus 
employed  on  shore.  Commodore  Chaun- 
cey  had  not  been  a  disinterested  specta- 
tor. As  soon  as  the  troops  had  de- 
barked, the  light  vessels  were  directed 
to  take  positions  near  the  main  works 
of  the  enemy,  and  to  open  a  fire,  which 
was  handsomely  performed,  against  a 
head  wind,  under  the  direction  of  Lieu- 
tenant Elliott.^ 

While  the  column  under  Colonel 
Pierce  was  approaching  the  village,  the 
enemy's  troops  were  withdrawn  from 
the  works;*  and  after  General  Sheaffe 
had  directed  the  magistrates  and  offi- 
cers of  the  militia  to  treat  for  a  capitu- 
lation, he  retired,  with  the  greater  part 
of  his  command,  over  the  River  Don, 
and  marched  towards  Kingston.^ 

The  offer  of  a  capitulation,  which  was 
tendered  to  Colonel  Pierce,  deceived 
that  officer;  and  he  was  amused  with 
the  project  until  General  Sheaffe  had 
secured  his  retreat,  and  burned  large 
quantities  of  stores  and  the  ship  on  the 

'  Gen.  Dearborn's  Dispatch  ;  Com.  Chauncey's  Dis- 
patch ;  Capt.  Moore  to  his  brother,  May  5  ;  Whiting's 
Biography  of  Pike,  p.  305. — '  Com.  Chauncey's  Dispatch, 
April  28  ;  Letter  from  a  field-officer,  in  "The  War,"  i.  p. 
204;  Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  124  ;  Whiting's  Biography 
of  Pike,  p.  306.  —  '  Biography  of  Com.  Elliott,  pp.  24,  25  ; 
Gen.  Dearborn's  Dispatch,  April  28  ;  James'  Military  Oc- 
currences, i.  p.  144. — *  Gen.  Sheaffe's  Dispatch,  May  5. 

^  Gen.  Dearborn's  Dispatch,  April  28;  Gen.  Sheaffe's 
Dispatch,  May  5  ;  James'  Military  Occurrences,  i.  p.  146; 
Whiting's  Biography  of  Pike,  p.  807. 


Chap.  XLIV.] 


DOCUMENTS, 


217 


stocks/  after  which  the  unoccupied  cap- 
ital of  Upper  Canada  passed  into  the 
hands  of  the  victors,  with  those  portions 
of  the  stoi-es  which  still  i-eniained.'^ 

The  loss  of  the  Americans,  in  this 
affair,  amounted  to  fourteen  killed  and 
twenty-three  wounded  in  action ;  and 
fifty-two  killed  and  one  hundred  and 
eighty  wounded  by  the  explosion  of  the 
magazine;^  beside, whom  seventeen  were 
killed  and  wounded  in  the  navy:*  that 
of  the  enemy's  regular  force  amounted 
to  Captain  McNeal  and  sixty-one  non- 
commissioned officers  and  privates,  hill- 
ed; Captains  Loring  and  Jarvis,  Lieu- 
tenant Koven,  Ensign  Eobins,  and 
eighty -five  men,  loounded;^  and,  exclu- 
sive of  militia,  about  two  hundred  and 
ninety  prisoners i'^  while  that  of  the 
militia  is  not  recorded.     Large  quanti- 


ties of  stores  were  removed  by  the 
squadron  or  destroyed;^  and,  by  some 
unexplained  means,  the  public  buildings 
were  entirely  destroj^ed.^ 

Having  accomplished  the  first  objects 
of  the  expedition,  the  troops  re-em- 
barked on  the  first  of  May ;  and  on  the 
eighth  the  squadron  left  the  harbor.® 

Before  closing  the  narrative  of  the 
capture  of  York,  it  will  be  proper  to 
notice  the  termination  of  the  honorable 
career  of  General  Pike.  As  soon  as  he 
was  discovered  among  the  wreck,  and 
the  extent  of  his  wounds  was  ascer- 
tained, he  was  removed  to  the  schooner 
Pei%  and,  soon  afterwards,  to  the  Mad- 
ison^ where  he  lingered  several  hours, 
and  was  gratified  with  the  reception  of 
the  colors  of  the  captured  capital  before 
he  died.* 


DOCUMEJVTTS. 


GENEEAL   DEARBORN  S   DISPATCH  TO  THE  SECRE- 
TARY OF  WAR. 

Head-quarters,  York,  capital  of  Upper  ) 
Canada,  April  28,  1813.        i 
Sir  : — After  a  detention  of  some  days  by  ad- 
verse winds,  we  arrived  at  this  place  yesterday 
morning,  and  at  eight  o'clock  commenced  land- 
ing the  troops  about  three  miles  westward  from 

»  Com.  Chaiincey's  Dispatch,  April  28  ;  James'  Mil. 
Occur.,  i.  p.  140;  Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  124. 

2  Com.  Chaiincey's  Dispatch,  April  28  ;  Gen.  Dearborn's 
Dispatch,  April  28  ;  Capitulation,  appended  to  Gen 
Sheatl'e's,  Gen.  Dearborn's,  and  Com.  Chaiincey's  Dis- 
patches — '  •'The  War."  i.  p.  204.  Mr.  Thomson  (Sketches, 
p.  127)  says,  "14  were  killed  and  32  wounded  in  bailie, 
and  38  were  killed  and  222  wounded  in  the  explosiwi." 

*  Cooper,  ii.  p.  161. — 'Returns  appended  to  Gen.  Sheaife's 
Dispatch.  Jlr.  Thomson  (Sketches,  p.  128)  says  his  entire 
loss  was  iivo  hundred  men,  killed  and  wounded. 

°  Articles  of  Capitulation. 
Vol.  II.— 28 


the  towTi,  and  one  and  a  half  from  the  enemy's 
works.  The  wind  M'as  high  and  in  unfavorable 
direction  for  the  boats,  Avhich  prevented  the 
landing  of  the  troops  at  a  clear  field,  the  site  of 
the  ancient  French  fort  Toronto.  It  j^revented, 
also,  many  of  the  armed  vessels  from  taking 
positions,  which  would  have  most  eifectually 
covered  our  landing,  but  every  thing  that  could 
be  done  was  eifected. 

The  riflemen  under  Major  Forsyth  first  land- 
ed, under  a  heavy  fire  from  the  Indians  and 
other  troops.  General  Sheaflfe  commanded  in 
person.  He  had  collected  his  whole  force  in 
the  woods  near  the  point  where  the  wind  com- 
pelled our  troops  to  land.  His  force  consisted 
of  sev^n  hundred  regulars  and  militia,  and  one 
hundred  Indians.     Major  Forsyth  w'as  support- 

'  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  148;  Armstrong's  Notices, 
i.  p.  132.— "  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  148;  "The  War," 
i.  p.  206.—^  Cooper,  ii.  p.  162  ;  ''The  War,"  i.  p.  206  ; 
Thomson' s  Sketches,  p.  129. — *  Thomson' s  Sketches,  p.  1 25. 


218 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


ed  as  promptly  as  possible  ;  but  the  contest  was 
sharp  and  severe  for  nearly  half  an  hour,  and 
the  enemy  were  repulsed  by  a  number  far  infe- 
rior to  theirs.  As  soon  as  General  Pike  landed 
with  seven  or  eight  hundred  men,  and  the  i-e- 
mainder  of  the  ti'oops  were  pushing  for  the 
shore,  the  enemy  retreated  to  their  works. 
Our  troops  wei'e  now  formed  on  the  ground 
oiiginally  intended  for  their  landing,  advanced 
through  a  thick  wood,  and  after  carrying  one 
battery  by  assault,  were  moving  in  columns  to- 
wards the  main  work ;  when  within  sixty  rods 
of  this,  a  tremendous  explosion  took  place  from 
a  magazine  previously  prepared,  and  which 
thi-ew  out  such  immense  quantities  of  stone  as 
most  seriously  to  injure  our  troops.  I  have  not 
yet  been  able  to  collect  the  returns  of  the  killed 
and  w^ounded,  but  our  loss  will,  I  fear,  exceed 
one  hundred ;  and  among  those  I  have  to  la- 
ment the  loss  of  that  brave  and  excellent  officer 
Bi'igadier-general  Pike,  who  received  a  contu- 
sion from  a  large  stone,  which  terminated  his 
valuable  life  within  a  few  hours.  His  loss  will 
be  severely  felt. 

Previously  to  this  explosion  the  enemy  had 
retired  into  the  town,  excepting  a  party  of  reg- 
ulars, to  the  number  of  forty,  who  did  not 
escape  the  effects  of  the  shock,  and  were  de- 
stroyed. 

General  Sheaffe  moved  off  with  the  regular 
troops,  and  left  the  commanding  officer  of  the 
militia  to  make  the  best  terms  he  could.  In 
the  mean  time  all  farther  resistance  on  the  part 
of  the  enemy  ceased,  and  the  outlines  of  a  capit- 
ulation were  agreed  on. 

As  soon  as  I  heard  that  General  Pike  had 
been  wounded,  I  went  on  shore.  To  the  Gen- 
eral I  had  been  induced  to  confide  the  immedi- 
ate attack,  from  a  knowledge  that  it  was  his 
wish,  and  that  he  would  have  felt  mortified  had 
it  not  been  given  to  him. 

Every  movement  was  under  my  view.  The 
troops  behaved  with  great  firmness  and  deserve 
much  applause,  particularly  those  first  engaged, 
and  under  circumstances  which  would  have 
tried  the  steadiness  of  veterans. 

Our  loss  in  the  morning  and  in  carrying  the 
first  battery  was  not  great,  perhaps  forty  or  fifty 
killed  and  wounded,  and  of  them  a  full  propor- 
tion of  officers. 


Notwithstanding  the  enemy's  advantage  in 
position  and  numbers  in  the  commencement  of 
the  action,  their  loss  was  greater  tlian  ours,  es- 
pecially in  officers.  It  was  with  great  exertion 
the  small  vessels  of  the  fleet  could  work  into 
the  harbor  against  a  gale  of  wind,  but  as  soon 
as  they  got  into  a  proper  position,  a  tremendous 
cannonade  opened  upon  the  enemy's  batteries, 
and  was  kept  up  against  them  until  they  were 
carried  or  blown  up,  and  had,  no  doubt,  a  pow- 
erful effect  upon  the  enemy. 

I  am  under  the  greatest  obligations  to  Com- 
modore Chauncey  for  his  able  and  indefatigable 
exertions,  in  every  possible  manner,  which  could 
give  facility  and  effect  to  the  expedition.  He 
is  equally  estimable  for  sound  judgment,  bra- 
very, and  industry.  The  government  could  not 
have  made  a  more  fortunate  selection. 

Unfortunately  the  enemy's  armed  ship  Prince 
Megent,  left  this  place  for  Kingston  a  few  days 
before  we  arrived.  A  large  ship  on  the  stocks 
and  nearly  planked  up,  and  much  naval  stores, 
were  set  fire  to  by  the  enemy  soon  after  the  ex- 
plosion of  the  magazine.  A  considerable  quan- 
tity of  military  stores  and  provisions  remain, 
but  no  vessels  fit  for  use. 

We  had  not  the  means  of  transporting  the 
jOTSoners,  and  must  of  course  leave  them  on 
parole.  I  hope  we  shall  so  far  complete  what  is 
necessary  to  be  done  here,  as  to  be  able  to  sail 
to-morrow  for  Niagara,  whither  I  send  this  by  a 
small  vessel,  with  notice  to  General  Lewis  of  our 
approach. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  sir,  &c., 

Henet  Deaeborn". 

To  Gen.  Armstrong,  Secretary  of  War. 


II. 


COMMODOEE  CHAUNCEY  S  DISPATCH  TO  THE  SEC- 
KETAET  OF  THE  NAVY. 

U.  S.  SHIP  Madison,  at  anchor  off  Tork,  ) 
April  28,  1813.  i 

SiE : — Agreeably  to  your  instructions  and  ar- 
i-angements  made  with  Major-general  Dearborn, 
I  took  on  board  of  the  squadron  under  my  com- 
mand the  General  and  suite,  and  about  seven- 
teen hundred  troops,  and  left  Sackett's  Harbor 
on  the  25th  instant  for  this  place.     We  arrived 


CriAP.  XLIV.] 


DOCUMENTS. 


219 


here  yesterday  morning,  and  took  a  position 
about  one  mile  to  the  south  and  westward  of 
the  enemy's  principal  fort,  and  as  near  the  shore 
as  we  could  with  safety  to  the  vessels.  Tiie 
place  fixed  upon  by  the  Major-general  and  my- 
self for  landing  the  troops,  was  the  site  of  the 
old  French  fort  Toronto. 

The  debarkation  commenced  about  eight 
o'clock  A.  M.,  and  was  completed  about  ten. 
The  wind  blowing  heavy  from  the  eastward, 
the  boats  fell  to  leeward  of  the  position  fixed 
upon,  and  were  in  consequence  exposed  to  a 
galling  fire  from  the  enemy,  who  had  taken  a 
position  in  a  thick  wood  near  where  the  first 
troops  landed ;  however,  the  cool  intrepidity  of 
the  officers  and  men  overcame  every  obstacle. 
Their  attack  upon  the  enemy  was  so  vigorous 
that  he  fled  in  every  direction,  leaving  a  great 
many  of  his  killed  and  wounded  upon  the  field. 

As  soon  as  the  troops  were  landed,  I  directed 
the  schooners  to  take  a  position  near  the  forts, 
in  order  that  the  attack  upon  them  by  the  army 
and  navy  might  be  simultaneous.  The  schoon- 
ers were  obliged  to  beat  up  to  their  position, 
whicli  they  did  in  very  handsome  order,  under 
a  very  heavy  fire  from  the  enemy's  batteries, 
and  took  a  position  within  about  six  hundred 
yards  of  their  principal  fort,  and  opened  a  heavy 
cannonade  upon  the  enemy,  which  did  great 
execution,  and  very  much  contributed  to  their 
final  destruction.  The  troops,  as  soon  as  land- 
ed, were  formed  under  the  immediate  orders  of 
Brigadier-general  Pike,  who  led,  in  a  most  gal- 
lant manner,  the  attack  upon  the  forts;  and, 
after  having  carried  two  redoubts,  in  their  ap- 
proach to  the  principal  work  the  enemy  (having 
previously  laid  a  train)  blew  up  his  magazine, 
which,  in  its  eflTects  upon  our  troops,  was  dread- 
ful, having  killed  and  wounded  a  great  many, 
and  among  the  former  the  ever-to-be-lamented 
Brigadier-general  Pike,  who  fell  at  the  head  of 
this  column,  by  a  contusion  received  by  a  heavy 
stone  from  the  magazine.  His  death  at  this 
time  is  much  to  be  I'egretted,  as  he  had  the  per- 
fect confidence  of  the  Major-general ;  and  his 
known  activity,  zeal,  and  experience,  make  his 
loss  a  national  one. 

In.  consequence  of  the  fall  of  General  Pike, 
the  command  of  the  troops  devolved  for  a  time 
upon  Colonel  Pierce,  who  soon  after  took  pos- 


session of  the  town.  At  about  two  p.  m.  the 
American  flag  was  substituted  for  the  British, 
and  at  about  four  our  ti'oops  were  in  quiet  pos- 
session of  the  town.  As  soon  as  General  Dear- 
born learned  the  situation  of  General  Pike,  he 
landed  and  assumed  the  command.  I  have  the 
honor  of  inclosing  a  copy  of  the  capitulation 
which  was  entered  into  and  approved  by  Gen- 
eral Dearborn  and  myself. 

The  enemy  set  fire  to  some  of  his  principal 
stores,  containing  large  quantities  of  naval  and 
military  stores,  as  well  as  a  large  ship  upon  the 
stocks,  nearly  finished.  The  only  vessel  found 
here  is  the  Duke  of  Gloucester^  undergoing  re- 
pairs. The  Prince  Regent  left  here  on  the  24th 
for  Kingston.  We  have  not  yet  had  a  return 
made  of  the  naval  and  military  stores,  conse- 
quently can  form  no  correct  idea  of  the  quan- 
tity, but  have  made  arrangements  to  have  all 
taken  on  board  that  we  can  receive,  the  rest 
will  be  destroyed. 

I  have  to  regret  the  death  of  Midshipmen 
Thompson  and  Hatfield,  and  several  seamen, 
killed — the  exact  number  I  do  not  know,  as  the 
returns  from  the  different  vessels  have  not  yet 
been  received. 

From  the  judicious  arrangements  made  by 
General  Dearborn,  I  presume  that  the  public 
stores  will  be  disposed  of  so  that  the  troops  will 
be  ready  to  re-embark  to-morrow,  and  proceed 
to  execute  other  objects  of  the  expedition  the 
first  fair  wind. 

I  cannot  speak  in  too  much  praise  of  the  cool 
intrepidity  of  the  oflacers  and  men,  generally,  un- 
der my  command ;  and  I  feel  myself  particularly 
obliged  to  the  officers  commanding  vessels  for 
their  zeal  in  seconding  all  my  views. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  very  respectfully,  sir, 
your  most  obedient  servant, 

Isaac  Chauncey. 

Hon,  Wm.  Jones,  Secretary  of  Navy. 


III. 

GENERAL    SHEAFFe's    DISPATCH   TO    SIB    GEOKGE 
PKEVOST. 

Kingston,  May  5,  1813. 
Sir  : — I  did  myself  the  honor  of  writing  to 
your  Excellency,  on  my  route  from  York,  to 


220 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


communicate  the  mortifying  intelligence  that 
the  enemy  had  obtained  possession  of  that  place 
on  the  27th  of  April.  I  shall  now  give  yom- 
Excellency  a  farther  detail  of  that  event. 

In  the  evening  of  the  26th,  information  was 
received  that  many  vessels  had  been  seen  to  the 
eastward.  Very  early  the  next  morning  they 
were  discovered  lying  to,  not  far  from  the  har- 
bor. After  some  time  had  elapsed  they  made 
sail,  and  to  the  number  of  sixteen,  of  various 
descriptions,  anchored  off  the  shore,  some  dis- 
tance to  the  westward.  Boats  full  of  troops 
were  immediately  seen  assembling  near  their 
Commodore's  ship,  under  cover  of  whose  fire, 
and  that  of  other  vessels,  and  aided  by  the  wind, 
they  soon  effected  a  landing,  in  spite  of  a  spirited 
opposition  from  Major  Givens  and  about  forty 
Indians.  A  company  of  Glengarry  light-infantry, 
which  had  been  ordered  to  support  them,  was, 
by  some  mistake  (not  in  the  smallest  degree  im- 
putable to  its  commandei'),  led  in  another  direc- 
tion, and  came  late  into  action.  The  other 
troops,  consisting  of  two  companies  of  the 
Eighth  or  King's  regiment,  and  about  a  com- 
pany of  the  royal  Newfoundland  regiment,  with 
some  militia,  encountered  the  enemy  in  a  thick 
wood.  Captain  McNeal,  of  the  King's  regi- 
ment, was  killed  Avliile  gallantly  leading  his 
company,  which  suffered  severely.  The  troops 
at  length  fell  back ;  they  rallied  several  times, 
but  could  not  maintain  the  contest  against  the 
greatly  superior  and  increasing  numbers  of  the 
enemy.  Tliey  retired  under  cover  of  our  bat- 
teries, M'hich  were  engaged  with  some  of  the 
enemy's  vessels  that  had  moved  nigher  to  the 
harbor.  By  some  unfortunate  accident  the  mag- 
azine at  the  western  battery  blew  up,  and  killed 


and  wounded  a  considerable  number  of  men, 
and  crippled  the  battery. 

It  became  too  evident  that  our  numbers  and 
means  of  defence  Avere  inadequate  to  the  task  ol 
maintaining  possession  of  York  against  the  vast 
superiority  of  force  brought  against  it.  The 
troops  were  withdrawn  towards  the  town,  and 
were  finally  ordered  to  retreat  on  the  j-oad  to 
Kingston  ;  the  powder-magazine  was  blown  up, 
and  the  new  ship  and  the  naval  stores  destroyed. 
Lieutenant-colonel  Chervet  and  Major  Allen,  of 
the  militia,  residents  in  the  town,  were  instructed 
to  treat  with  the  American  commanders  for 
terms:  a  statement  of  those  agreed  on  with 
Major-general  Dearborn  and  Commodore  Chaun- 
cey  is  transmitted  to  your  Excellency,  with  re- 
turns of  killed  and  wounded,  &c.  The  accounts 
of  the  number  of  the  enemy  vary  fi-om  one 
thousand  eight  hundred  and  ninety  to  three 
thousand.  We  had  about  six  hundred,  includ- 
ing militia  and  dock-yard  men.  The  quality  of 
these  troops  was  of  so  superior  a  description, 
and  their  general  disposition  so  good,  that  under 
less  unfavorable  circumstances,  I  should  have 
felt  confident  of  success,  in  spite  of  tlie  dispaiity 
of  numbers.  As  it  was,  the  contest,  which  com- 
menced between  six  and  seven  o'clock,  was 
maintained  nearly  eight  houi-s. 

When  we  had  proceeded  some  miles  from 
York  we  met  the  light  company  of  the  King's 
regiment,  on  its  route  for  Foit  George :  it  re- 
tired with  us,  and  covered  the  retreat,  which 
was  effected  without  molestation  from  the  en- 
emy. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  &c., 

R.  H.  Sheaffe,  Maj.-Oen. 

His  Excellency,  Sir  Geokge  Pbevost,  &c. 


CHAPTER    XLY. 


April  28  to  May  9,  1§13. 

THE      SIEGE      OF      FOET      MEIGS, 


When  the  defeat  and  massacre  of 
the  left  wing  of  the  army,  at  the  River 
Raisin,  had  spread  terror  throughout 
the  western  frontiers,  and  grief  among 
the  inhabitants  of  the  older  settle- 
ments,^ General  Hai-rison  established 
his  advanced  post  at  the  foot  of  the 
rapids  of  the  Miami,  and  gave  to  it  the 
name  of  Fort  Meigs}  The  situation  of 
this  post  was  considered  among  the  most 
eligible  in  the  West — combining,  as  it 
did,  facilities  for  keeping  open  a  com- 
munication with  Kentucky  and  Ohio; 
and,  at  the  same  time,  for  protecting 
the  bordei-s  of  Lake  Erie,  for  operating 
against  Detroit,  and  for  aggi-essive  meas- 
ures, generally,  against  the  enemy's  ter- 
ritory.^ 

This  movement  was  exceedingly  an- 
noying to  the  enemy;  and,  as  soon  as 
the  breaking  up  of  the  ice  permitted, 
General  Pi-octor — the  notorious  hej-o  of 
the  River  Raisin — moved  from  Maiden, 
with  all  his  available  force,  for  the  pui-- 
pose  of  attacking  it*  He  embarked 
from  Amherstbui-g,  on  the  twenty-third 
of  April,^  with  five  hundred  and  twenty- 
two  regulars,  four  hundred  and  sixty- 

•  Vide  Chap.  XXXVIII.— -  Perkins'  Hist  of  the  War, 
p.  217  ;  McAfee's  Hist,  of  War  in  Western  Country,  pp. 
243-245.—'  Ingersoll's  Hist,  of  the  War,  i.  p.  145  ;  Cliris- 
<le's  Mil.  and  Naval  Operations,  p.  110;  Perkins'  Hist,  of 
War,  pp.  217,  218.—'  Gen  Proctor  to  Sir  G.  Prevost, 
May  14,  1813.—'  Auchinleck's  History  of  War,  p.  142 ; 
James'  Military  Occurrences,  i.  p.  195. 


one  militia,^  and  about  twelve  hundred 
Indians,^  "accompanied  by  two  gun- 
boats and  some  artillery  ;"^  and,  on  the 
twenty-eighth,  he  landed  on  the  north 
side  of  the  I'ivei',  about  two  miles  below 
the  fort.*  The  incessant  i-ains,  and  the 
consequent  bad  state  of  the  roads,  how- 
evei",  so  much  retarded  his  progress  that 
it  was  not  until  the  morning  of  the  first 
of  May  that  the  fire  fi'om  his  batteries 
was  opened  on  the  fort.^ 

At  the  pei'iod  in  question  Fort  Meigs 
embraced  an  area  of  about  eight  acres, 
on  the  high  bank  of  the  Miami ;  and 
besides  its  inclosure  of  pickets,  it  was 
defended  with  several  block-houses  and 
a  good  supply  of  field-pieces;  although 
the  su|)ply  of  balls  for  the  latter  was 
somewhat  limited.® 

When  it  was  known  that  the  enemy 
was  approaching  the  foi't.  Captain  Oli- 
ver, with  one  white,  and  one  Indian, 
was  sent  with  letters  to  the  Governors 
of  Ohio  and  Kentucky,  and  to  General 

■  Returns  inclosed  in  his  Dispatcli  of  May  14.  1813. 

'Gen.  Proctor  to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  May  14,  1813.  Mr. 
Auchinleck  {llist.  of  War.  p.  142),  a  Canadian  author  of 
merit,  says  he  liad  fifteen  hundred  Indiims. 

'  Auchinleclv.,  p  142. — 'Gen.  Harrison  to  Sec.  of  War, 
April  28.  1813;  McAfee,  p.  258;  Breckenridge's  Hist,  of 
War,  p.  109;  Perkins'  Annals  of  the  West,  p.  631. 

'Gen  Proctor  to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  May  14,  1813;  Gen. 
Harrison  to  Sec.  of  War,  May  5,  1813.  Gen.  Armstrong 
(Notices  of  ]Var,  i.  p.  123)  says  the  fire  opened  on  the  ZQth 
of  April.— '  Gen.  Proctor  to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  May  14,  1813  ; 
McAfee,  pp.  243,  244;  Hall's  Memoir  of  Harrison,  pp. 
220,  221 ;  James'  Military  Occurrences,  i.  p.  196. 


222 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


Clay,  of  the  latter  State,  who  was  then 
on  his  way  to  the  fort,  requesting  the 
immediate  dispatch  of  reinforcements;^ 
and,  soon  afterwards,  the  enemy's  gun- 
boats approached  old  Fort  Miami,  on 
the  opposite  hank  of  the  river,  to  cover 
the  debarkation  of  his  troops,  and  the 
passage  of  the  Indians,  under  Tecumth^, 
who  were  designed  to  invest  the  rear 
and  flanks  of  the  fort.^  With  great 
labor,  while  the  enemy  was  thus  em- 
ployed, the  garrison,  also,  was  strength- 
ening its  position  ;  and  when,  as  before 
stated,  one  of  the  enemy's  batteries  was 
opened  on  the  works,  a  heavy  traverse, 
twelve  feet  high  and  twenty  feet  thick, 
had  been  completed,  and  effectually 
sheltered  the  garrison.^  A  heavy  fire 
was  opened  on  the  fort,  without  any 
serious  effect,  on  the  morning  of  the 
first  of  May,*  from  a  battery  mounting 
two  twenty-four-pounders,  above  the 
fort,  and  from  a  mortar-battery,  mount- 
ins:  one  eio-ht-inch  and  two  five  and  a 
half-inch  howitzei's,  below  it;®  on  the 
morning  of  the  second,  a  second  bat- 
tery, mounting  three  twelve-pounders, 
also  above  the  fort,  added  its  fire  ;^  and 
in  the  night  of  the  third,  a  detachment, 
from  the  besieging  force,  crossed  the 
river  and  opened  another  three-gun  and 
one  mortar  battery  on  the  American 
flank,  from  a  position  which  was  within 
two  hundred  and  fifty  yards  from  the 


1  McAfee,  pp.  258,  259.— "  Ibid.,  p.  259;  Sketches  of 
War,  p.  163  ;  HaH's  Hanison,  pp.  226,  227. 

'McAfee,  pp.  260-262;  Hall's  Harrison,  p.  227;  Par- 
kins' Western  Annals,  p.  631.—*  Vide  note  5,  col.  2,  p  221. 

^Jamas'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  196.  Mr.  Thomson  (Sketches 
of  War,  p.  110)  and  Mr.  Breckeniidge  (Hist,  of  War,  p. 
109)  suppose  the  arinamant  was  1  24-pounder,  1  12  pound- 
er, 1  6pounder,  and  1  howitzer. — "  Gen.  Harrison  to  Sec. 
of  War,  May  5  ;  James'  Military  Occurrences,  i.  p.  197. 


lines — the  latter  of  which,  however,  was 
speedily  driven  to  a  more  respectful 
distance.^ 

During  the  three  days  since  the  ene- 
my opened  his  fire,  an  incessant  fire 
was  thrown  into  the  fort  from  the  ene- 
my's works ;  the  fourth  it  was  less  ve- 
hement;^ and  the  fifth  was  occupied 
with  other  and  more  exciting  services. 
About  midnight,  on  the  fourth  of  May, 
Major  David  Trimble,  accompanied  by 
Captain  Oliver  and  fifteen  men,  having 
rowed  down  the  river,  entered  the  fort, 
and  conveyed  to  the  garrison  the  infor- 
mation that  General  Clay  was  within 
eighteen  miles  of  the  fort,  with  eleven 
hundred  men  ;  and  that  he  would  prob- 
ably join  the  garrison  about  daylight.^ 
It  appeared,  however,  that  his  pilot 
feared  to  run  down  the  river  in  the 
dark;  and  not  until  daylight  did  he 
leave  the  head  of  the  rapids :  in  conse- 
quence of  which  Captain  Hamilton,  and 
a  subaltern  who  had  been  sent  up  the 
river  to  meet  him,  with  a  message  from 
General  Harrison,  dii"ecting  his  move- 
ments, did  not  meet  him  as  early  as  he 
expected.* 

The  orders  which  Captain  Hamilton 
delivered  were  in  these  words,  a  refer- 
ence to  which  will  show,  to  some  ex- 
tent, the  General's  proposed  plan  of 
operations:   "You  must   detach   about 


'  Gen.  Harrison  to  Sec.  of  War,  May  5  ;  McAfee,  p.  263  ; 
Breckenridge,  pp.  109, 110  ;  Perkins'  Hist,  of  War,  p.  218. 
Mr.  Jamas  (Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  197)  says  it  mounted  two  6- 
pounders  and  one  5J-inch  mortar. — '  Gen.  Harrison  to 
Sec.  of  War,  May  5  ;  Jamas'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  197  ;  Mc- 
Afee, pp.  262-264  ;  Sketches  of  War,  pp.  163, 164  ;  Thom- 
son's Sketches,  p.  Ill ;  Auchinleck,  p.  142. 

'  Gen.  Harrison  to  Sec.  of  War,  May  5  ;  McAfee,  p 
264 ;  Armstrong's  Notices,  i.  p.  128  ;  Hall's  Harrison,  pp. 
228,  229.—*  McAfee,  p.  264 ;  Perkins'  History  of  War, 
p.  219. 


Chap.  XLV.] 


THE  SIEGE  OF  FORT  MEIGS. 


223 


eight  hundred  men  from  your  brigade, 
and  Lxnd  them  at  a  point  I  will  show 
you,  about  a  mile,  or  a  mile  and  a  half 
above  Camp  Meigs.  I  will  then  con- 
duct the  detachment  to  the  British  bat- 
teries, on  the  left  {or  eastern?)  bank  of 
the  river.  The  batteries  must  be  taken, 
the  cannon  spiked,  and  carriages  cut 
down  ;  and  the  troops  must  then  return 
to  their  boats  and  cross  over  to  the 
fort.  The  balance  of  your  men  must 
land  on  the  fort  side  of  the  river,  oppo- 
site the  first  landing,  and  fight  their 
way  into  the  fort  through  the  Indians. 
The  route  they  must  take  will  be  point- 
ed out  by  a  subaltern  ofiScer  now  with 
me,  who  will  land  the  canoe  on  the 
right  bank  of  the  I'iver,  to  point  out 
the  landing  for  the  boats." ^  It  was  the 
intention  of  General  Harrison,  when 
Genei-al  Clay  arrived,  to  make  a  gen- 
eral sally  from  the  fort,  for  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  batteries  last  erected ;  and 
it  was  expected  that  the  general  co- 
operation of  the  two  forces  would  se- 
cure the  defeat  of  the  enemy.^ 

The  order  in  which  Genei-al  Clay  de- 
scended the  river  was  in  solid  column, 
each  officer  taking  position  according  to 
his  rank — Colonel  Dudley,  the  senior 
field-officer,  leading  the  van,  with  twelve 
boats  ;^  and  when  the  orders  from  Gen- 
eral Harrison  were  received,  oixlers 
were  issued  to  that  officer  to  move  for- 
ward with  his  detachment,  and  execute 
the  orders  of  the  General,  on  the  east- 
ern bank  of  the  river  ;  while  General 


'  McAfee,  p.  265  ;  Gen.  Clay  to  Gen.  Hanison,  May  13. 

2  Perkins'  Hist,  of  War,  p.  219  ;  Auohinleclv,  p.  142  ; 
IngersoU,  i.  p.  146;  Tliomson's  Sketches,  p.  Ill  ;  Arm- 
strong, i.  p.  123.—='  Perkins'  Hist,  of  War,  p.  219;  Mc- 
Afee, pp.  265,  266 ;  Gen.  Clay  to  Gen.  Harrison,  May  13. 


Clay,  in  person,  would  direct  the  move- 
ments against  the  Indians,  on  the  west- 
ern bank.^ 

In  the  discharge  of  the  duties  which 
had  been  assigned  to  Colonel  Dudley, 
that  officer  effected  a  landing  in  tolera- 
bly good  order;  and,  under  the  direc- 
tion of  Captain  Hamilton,  he  moved 
rapidly  through  the  woods  towards  the 
batteries.  Before  the  enemy  was  aware 
of  his  presence,  the  batteries  were  sur- 
rounded; and,  raising  the  Indian  yell, 
the  assailants  I'ushed  forward  and  car- 
I'ied  them,  before  the  affrighted  artil- 
lerists knew  by  whom  they  had  been 
assailed.  But,  with  the  indiscretion 
which  genei-ally  prevails  among  undis- 
ciplined troops,  the  detachment  was  not 
satisfied  with  the  complete  success  of 
its  part  of  the  work ;  and,  after  loiter- 
ing around  the  batteries,  notwithstand- 
ing the  signals  which  were  thrown  out 
from  Fort  Meigs,  the  gi-eater  portion  of 
the  detachment  was  drawn  into  a  dis- 
orderly pursuit  of  a  party  of  Indians, 
and  of  the  entire  detachment  all,  save 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty  men,  were 
cut  off,  and  either  captured  or  killed 
by  the  British,  who  had  come  up  from 
their  camp,  or  by  the  Indians,  before 
they  could  reach  their  boats  and  cross 
the  river.'^ 

Meanwhile,  on  the  opposite  bank,  the 
movements  of  the  troops  under  General 
Clay,  although  diversified,  had  been 
more  fortunate.     The  violence  of  the 

>  Perkins'  History  of  War,  p.  219  ;  Gen.  Clay  to  Gen. 
Harrison,  May  13. — »  Gen.  Proctor  to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  May 
14,  1813  ;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  pp.  197-199  ;  Gen.  Har- 
rison to  Sec.  of  War,  May  5,  1813  ;  McAfee,  pp.  269-271  ; 
Sketches  of  War,  pp.  164,  165;  Christie,  p.  Ill;  Arm- 
strong's Notices,  i.  p.  124;  Gen.  Clay  to  Gen.  Harrison, 
May  13  ;  Gen.  Harrison  to  Gov.  Shelby,  May  18,  1813. 


224 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


curi'ent  had  separated  the  boat  in  which 
were  the  General  and  fifty  men  fi'oni 
the  other  boats  of  his  command,  and 
they  had  lauded  half  a  mile  in  his  rear; 
yet,  aftei-  some  difficulty  from  the  In- 
dians, and  some  loss  from  their  fire, 
both  parties  reached  the  fort.^ 

While  the  reinforcements,  on  either 
bank  of  the  river,  were  thus  struggling, 
with  varied  foi'tune,  against  the  effects 
of  their  own  indiscretion,  the  promised 
sortie  of  the  garrison  against  the  three- 
gun  and  mortar  battery,  on  the  right 
bank  of  the  river,  was  successfully  ex- 
ecuted. For  the  performance  of  this 
important  duty,  the  commands  of  Cap- 
tains Langham,  Croghan,  Bradford, 
Nearing,  and  Elliott,  and  Lieutenants 
Gwynne  and  Campbell,  of  the  Federal 
troops;  Major  Alexander's  volunteers; 
and  Captain  Sebree's  company  of  Ken- 
tucky militia,  numbering  in  the  aggre- 
gate three  hundred  and  fifty  men,  were 
detached,  under  the  command  of  Col- 
onel Miller;  and,  after  gallantly  char- 
ging on  the  enemy,  and  driving  him 
from  his  works,  they  spiked  his  guns, 
and  retired  with  but  little  loss,  taking 
with  them  forty-three  prisoners,  and 
reached  the  fort  in  safety .'^ 

In  the  mean  time,  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  fort,  another  contest  was 
going  on  with  the  Indians,  in  which  the 
troops  Avhich  had  just  reached  the  fort, 
under  General  Clay,  and  a  detachment 


>  Gen.  Harrison  to  Sec.  of  War,  May  5  ;  James'  Mil. 
Occur.,  i.  p.  200  ;  McAfee,  pp.  2G0,  2ti7  ;  Sketches  of  War, 
p.  165;  Armstrong's  Notices,  i.  pp.  124,  125;  Gen.  Clay 
to  Gen.  Harrison,  May  13. — =  Gen.  Proctor  to  Sir  G.  Pre- 
vost.  May  14,  1813;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  pp.  197,  199, 
200  ;  Gen.  Harrison  to  Sec.  of  War,  May  5  and  9,  1813  ; 
McAfee,  pp.  267-269  ;  Armstrong's  Notices,  i.  p.  125 ; 
Gen.  Clay  to  Gen.  Harnson,  May  13. 


from  the  garrison  were  the  assailants. 
The  latter,  embi-acing  General  Clay's 
troops  on  the  right.  Major  Alexander's 
Virginia  troops  in  the  centre,  and  Ma- 
jor Johnson's  Kentuckians  on  the  left, 
marched  out  against  a  large  body  of 
Indians  who  occupied  the  flank  of  the 
fort,  and  drove  them  into  the  woods,  a 
distance  of  half  a  mile,  at  the  point  of 
the  bayonet.  In  this,  as  in  all  the 
movements  before  referred  to,  the  great- 
est ardor  was  displayed  by  the  troops ; 
and  the  greatest  difficulty  was  experi- 
enced in  conti'ollino^  the  Kentuckians 
in  the  impetuosity  of  their  pursuit. 
The  wily  and  experienced  Tecumth^ 
was  not  slow  in  seeing  and  availing 
himself  of  this  indiscretion  on  the  part 
of  his  enemy ;  and,  while  the  latter 
was  rushing  forward,  without  oi'der, 
and  almost  without  discipline,  the  for- 
mer moved  a  strong  body  of  Indians 
and  a  small  British  force,  by  a  file 
movement,  to  fall  on  the  left  and  rear 
of  General  Clay's  troops,  and  to  cut  ofi 
the  retreat  of  the  column.  In  this, 
however,  the  skill  of  the  chief  found 
more  than  a  match  in  the  watchful  care 
of  General  Hari-ison,  who  had  taken  a 
position  on  one  of  the  batteries;  and 
had  seen  the  movement,  understood  the 
purpose,  and — although  with  much  dif- 
ficulty— secured  the  retreat  of  the  de- 
tachment, with  but  little  loss.'^ 

Throughout  the  entire  operations  of 
the  day,  complicated  and  severely  con- 
tested as  they  were,  thei'e  were  no  com- 
plaints to  be  made  against  the  Ameri- 
can trooj)s,  beyond  those  which  arose 


'  Gen.  Harrison  to  Sec.  of  War,  May  9,  1813  ;  McAfee, 
p.  267. 


Chap.  XLV.] 


THE  SIEGE  OF  FORT  MEIGS. 


225 


from  their  indiscreet  zeal  and  uncon- 
trollable impetuosity.  Both  the  great 
contending  parties  fouglit  gallantly  for 
the  success  of  their  respective  flags ; 
both  were  directed  with  the  greatest 
skill — so  far  as  the  commanders  could 
direct  them ;  and,  when  the  closing  day 
had  terminated  the  contest,  both  re- 
tired to  their  respective  quarters,  with 
the  consolation  of  having,  generally, 
done  their  duty  to  their  respective 
countries. 

In  all  this,  however,  there  must  be 
made  an  exception  against  the  honor  of 
the  infamous  Proctor,  the  commander 
of  the  allied  forces  of  the  enemy.  When 
the  prisoners  who  had  been  taken  from 
Colonel  Dudlicy's  command  were  taken 
to  the  Biitish  camp,  below  the  fort, 
they  were  put  into  old  Fort  Miami, 
near  by,  and,  in  the  language  of  an  eye- 
witness, "  the  Indians  were  permitted 
to  garnish  the  surrounding  rampart, 
and  to  amuse  themselves  by  loading 
and  firing  at  the  crowd,  or  at  any  par- 
ticular individual.  Those  who  prefer- 
red to  inflict  a  still  more  cruel  and  sav- 
age death,  selected  their  victims,  led 
them  to  the  gateway,  and  there,  under 
the  eye  of  General  Proctor,  and  in  the 
presence  of  the  whole  British  army, 
tomahawked  and  scalped  them."^  "This 
work  of  destruction,"  it  is  said  by  an- 
other officer,^  "  continued  near  two 
hours,  during  which  time  upwards  of 
twenty  prisoners,  defenceless  and  con- 


'  Capt.  Wood,  of  the  Engineers,  cited  by  Mr.  McAfee. 
See  also  Maj.  Richardson's  statement,  in  Auchinleck's 
Uhlory  of  War,  pp.  143,  144. 

'  McAfee,  pp.  271,  272.  See  also  Anchinleck,  pp.  143, 
144  ;  Perkins'  History  of  War,  pp.  220,  221  ;  '•  The  War," 
i.  p.  213. 

Vol.  II.— 29 


fined,  were  massacred  in  the  presence 
of  the  magnanimous  Britons  to  whom 
they  had  surrendered,  and  by  the  allies, 
too,  with  whom  those  Britons  had  vol- 
untarily associated  themselves,  knowing 
and  encouraging  their  mode  of  warfare. 
The  chiefs,  at  the  same  time,"  he  con- 
tinues, "  were  holding  a  council  on  the 
fate  of  the  prisoners  ;  in  which  the  Pot- 
awatomies,  who  were  painted  black, 
were  for  killing  the  whole ;  and  by 
their  warriors  the  murders  were  perpe- 
trated. The  Miamis  and  Wyandots 
were  on  the  side  of  humanity,  and  op- 
posed the  wishes  of  the  others.  The 
dispute  between  them  had  become  se- 
rious, when  Colonel  Elliott  and  Tecum- 
th^  came  down  from  the  batteries  to 
the  scene  of  carnage.  As  soon  as 
Tecumth^  beheld  it,  he  flourished  his 
hatchet  (burying  it  in  the  head  of  a 
chief  who  was  engaged  in  the  massa- 
cre),^ and,  in  a  loud  voice,  ordered 
them — 'For  shame,  to  desist.  It  is  a 
disgrace,'  he  said,  '  to  kill  a  defenceless 
prisoner.'  His  orders  were  obeyed,  to 
the  great  joy  of  the  prisoners,  who  had, 
by  this  time,  lost  all  hope  of  being  pre- 
served. In  this  single  act,"  as  he  truly 
observes,  "  Tecumtha  displayed  more 
humanity,  magnanimity,  and  civilization 
than  Proctor,  with  all  his  British  asso- 
ciates in  command,  displa3'ed  through 
the  whole  war  on  the  Northwestern 
frontiers." 

With  the  actions  referred  to,  the 
siege  virtually  closed,  notwithstanding 
the  enemy  remained  before  it  four  days 
longer,  and,  on  the  fifth  of  May,  gravely 
summoned  the  fort  to  surrender,  an  in- 

•  James'  Military  Occurrences,  i.  p.  201. 


226 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book,  II. 


suit  which  was  properly  resented.^  In- 
telligence of  the  loss  of  Fort  George 
had  reached  his  camp ;  and  the  Indians, 
dissatisfied  and  dispirited,  had  begun  to 
return  to  their  homes.  General  Proc- 
tor, foreseeino:  the  efifects  of  the  disasters 
on  the  Niagara  fi-ontier,  and  of  the  ar- 
rival of  the  reinforcements  which  were 
hastening  to  the  relief  of  Fort  Meigs, — 
the  impossibility  of  any  reinforcement 
reaching  him,  and  the  certainty  of  his 
own  destruction  if  he  remained  in  his 
present  position, — he  immediately  took 
steps  to  retire  ;^  and  haviug  shipped 
his  artillery  and  baggage,  on  board  his 
sloop  and  gunboats,  on  the  night  of  the 
eighth  of  May,  at  an  early  hour  on  the 
ninth  he  moved  off,  leaving  behind  him 
a  part  of  his  stores.^ 


The  loss  of  the  Americans,  durinsr  the 
siege,  and  in  the  several  actions  on  the 
fifth  of  May,  was  about  eighty-one 
hilled,  two  hundred  and  sixty-nine 
wounded  (including  about  fifty  who 
were  massacred  by  the  Indians),  and 
four  hundred  and  sixty-seven  prison- 
ers ,'^  that  of  the  British  was  said  to 
have  been  fourteen  hilled,  Captain 
Bandy,  Lieutenant  Bullock,  and  forty- 
five  wounded,  and  Lieutenants  Hales 
and  Mclntire,  and  forty-one  men  pris- 
oners. There  is  little  doubt,  however, 
that  it  was  much  greater.^ 


pSToTE. — The  Dispatches  of  Gen.  Harrison,  May  5,  9, 
and  13  ;  that  of  Gen.  Green  Clay,  May  13, 1818  ;  and  that 
of  Gen.  Proctor,  May  14,  1813,  which  had  been  prepared 
for  the  illustiation  of  this  chapter,  have  been  omitted  by 
the  Publishers  for  want  of  room.] 


CHAPTER    XLYI. 

May  3,  1§13. 

THE    CONFLAGRATION    OF    HAVRE    DE    GRACE. 


The  blockade  of  the  Chesapeake,  by 
the  enemy's  fleet,  has  been  already  re- 
ferred to  in  a  preceding  chapter  of  this 
work;*  and  considerable  alarm  was  ex- 
cited along  the  shores  of  the  bay,  in 
consequence  of  the  rumors  of  invasion 
which  were  circulated  in  the  vicinity. 
Occasionally  the  boats  of  the  fleet  had 
landed,  and  scouting  parties  had  driven 
off  the  cattle  from  the  nearest  farm — 


'  McAfee,  p.  273  ;  Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  116  ;  Hall's 
Harrison,  p.  235  ;  Armstrong's  Notices,  i.  p.  126. 

2  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  201 ;  McAfee,  pp.  273,  274  ; 
Perkins'  Annals  of  the  West,  p.  632.—'  Gen.  Harrison  to 
Sec.  of  War,  May  9  ;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  201 ;  Mc- 
Afee, p.  274.— <  Vide  Chap.  XLIII. 


not  in  all  cases,  however,  without  leav- 
ing an  ample  remuneration  behind  them 
— for  the  supply  of  the  fleet ;  and  the 
small  vessels,  which  coasted  along  the 
shores,  had  been  uniformly  captured, 
plundered,  and  burned,  yet  no  cause 
had  been  given  for  so  general  and 
sweeping  a  desolation  as  that  which 
had  been  threatened. 

Among  the  villages  Avhich  were  then 
exposed  to  the  ravages  of  the  enemy 

'  Eeturns  appended  to  Gen.  Harrison's  Dispatch,  May 
13. _5  Returns  appended  to  Gen.  Proctor's  Dispatch,  May 
14.  The  author  of  "Sketches  of  the  War"  (p.  165),  says 
his  loss  was  equal  to  that  of  the  Americans.  Capt.  Mc- 
Afee (p.  274)  says,  "  It  was  undoubtedly  very  severe." 


Chap.  XLVI.]        THE  CONFLAGRATION  OF  HAVRE  DE  GRACE. 


227 


was  Havre  cle  Grace — a  commercial 
village,  in  Harford  County,  Maryland, 
which  is  beautifully  situated  on  the 
western  bank  of  the  Susquehanna,  a 
short  distance  above  its  confluence  with 
the  Chesapeake,  and  sixty-four  miles 
northeast  from  Annapolis.^  At  the 
period  under  consideration,  in  conse- 
quence of  an  obstruction  at  the  mouth 
of  the  river,  the  trade  of  the  villao^e 
was  rather  on  the  decline ;  although 
the  herring-fishery,  which  was  carried 
on  quite  extensively,  was  a  source  of 
considerable  profit  to  its  inhabitants. 

On  the  28th  of  April,  a  brig  and  two 
or  three  schooners  came  to  an  anchor 
near  the  village ;  and,  on  the  next 
moruins:,  another  brig  and  schooner 
joined  them — the  whole  casting  anchor 
on  the  precise  spot  where  the  fleet,  un- 
der the  command  of  Lord  Howe,  cast 
anchor  in  1777,  a  short  time  before  the 
battle  of  Brandywine. 

During  the  day,  Avithout  doing  any 
damage  near  Havre  de  Grace,  these 
vessels  weighed,  turned  Turkey  Point, 
and  sailed  up  the  Elk  River — burning 
two  vessels,  and  landing  and  destroying 
one  or  two  warehouses,  without  injuring 
any  other  property,  at  French  town ; 
and  returned  to  their  anchorage,  near 
Havre,  on  the  30th. 

During  this  exciting  period,  the  in- 
habitants of  Havre  de  Grace  made  some 
preparations  for  the  defence  of  the  vil- 
lage ;  and  several  companies  of  militia 
were  sent  to  assist  them  in  that  under- 
taking. A  battery,  mounting  one  eigh- 
teen-pounder  and  two  nines,  was  erected 
at  Point  Comfort,  a  short  distance  be- 

'McCuUoch's  Gazetteer,  i.  p.  1077. 


low  the  village ;  and  it  had  been  man- 
ned by  a  company  of  volunteers,  com- 
posed of  men  who  had  seen  some  service 
and  who  were  considered  as  "exempts." 
Patrols  were  stationed  along  the  river 
and  bay,  and  every  appearance  indicat- 
ed a  determination  to  defend  the  place 
to  the  last  extremity. 

It  is  probable  that  this  spirited  con- 
duct insured  the  very  result  which  the 
inhabitants  sous^ht  to  avoid.  Findins; 
the  inhabitants  disposed  to  contest  his 
advance,  the  enemy  appears  to  have 
hesitated  before  making  the  attempt; 
and  after  some  three  weeks  spirited 
service,  without  an  enemy  to  oppose, 
and,  apparently,  without  even  a  reason 
for  supposing  that  he  designed  to  ap- 
proach Havre,  the  military  ardor  of  the 
garrison  and  the  people  began  to  flag, 
and  insubordination  gradually  crept 
into  the  ranks — some  returning  home, 
others  j)erforming  but  little  duty,  and 
some  of  the  officers  absenting  themselves 
without  leave. 

It  was  at  this  time,  when,  by  a  mas- 
terly course  of  inactivity,  the  enemy 
had  accomplished  a  greater  triumph 
than  the  opposite  course  would  have 
secured,  he  prepared  to  attack  the  vil- 
lage on  the  night  of  the  first  of  May. 
A  few  hours  before  the  time  appointed 
for  the  descent,  however,  a  deserter 
from  the  enemy  entered  the  village, 
and  gave  intelligence  of  the  projected 
expedition ;  and  it  spread  with  great 
I'apidity  over  the  entire  neighborhood. 
The  women  and  children  were  removed 
to  places  of  safety  ;  the  militia  who  re- 
mained— some  two  hundred  and  fifty 
in  number — were  at  their  posts ;  the 
patrols  guarded  the  shores  of  the  river 


228 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


and  ha,j;  the  "exempts"  returned  to 
the  battery  on  Point  Comfort ;  and,  in 
every  direction,  the  people  appeared  to 
l)e  disposed  to  contest  the  possession  of 
every  inch  of  ground. 

But,  with  great  skill,  after  the  loss  of 
the  deserter  had  become  known  to  the 
enemy,  although  every  preparation  had 
been  perfected,  he  postponed  the  at- 
tack ;  and  the  morning  sun  arose  on  a 
people  who  were,  more  than  ever  be- 
fore, disposed  to  consider  that  there 
was  no  danger,  and  that  the  enemy  en- 
tertained no  hostile  intentions  against 
them.  The  next  day,  therefore  (^May 
2,  1813),  was  occupied  in  still  greater 
scenes  of  insubordination  among  the 
troops,  and  in  acts  of  still  greater  indis- 
cretion on  the  part  of  the  inhabitants ; 
and  when,  at  daybreak,  on  the  morning 
of  the  third,  the  guns  on  Point  Comfort 
and  the  drums  in  the  village  sounded  an 
alarm,  the  people,  aroused  by  the  stern 
reality  from  their  imaginary  security, 
displayed  the  greatest  consternation. 

Twenty  barges,  filled  with  the  ene- 
my's troops,  rapidly  approached  the 
village,  under  a  fire  from  the  battery 
at  Point  Comfort,^  and  as  the  streets 
were  thronged  by  the  half-dressed  and 
terrified  villagers,  each  hastening  to 
some  distant  place  of  safety,^  and  the 
militia,  scarcely  less  terrified,  were  I'un- 
ning  to  and  fro,  without  a  commander 
and  without  discipline,  a  discharge  of 
Congreve  rockets,  from  the  enemy's 
boats,  completed  the  confusion,  and  re- 
moved all  obstacles  to  his  landing. 

Before  a  landing  had  been  effected 
the  villasje  was  in  flames — the  rockets 

'  Niles'  Kegister,  iv.  p.  164. — ?  Letter  from  a  lady  near 
Havre  de  Grace,  May  7,  in  Niles'  Register,  iv.  p.  196. 


and  shells  which  had  been  discharged 
among  the  fugitives  having  communi- 
cated with  some  of  the  buildings.  Im- 
mediately after  the  debarkation  a  party 
was  dispatched  to  take  possession  of 
the  batteiy,  which  was  abandoned  as 
the  enemy  approached,  and  the  three 
guns  which  were  mounted  there  were 
turned  on  the  village,  increasing  the 
confusion,  and  scattering,  still  farther, 
the  destruction  to  which  the  village 
had  been  doomed.  The  main  body  of 
the  enemy,  however,  moved  up  into  the 
village ;  and  when  it  reached  the  pub- 
lic square,  in  its  centre,  it  was  divided 
into  parties  of  thirty  or  forty  men  each, 
and  sent,  in  different  directions,  to  plun- 
der, systematically,  the  houses  which 
were  not  already  in  flames.  But  very 
little  attention  was  paid  to  the  villagers 
or  the  retreating  militia;  and  the  ra- 
pacity of  the  enemy,  and  his  savuge 
ferocity,  have  been  thus  graphically 
described  by  an  eye-witness,  in  terms 
which  no  language  of  mine  can  equal: 
"  Their  manner  was,  on  entering  a  house, 
to  plunder  it  of  such  articles  as  could 
be  of  any  service  to  them,  and  easily 
transported,  and  convey  them  to  their 
barges.  Every  man  had  a  hatchet  at 
his  girdle,  and  when  wardrobes  and  bu- 
reaus happened  to  be  locked,  they  were 
made  to  yield  to  the  force  of  this  in- 
strument. This  was  not  a  work  of  much 
time,  and  as  soon  as  it  was  accomplished, 
they  set  fire  to  the  house,  and  entered 
another  for  the  same  purpose."  *  *  * 
"  The  conduct  of  the  sailors,  while  on 
shore,  was  exceedingly  rude  and  wan- 
ton.^    The  officers  gave  such  of  the  in- 

'  See  also  Niles'  Register,  iv.  p.  195. 


Chap.  XL VI.]    THE  CONFLAGRATION  OF  HAVEE  DE  GRACE. 


229 


habitants  as  remained  behind,  liberty 
to  carry  out  such  articles  of  furniture  as 
they  chose,  while  the  sailoi's  were  plun- 
dering the  houses ;  but  the  sailors,  not 
content  with  pillaging  and  burning, 
broke  and  defaced  these  also,  as  they 
were  standing  in  the  streets.  Elegant 
looking-glasses  were  dashed  in  pieces, 
and  beds  were  ripped  open  for  the 
sport  of  scattering  the  feathers  in  the 
wind.^  These  outrages,  to  be  sure,  were 
not  commanded  by  the  officers,  but  they 
were  not  restrained  by  them.  Little 
can  be  said,  indeed,  in  favor  of  the  offi- 
cers' conduct  in  this  particular.  They 
selected  tables  and  bureaus  for  their 
private  use,  and  after  writing  their 
names  on  them,  sent  them  on  board 
the  barges.  The  Admiral  himself  was 
pleased  with  an  ehgant  coach ^  which 
fell  in  his  way,  and  commanded  it  to 
be  put  on  board  a  boat,  which  belonged 
to  the  proprietor  of  the  ferry,  and  taken 
to  his  ship.  This  order  was  executed, 
although  he  was  told  it  belonged  to  a 
poor  coachmaker,  whose  family  must 
suffer  by  its  loss. 

"The  firing  of  cannon  had  ceased," 
he  continues,  "  and  no  other  noise  was 
heard,  than  the  roaring  of  the  flames, 
the  crash  of  falling  timbers,  and  the  oc- 
casional lamentations  and  entreaties  of 
a  few  of  the  inhabitants,  who  had  braved 
every  danger  with  the  hope  of  preserv- 
ing from  destruction  their  only  means 
of  subsistence." 

In  this  manner  (officers  and  men 
alike  entering,  with  zest,  on  the  work 
of  destruction)  the  property  of  the  vil- 
lagers was  scattered  and  consumed  ;  un- 

'  See  also  letter  from  Havre  de  Grace,  in  NiUs  Register, 
iv.  p.  165  ;  and  another  in  the  same  volume,  p.  196. 


til,  when  one-half  the  town  had  been  de- 
stroyed, the  Admiral  {Cbcliburnf  came 
on  shore ;  and  was  approached  by  two 
or  three  ladies,  who  had  courageously 
remained  near  their  houses.  Appealing 
to  his  sympathy,  with  all  the  eloquence 
of  actual  distress,  his  humble  memorial- 
ists urged  their  cause  with  the  most 
earnest  perseverance,  even  after  their 
prayer  had  been  frequently  and  sternly 
rejected;  and  pointed  out  to  him  "the 
misery  he  was  causing,  and  the  smoking 
ruins,  under  which  was  buried  all  that 
could  keep  their  proprietors  from  want 
and  wretchedness."  Against  such  an 
appeal  as  this,  even  the  relentless  sailor 
was  not  long  able  to  hold  out;  and, 
after  gradually  yielding  to  their  entrea- 
ties, he  at  length  countermanded  his 
orders,  and  those  houses  which  had  not 
been  reached,  escaped. 

While  this  terrible  act  of  destruction 
was  being  enacted  in  the  village,  two 
barges  ascended  the  Susquehanna  to  a 
warehouse,^  about  five  miles  above,  and 
burned  it;  but  a  number  of  vessels 
which  had  been  anchored  there,  by 
being  sunk,  escaped  without  material 
damage. 

After  remaininsr  at  Havre  de  Grace 
about  four  hours,  the  enemy  embarked, 
and  descended  the  river.  The  work  of 
destruction,  however,  was  not  yet  com- 
plete ;  and,  during  the  day,  the  enemy 
visited  the  extensive  iron  works  of  Col- 
onel Hughes,  at  Princippi,^  eight  miles 
north  of  Havre  de  Grace,  where  large 
numbers  of -cannons  were  in  progress 


>  National  Intelligencer,  May  6,  1813. 
^  The  warehouse  was  known  as  "Stump  s  Warehouse."— 
Nat.  Intelligencer,  May  6,  1813  ;  Niles'  Register,  iv.  p.  164 
'  National  Intelligencer,  Washington,  May  6,  1813. 


230 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


of  manufacture.  The  entire  establish- 
ment, with  its  extensive  and  valuable 
machinery,  was  also  entirely  destroyed ; 
and  at  sunset,  wearied  with  his  wanton- 
ness, the  enemy  retired  to  his  shipping. 

After  the  enemy  had  retired,  at  the 
close  of  the  day,  slowly  and  sadly  the 
villagers  returned  from  their  hiding- 
places,  only  to  witness  the  utter  de- 
struction of  all  they  possessed,  and  to 
reflect  on  the  misery  and  want  which 
awaited  them.  Some  of  the  heads  of 
families,  to  add  to  the  sorrows  of  the 
people,  had  been  carried  oflP,  as  prison- 
ers, by  the  enemy ;  and  their  families, 
more  disconsolate  even  than  those  of 
their  neighbors,  rendered  still  more  se- 
vere the  gloom  which  surrounded  the 
scene. 

Of  the  sixty  dwellings  of  which  the 
village  was  composed,  more  than  forty 
were  burned;^  while  others  were  plun- 
dered and  much  injured,  and  scarcely 
one  remained  which  had  not  been  more 
or  less  injured  by  the  shot  or  shells 
which  the  enemy  had  thrown  among 
them. 

The  force  of  the  enemy  was  said  to 
have  been  six  hundred  men,  of  whom 

'  The  National  Intelligencer  (Washington,  May  6,  1813) 
says,  ' '  They  burnt  twenty-four  of  the  best  houses  in  the 
town,  and  plundered  all  the  rest." 


four  hundred  landed  at  Havre  de  Grace, 
and  the  loss  of  each — the  villagers  and 
the  enemy — was  about  equal,  each  hav- 
ing lost  three  or  four  men.^ 

As  there  were  no  stores  in  the  vil- 
lage, and  as  none  of  its  inhabitants  had 
aided  in  prosecuting  the  war,  it  appears 
that  the  caprice  of  the  Admiral  was 
the  only  cause  which  led  to  this  terri- 
ble visitation  on  a  defenceless  village ; 
and,  from  that  reason,  there  appears  to 
be  no  excuse  for  the  deed.^ 

[Note. — This  narrative  has  been  taken  fi-om 
a  desci'iption  of  the  scene  by  my  friend,  Ja- 
red  Sparks,  LL,  D.,  who  was  present,  and  wit- 
nessed the  outrages  he  has  described.  It  may 
be  found  in  the  North  American  Review^  J^b'? 
1817,  and  I  am  indebted  to  his  attention  for  the 
privilege  of  using  it.  Where  no  other  work 
has  been  referred  to,  this  has  been  my  sole  au- 
thority.— H,  B.  D.] 


'  National  Intelligencer,  Washington,  May  6,  1813. 
The  Baltimore  American,  published  on  the  Thursday  after 
the  destruction  of  Havre  de  Grace,  says  tlie  enemy  lost 
three  killed  and  two  wounded ;  the  Americans  only  the 
one  who  was  killed  by  the  rocket. 

'  Other  accounts  of  this  affair  can  be  found  in  Niles' 
Register,  iv.  pp.  164,  182,  195,  196  ;  Perkins'  History  of 
Late  War,  pp.  161,  162  ;  The  National  Intelligencer,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C,  May  8  ;  "  The  War,"  i.  pp.  199,  200  ;  Thom- 
son's Sketches  of  the  War,  pp.  209-211;  Breckenridge's 
History  of  War,  pp.  148-150 ;  Sketches  of  the  War,  p. 
325  ;  Ingersoll's  History  of  War,  pp.  197,  198  ;  Auchin- 
leck's  History  of  War,  pp.  266-269  ;  Adm'l  Cockburu's 
Dispatch  to  Adm'l  Warren,  May  3,  1813;  and  Naval 
Chronicle,  xxx.  pp.  164-166. 


CHAPTER    XLYII. 


May  27,  1§13. 

THE     CAPTURE     OF     FORT     GEORGE, 


The  capture  of  York,  tbe  capital  of 
Upper  Canada,  by  the  combined  land 
and  naval  forces,  under  General  Dearborn 
and  Commodore  Chauncey,  has  been 
already  noticed;  and  the  embarkation 
of  the  troops,  on  the  first  of  May,  and 
their  subsequent  detention  in  that  har- 
bor, by  adverse  winds,  until  the  8th  of 
that  month,  have  also  been  alluded  to.^ 

As  soon  as  the  weather  permitted, 
the  squadron  sailed  from  the  harbor  of 
York ;  and,  on  the  eighth,  the  troops  de- 
barked about  four  miles  eastward  from 
Fort  Niagara — at  which  point  an  en- 
campment had  been  laid  out ;  when  the 
Commodore  returned  to  Sackett's  Harbor 
for  the  purpose  of  landing  the  sick  and 
wounded,  of  obtaining  supplies,  and  of 
receiving  reinforcements.'*  On  the  25th 
he  returned  ;^  when  the  Fair  A')nerican 
and  the  Pert  were  ordered  down  the 
lake  to  watch  the  movements  of  the 
enemy's  force  at  Kingston,*  and  prepa- 
rations were  made  for  an  attack  on  Fort 
George,  as  soon  as  the  weather  permit- 
ted.^ On  the  twenty-sixth  the  Commo- 
dore reconnoitred  the  enemy's  position ; 
and,  during  the  eai-ly  part  of  the  night. 


'  Vide  Chap.  XLIV.— '  Cooper's  Naval  Hist.,  ii.  p.  1G2. 

'  Com.  Chauncey  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  May  28, 1813  ;  Chris- 
tie's Military  and  Naval  Operations,  p.  105  ;  Thomson's 
Slcetches,  p.  129.  -■*  Com.  Chauncey  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  May 
28, 1813  ;  Cooper's  Naval  Hist.,  ii.  p.  162.—'  Com.  Chaun- 
cey to  Sec.  of  Navy,  May  28  ;  Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  129. 


he  sounded  the  shore  in  person,  and 
placed  buoys  for  the  direction  of  the 
movements  of  his  vessels  during  the 
projected  attack.^ 

At  three  in  the  morning,  of  the  twenty- 
seventh,  the  signal  was  given  to  weigh ; 
and,  soon  after  four.  Generals  Dearborn 
and  Lewis,  with  their  suites,  went  on 
board  the  Madison^  and  the  squadron 
stood  for  the  Canadian  shore.  There 
being  but  little  wind  the  vessels  used 
their  sweeps,  and  one  after  another  the 
covering  vessels  gracefully  fell  into  the 
positions  to  which  they  had  been  as- 
signed. The  Julia  and  the  Growler 
took  a  position  in  the  mouth  of  the 
Niagara  River,  in  order  to  hold  in 
check,  or  silence,  a  battery  which  stood 
near  the  light-house,  and  which,  from 
its  position,  commanded  that  part  of 
the  shore  where  the  troops  had  been 
ordered  to  land.  The  Ontario  took  a 
position  north  from  the  light-house,  so 
near  the  shore  that  she  could  enfilade 
the  same  battery  and  cross  the  fire  of 
the  Julia  and  Gr order.  The  Conquest 
and  the  Governor  Tompkins  were  di- 
rected to  positions  from  whence  they 
could  check  the  operations  of  a  battery 
which  had  been  erected  near  the  Two 
mile  Creek ;  while,  at  the  same   time. 


'  Com.  Chauncey  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  May  28  ;   Cooper,  ii. 
p.  162;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  150. 


232 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


the  Hamilton^  the  Asp^  and  the  Scourge^ 
were  directed  to  anchor  close  in  shore, 
and  to  cover  the  landing  of  the  forces. 
The  gallant  Oliver  Hazard  Perry,  who, 
like  the  war-horse  of  Job,  had  "  smelled 
the  battle  from  afar  oif,"  had  hastened 
from  Lake  Erie,  where  he  commanded 
the  naval  force,  and,  as  a  volunteer, 
was  rendering  "great  assistance"  "in 
arranging  and  superintending  the  de- 
barkation of  the  troops,"  being  person- 
ally "present  at  every  point  where  he 
could  be  useful,  under  showers  of  mus- 
ketry," without  suffering  injury.'^ 

The  boats  advanced  in  six  divisions 
(three  brigades) ;  in  the  advance  of 
which,  leading  the  column,  were  Col- 
onel Wiufield  Scott  and  Major  Forsyth 
of  the  rifles.  Following  these,  and  sup- 
porting them,  was  Colonel  Moses  Por- 
ter of  the  light-artillery,  with  his  train  ; 
who,  in  his  turn,  was  supported  by  the 
commands  of  Generals  Boyd,  Winder, 
and  Chandler ;  and,  closing  the  column, 
as  a  reserve,  were  the  marines  of  the 
squadron  and  Colonel  Alexander  Ma- 
comb's regiment  of  artillery.^  The  flo- 
tilla had  been  preceded  by  the  small 
vessels  of  the  squadron ;  and  the  Gov- 
ernor Tomplcins  and  the  Conquest^  in 
the  most  graceful  style,  as  before  de- 
scribed, had  taken  their  assigned  posi- 
tions near  the  mouth  of  the  Two-mile 
Creek — the  place  appointed  for  the  de- 
barkation of  the  troops — and  had  open- 
ed their  fire  on  the  battery  which  com- 
manded the  shore  in  that  vicinity.     At 


'  Com.  Chauncey  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  May  28  ;  James'  Mil. 
Occur.,  i.  pp.  153, 154;  Thomson's  Sketches,  pp.  130, 131. 

=  Gen.  Dearborn  to  Sec.  of  War,  May  27  ;  Thomson's 
Sketches,  p.  131  ;  Perkins'  Hist,  of  War,  p.  251  ;  Kicli- 
ard's  Mem.  of  Macomb,  p.  59  ;  Mansfield's  Scott,  p.  79. 


musket-shot  distance,  only,  the  fire  was 
well-directed  and  exceedingly  efficient ; 
and,  before  it  had  continued  ten  min- 
utes, the  batteries  "  were  completely 
silenced  and  abandoned  ;"^  when,  under 
the  personal  direction  of  Captain  Oliver 
H.  Perry,  the  boats  dashed  in,  and  the 
troops  effected  a  landing.^ 

While  the  army  and  the  squadron 
were  thus  employed,  other  circumstan- 
ces were  transpiring,  which  rendered 
great  service  in  securing  the  objects  of 
the  expedition.  While  some  boats  were 
descending  the  river,  on  the  day  pre- 
ceding the  movement  referred  to,  a  fire 
had  been  opened  on  them  from  Fort 
George ;  and  as  it  was  returned  from 
Fort  Niagara,  on  the  east  bank  of  the 
river,  a  heavy  cannonade  ensued.®  It 
is  said,  by  British  authorities,*  that  the 
supply  of  powder  in  Fort  George  was 
limited,  and  that  in  consequence  the 
fire  could  not  be  returned  with  proper 
spirit;  but,  whether  or  not  this  state- 
ment is  correct,  we  have  no  official  evi- 
dence concerning  it.  It  is  true,  how- 
ever, that  while  Fort  Niagara  suffered 
no  injury,  the  block-houses  and  wooden 
buildings  within  Fort  George,  as  well 
as  the  fort  itself,  were  "  considerably 
injured."^ 

When  tlie  boats  approached  the 
shore,  as  before  mentioned,  the  advance 
of  the  enemy's  force — consisting  of  de- 
tachments   from    the    Glengarry    and 


1  Com.  Chauncey  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  May  28 ;  Brecken- 
ridge,  p.  127  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  163. — "^  Mansfield's  Scott,  p. 
79;  Cooper,  il.  p.  163.—'  Auchinleck's  Hist.,  p.  157; 
James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  pp.  151, 152  ;  Thomson's  Sketches, 
p.  130;  Breckenridge,  p.  127. — *  Auchinleck,  p.  157; 
James'  Military  Occurrences,  i.  p.  152. — '  James'  Military 
Occurrences,  i.  p.  152  ;  Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  130 ; 
Christie,  p.  106  ;  Breckenridge,  p.  127. 


Chap.  XLVIL] 


THE  CAPTURE  OF  FORT  GEORGE. 


233 


Newfoundland  regiments,  about  two 
hundred  in  number,  under  Captain 
Winter ;  and  forty  Indians  under  Nor- 
ton— which  occupied  a  point  of  wood 
and  a  ravine,  near  the  point  of  debark- 
ation— opened  a  fire,  and  opposed  the 
landing.^  With  considerable  spirit  the 
ground  was  disputed  by  this  handful  of 
men,  and  the  column  was  greatly  an- 
noyed as  it  advanced  ;  yet  the  fire  from 
the  vessels  soon  compelled  it  to  fall 
back  on  the  enemy's  left  column,  half  a 
mile  in  the  rear,  and  the  landing  was 
secured.^  The  left  column  of  the  ene- 
my's force,  which  had  been  posted  in 
another  ravine,  a  quarter  of  a  mile  in 
the  rear  of  the  advance,  was  composed 
of  three  hundred  and  twenty  men  from 
the  Eighth  regiment,  one  hundred  and 
fifty  militia,  and  a  detachment  of  the 
Royal  artillery,  with  two  or  three  field- 
pieces  ;  commanded  by  Colonel  Myers, 
the  Deputy  Quartermaster-general  of 
the  army ;  and,  when  the  advance  gave 
way,  it  was  moved  forward  to  support 
it,  and  to  oppose  the  progress  of  the 
Americans.^  Against  these  combined 
forces,  numbering  not  less  than  eight 
hundred  men,*  well  posted  on  the  sum- 
mit of  a  precipitous  bank,  the  American 
a-dvance  was  compelled  to  move ;  and, 
as  it  climbed  up  the  bank,  three  several 
times  it  was  compelled  to  fall  back  be- 
fore it  reached  the  summit.^    At  length, 

'  Breckenridge,  p.  128;  ITiomson's  Sketches,  p.  131; 
Gen.  Vincent  to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  May  28 ;  James'  Mil. 
Occur.,  i.  p.  154. — '  Gen.  Vincent  to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  May 
28 ;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  pp.  154,  155. — '  Gen.  Vincent 
to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  May  28 ;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  156. 

*  Mr.  James  (Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  156)  says  it  numbered 
' '  about  six  hundred  men ; ' '  but  a  simple  addition  of  his  own 
figures  will  show  his  error. — 'Mansfield's  Scott,  p.  80; 
Roger's  Rise  of  Canada,  i.  p.  213  ;  Christie,  p.  106  ;  James' 
Mil.  Occur.,  i.  pp.  156,  167  ;•  Auchinleck,  p.  157. 
Vol.  II.  -30 


supported  by  Colonel  Porter's  light- 
artillery  and  part  of  General  Boyd's 
brigade.  Colonel  Scott  secured  the 
bank,  after  a  most  desperate  conflict^ — 
the  brave  commander  (Myers)  and  one 
hundred  and  fourteen  of  the  advance, 
six  officers  and  one  hundred  and  ninety- 
eight  men  of  the  Eighth  regiment,  and 
five  officers  and  eighty  men  of  the  mi- 
litia, killed  or  wounded,  bearing  testi- 
mony, not  less  to  the  gallantry  of  the 
attack,  than  to  the  obstinacy  of  the 
defence.^ 

Colonel  Scott  immediately  pursued 
the  enemy  as  far  as  the  village  of 
Newark  (or  Niagarct)^  from  whence 
the  rifiemen  and  light-troops  were  de- 
tached, and  sent  forward  to  cut  off  the 
retreat  of  the  enemy  towards  Burlington 
Heights;*  while  another  detachment, 
led  by  Colonel  Scott,  advanced  to- 
wards Fort  George,  in  which  a  small 
party  of  fifty  men  from  the  Forty-ninth, 
and  eighty  militia,  had  been  left  in  the 
morning.^ 

The  day  had  been  contested  and 
lost ;  and  Brigadier-general  Vincent — 
the  commander  of  the  post — justly  con- 
sidered that  any  farther  opposition 
would  not  only  be  useless,  but  "the 
height  of  rashness."®  He  resolved, 
therefore,  to  concentrate  his  foi'ces  at 
the  Beaver-dams ;  and,  for  this  pur- 
pose, he  ordered  Lieutenant  Bisshopp 
to  evacuate  Fort  Erie,  Major  Ormsby 
to    abandon    Chippewa,   and  the  little 

'  Gen.  Dearborn  to  Sec.  of  War,  May  27  ;  Armstrong's 
Notices,  i.  p.  134  ;  Mansfield's  Scott,  p.  80  ;  Christie,  p. 
106;  Perkins'  War,  p.  251. — ''James'  Mil.  Occur.,  1.  p. 
157. — '  Mansfield's  Scott,  p.  80. — *  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i. 
p.  158. — 'Mansfield's  Scott,  p.  80;  James'  Mil.  Occur., 
i.  p.  158. — °  Auchinleck,  p.  157  ;  Christie,  p.  106  ;  Arm- 
strong's Notices,  i.  p.  134. 


234 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


party  within  the  fort,  after  setting  fire 
to  its  magazine,  to  join  the  main  body  ;^ 
while,  without  molestation,  he  marched 
thither  with  the  remnants  of  his  com- 
mand. 

In  the  mean  time  Colonel  Scott  ap- 
proached the  fort ;  and  when  the  head 
of  the  column  had  approached  within 
"some  eighty  paces"  the  magazine  ex- 
ploded. A  heavy  piece  of  timber  struck 
him,  throwing  him  from  his  horse,  and 
severely  bruising  him  ;  yet  he  summon- 
ed sufficient  strength  to  remount,  and, 
after  forcing  open  the  gate  of  the  fort, 
was  the  first  to  enter  it,^  and,  with  his 
own  hands,  he  struck  the  enemy's  colors 
and  hoisted  those  of  his  own  country.^ 

As  the  fort  had  been  rendered  un- 
tenable by  the  fire  from  Fort  Niagara, 
its  capture  was  the  work  of  but  a  very 
few  minutes ;  and  the  detachment  which 
occupied  it  surrendered  itself  prisoners 
of  war.^ 

Having  thus  secured  the  fort,  the 
Colonel  thirsted  for  still  greater  honors ; 
and,  disregarding  the  orders  of  General 
Lewis,  he  pressed  forward  in  pursuit 
of  the  retreating  enemy.  Two  aids- 
de-camp — Lieutenant  William  Jenkins 
Worth  (since  the  lamented  Major-gen- 

'  Anchinleck,  p.  157  ;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  158. 

^  Mansfield's  Scott,  p.  81 ;  Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  132. 

'  Mansfield's  Scott,  p.  81.  Mr.  Thomson  (Sketches,  p. 
132)  says,  "Capt.  Hindman  succeeded  in  taking  the  flag 
which  the  enemy  left  flying,"  &c. ;  but  I  have  preferred 
the  statement  of  Mansfield. 

*  James'  Military  Occurrences,  i.  p.  158. 


eral  Worth)  and  Major  Yande venter — 
were  sent  after  him,  with  positive  or- 
ders for  his  return,  and  yet  he  pressed 
forward,  with  the  main  body  of  the 
enemy  full  in  sight,  and  with  every 
prospect  of  a  most  triumphant  success. 
At  this  moment  General  Boyd,  in  per- 
son, overtook  him,  and,  no  longer  disre- 
garding the  positive  orders  of  a  superior, 
on  the  fields  he  countermarched  and  un- 
willingly returned  to  the  main  body.^ 

The  strength  of  the  enemy  has  been 
noticed  already :  that  of  the  Americans 
was  about  six  thousand  men,^  although 
not  more  than  one-fifth  of  the  land 
forces  were  employed  in  this  action — 
the  advance.  Colonel  Porter's  light- ar- 
tillery, and  part  of  General  Boyd's 
brigade,  having  been  alone  engaged.^ 
The  loss  of  the  enemy,  also,  has  been 
referred  to  :*  that  of  the  Americans  was 
seventeen  killed,  and  forty-five  wound- 
ed.^ Among  the  trophies  of  this  im- 
portant victory  were  three  hundred  and 
sixty-six  regulars  and  five  hundred  and 
seven  militia,  prisoners  of  war.® 


[Note. — The  Dispatches  of  Gen.  Dearborn  to  Sec.  of 
War  ;  of  Com.  Chauncey  to  Sec.  of  Navy  ;  and  of  Gen. 
Vincent  to  Sir  Geo.  Prevost,  which  had  been  provided  for 
the  illustration  of  this  chapter,  have  been  omitted  by  the 
Publishers  for  want  of  room.] 

'  Mansfield's  Scott,  p.  81 ;  Armstrong's  Notices,  i.  p. 
134. — 2  Armstrong's  Notices,  i.  p.  133;  James'  Military 
Occurrences,  i.  p.  153 ;  Ingersoll's  War,  i.  p.  280. 

'  Vide  p.  233.—*  Ibid. 

'  Gen.  Dearborn  to  Secretary  of  War,  May  27. 

'  Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  133. 


I     i      I 


r      « 


^ 


fe^js^^^sss^  i;'-  ^?^j»    j£uf;\y>^^. 


CHAPTER     XLVIII. 


May  29,  J  §13. 

THE    ATTACK     ON     SACKETT'S     HARBOR,   N.Y, 


The  expedition  against  Fort  George 
and  other  posts  in  possession  of  the  ene- 
my, on  the  Niagara  frontier,  already 
referred  to/  having  rendered  necessary 
the  withdrawal  of  the  forces  from  Sack- 
ett's  Harboi',  the  commanders  of  the 
enemy's  land  and  naval  forces, — Sir 
George  Prevost  and  Sir  James  L.  Yeo, 
— who  were  then  at  Kingston,  organ- 
ized an  expedition  against  that  place.^ 
A  plan  which  was  bettei"  arranged,  or 
which  promised  more  success,  has  been 
seldom  seen  ;  and  it  is  a  remarkable 
fact,  that  while,  by  a  characteristic  blun- 
der, on  the  part  of  General  Dearborn, 
the  vilhige  was  left,  with  all  its  stores, 
with  but  a  nominal  guard,  by  a  simi- 
larly characteiistic  blunder,  on  the  part 
of  the  enemy,  the  advantage  which  was 
thus  opened  to  him,  was  unproductive 
of  any  success.  It  was  pre-eminently 
an  as'e  of  blunders,  and  the  northern 
frontiers  were  the  most  productive  of 
all  the  fields  of  operations — the  com- 
manders of  either  nation,  and  the  gov- 
ernments by  whom  they  were  respec- 
tively employed,  being  alike  inefficient 
and  improvident. 

Commodore  Yeo  had  recently  arrived 
at  Kingston,  with  a  strong  party  of  sea- 

1  Vide  Chap.  XLVII. — -  Auchinleck's  Hist,  of  War,  p. 
161  ;  Christie's  Military  and  Naval  Operations,  p.  107  ; 
Cooper's  Naval  History,  ii.  p.  165  ;  James'  Military  Oc- 
currences, i.  pp.  164,  165. 


men  and  officers  for  the  squadron  on 
Lake  Ontario  ;^  and  Sir  George  Prevost, 
who  had  accompanied  Sir  James  from 
Montreal,^  had  consented  to  join  him, 
with  a  strong  body  of  the  land-forces, 
in  the  projected  expedition.  Accord- 
ingly, on  the  2Yth  of  May,  the  troops 
embarked,  with  Sir  George  Prevost  at 
their  head  ;^  and  early  the  next  day 
the  squadron  weighed  anchor,  reaching 
Sackett's  Harbor  about  noon  on  the 
same  day.*  The  land-forces  which  were 
thus  employed  embraced  the  grenadier 
company  of  the  One  Hundredth  regi- 
ment, a  section  of  the  Royal  Scots,  two 
companies  of  the  Eighth  regiment,  four 
companies  of  the  One  Hundredth  and 
Fourth  regiment,  one  company  of  the 
Glengarry's,  two  companies  of  the  Ca- 
nadian Vol  tigeurs,  a  detachment  of  the 
Newfoundland  regiment,  and  one  from 
the  Royal  Artillery,  with  two  six- 
pounders,^  numbering,  in  the  aggregate, 
about  a  thousand  men.®  There  appears 
to  have  been  present,  also,  a  strong 
party  of  Indians,  notwithstanding  the 
enemy's  historians  have  carefully  ex- 
cluded  all  reference   to  them  in  their 

'  Auchinleck,  p.  161 ;  James,  i.  p.  161 ;  Chri.-tie,  p.  107. 

'  Christie,  p.  107;  Auchinleck,  p.  161  ;  Rogers'  Canada, 
i.  p.  215.—'  Christie,  p.  107.— ■*  Ibid.;  Auchinleck,  p.  162. 

'"General  Orders,"  signed,  "Edward  Baynes,  .4(/;'.- 
Gen.;"  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  165  ;  Auchinleck,  p.  162. 

°  Gen.  Brown  to  Gov.  Tompkins,  May  29  ;  Ingersoll's 
History  of  War,  i.  p.  280. 


236 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


enumeration  of  his  forces.^  The  squad- 
ron embraced  the  General  Wolfe^  of 
twenty-four  guns ;  the  Royal  George^ 
of  twenty-four  guns ;  the  Ea/rl  of  Moira^ 
of  eighteen  guns ;  and  four  schooners, 
mounting  from  ten  to  twelve  guns  each, 
with  two  gunboats  and  a  sufficient  num- 
ber of  batteaux  for  landing  the  troops.*^ 
The  village  of  Sackett's  Harbor  is 
situated  on  the  south  side  of  Black-river 
Bay,  near  the  foot  of  Lake  Ontario — 
being  a  post  village  in  the  town  of 
Houndsfield,  Jefferson  County,  New 
York.  The  harboi-,  which  is  well  shel- 
tered, is  small ;  and  from  its  northwest 
extremity  a  low  point  of  land,  called 
Navy  Point,  extends  into  the  lake.® 
Two  forts,  known  as  Fort  Pike  and 
Fort  Tompkins,  defended  the  village 
and  the  harbor ;  and,  at  the  time  of 
the  descent  under  consideration,  it  was 
garrisoned  with  detachments  from  the 
First  regiment  of  light-dragoons,  from 
the  light-artillery,  and  from  the  Ninth, 
Twenty-first,  and  Twenty-third  infantry, 
a  subaltern  and  eia^ht  men  from  the 
"  heavy-artillery,"  and  a  party  of  volun- 
teers from  Albany,  the  whole  number- 
ing, exclusive  of  the  volunteers,  seven 
hundred  and  eighty-seven  men,  inclu- 
ding officers,  commanded  by  Lieutenant- 
colonel  Backus  of  the  light-dragoons.* 
General  Dearborn  and  Colonel  Macomb, 
before  the  departure  of  the  forces  on  the 
expeditions  to  York  and  Fort  George, 
had  requested  Brigadier-general  Jacob 


'  James,  i.  p.  165.  Lieut.  Davi.s  {Hist,  of  War,  p.  68) 
says  there  were  three  hundred  Indians  present. 

"  James,  i.  p.  165  ;  Breclienridge's  Hist,  of  War,  p.  135  ; 
Rogers'  Canada,  i.  p.  215.—'  McCulIoch's  Geog.  Diet.,  ii. 
p.  736. — *  Report,  signed  "Thomas  Aspinwall,  3Iaj.  9th 
regiment,"  in  Wilkinson's  Memoirs,  i.  p.  582. 


Brown,  of  the  New  York  militia,  who 
resided  near  by,  to  assume  the  com- 
mand in  case  of  an  attack  by  the  ene- 
my;^ and  to  his  good  judgment,  not 
less  than  to  the  bravery  of  the  regular 
troops,  was  the  country  indebted  for 
the  success  which  subsequently  attend- 
ed the  American  arms  before  this  vil- 
lage. 

The  weather  was  remarkably  fine, 
and  after  the  enemy's  squadron  had 
stood  off  the  Harbor  a  sufficient  time 
to  enable  the  enemy  to  make  the  neces- 
sary reconnoissance,  the  troops  were  em- 
barked in  the  batteaux  and  boats  of  the 
squadron  and  every  thing  was  put  in 
readiness  to  land,  whenever  the  signal 
to  do  so  should  be  displayed  by  the 
commander-in-chief.  Notwithstanding 
the  promise  of  success  which  the  sur- 
prise of  the  little  garrison  appeared  to 
insure,  after  the  troops  had  occupied 
the  boats  about  half  an  hour,  orders 
were  issued  for  their  return  to  the  ship- 
ping; and,  with  similarly  remarkable 
affright,  the  squadron,  immediately  af- 
terwards, wore  and  stood  for  Kingston.^ 

While  thus  engaged  in  a  most  igno- 
minious "flight,  a  squadron  of  boats  was 
seen  near  the  shore,  in  the  distance ; 
and,  as  they  appeared  to  be  heading 
towards  Sackett's  Harbor,  it  was  prop- 
erly supposed  that  they  were  carrying  a 
reinforcement  to  the  garrison.  Among 
those  who  were  "  dissatisfied  at  being 
called  back  without  effecting  any  thing," 


"  Gen.  Brown  to  Sec.  of  War,  June  1 ;  Wilkinson's  Me- 
moirs, i.  p.  581 ;  Richards'  Memoir  of  Macomb,  p.  58. 

^  James,  i.  p.  165.  It  is  proper  to  remarlc  that  no  other 
author  alludes  to  this  retreat ;  yet  the  character  of  Mr. 
James,  as  a  faithful  and  industrious  author,  leads  me  to 
respect  his  statements. 


Chap.  XLVin.]        THE  ATTACK  ON  SACKETT'S  HARBOR,  N.  Y. 


237 


"particularly  as  their  unsophisticated 
minds  could  devise  no  reason  for  aban- 
doning the  enterprise,"  were  the  Indian 
allies  of  His  Britannic  Majesty,  already 
referred  to ;  and  no  sooner  had  they 
seen  the  squadron  of  boats  than  they 
"  fearlessly  paddled  back  to  attack 
them."^  Whether  the  zeal  of  the  al- 
lies shamed  Sir  George  and  his  com- 
mand does  not  certainly  appear ;  yet  it 
is  certain  that  the  boats  were  sent  out, 
again,  from  the  squadron,  and  co-oper- 
ated with  the  Indians  in  tlieir  enter- 
prise against  the  American  boats,  and 
assisted  in  driving  ashore,  and  capturing 
twelve  of  them,  with  about  seventy 
dragoons,  who  formed  part  of  the  force 
which  had  been  on  board  of  them^ — 
seven  boats  only,  of  the  squadron,  es- 
caping into  Sackett's  Harbor.^ 

Encouraged  by  this  unexpected  suc- 
cess Sir  Geoi-ge  Prevost  appears  to  have 
reconsidered  his  determination  to  retire 
■ — in  which  he  had  been  opposed,  from 
the  beginning,  by  Sir  James  Yeo  and 
the  officers  of  the  army — and  the  squad- 
ron stood  back  towards  the  Harbor.  A 
change  of  the  wind,  however,  prevented 
it  fi'om  comino^  within  six  miles  of  the 
point  which  it  had  reached  in  the  fore- 
noon, and  nothing  was  done  during  the 
remainder  of  the  day.* 

In  the  mean  time  an  alarm  had  been 
raised ;  and  five  hundred  militia  from 
the  neighboring  towns  had  reached  the 
village,^  and  were  posted  behind  a  sharp 


1  James,  i.  p.  166. — ^  Wilkinson's  Memoirs,  i.  p.  582 ; 
Cooper,  ii.  p.  165  ;  James,  i.  p.  166  ;  Christie,  p.  108  ; 
Breckenridge,  p.  136. — '  James,  i.  p.  166  ;  Thomson's 
Sketches,  p.  141.— *  James,  i.  p.  166.— '  Gen.  Brown  to 
Sec.  of  War,  June  1  ;  Wilkinson's  Mem.,  i.  p.  582  ;  Per- 
kins' Hist,  of  War,  p.  250  ;  Armstrong's  Notices,  i.  p.  144. 


ridge  of  sand  and  gravel,  which  had 
been  thrown  up  some  distance  west 
from  the  village ;  the  volunteers,  be- 
fore referred  to,  being  formed  on  their 
right,  with  a  six-pounder  on  their  left.-^ 
This  position  was  selected,  from  the 
fact  that  a  landing  would  be  more  prob- 
able at  this  place  than  any  other ;  and 
the  result  proved  that  the  supposition 
was  well  founded.^  At  the  same  time 
the  regular  troops,  under  Lieutenant- 
colonel  Backus,  were  formed  in  front  of 
their  camp,^  a  mile  distant  from  the 
militia,  between  whom  and  the  former 
was  a  thick  wood.* 

At  an  early  hour  in  the  morning  the 
enemy  debarked  his  troops;^  and,  be- 
fore day,  the  boats  approached  the 
shore  under  cover  of  two  gunboats, 
commanded  by  Captain  Mulcaster  of 
the  Boyal  na^"y.®  As  they  approached 
the  spot  where  the  militia  and  volun- 
teers were  concealed,  the  latter  rose, 
and  threw  into  the  boats  a  scattering 
fire,^  which  was  returned  by  the  gun- 
boats, under  Captain  Mulcaster;^  while 
the  enemy's  boats  pulled  around  to  the 
other  side  of  Horse  Island,  and  there 
landed,  with  but  little  loss,  although  it 
was  executed  in  the  face  of  the  militia, 
who  were  posted  on  the  other  side  of 
the  cove.'     Forming  his  party  as  quick- 


'  Col.  Baynes  to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  May  30  ;  Gen.  Brown 
to  Sec.  of  War,  June  1  ;  Wilkinson's  Memoirs,  i.  p.  583 
Christie,  p.  108. — "^  Gen.  Brown  to  Sec.  of  War,  June  1 
Perkins,  p.  249. — '  Gen.  Brown  to  Sec.  of  War,  June  1 
Wilkinson,  1.  p.  683. — *  Wilkinson,  i.  p.  583  ;  Col.  Baynes 
to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  May  30.—'  Col.  Baynes  to  Sir  G.  Pre- 
vost, May  80 ;  James,  1.  p.  169. — °  Col.  Baynes  to  Sir  G. 
Prevost,  May  30  ;  Gen.  Brown  to  Gov.  Tompkins,  May  29. 

■"  Col.  Baynes  to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  May  30  ;  Christie,  p. 
108. — *  "The  gunboats  iffa'cTi  Aac?  covered  our  landing,"  &c. — 
Col.  Baynes  Dispatch.  Rogers'  Canada,  i.  p.  216.—'  Col. 
Baynes  to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  May  30 ;  Wilkinson,  i.  p.  583- 


238 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


ly  as  possible,  with  the  grenadiers  of 
the  One  Hundredth  in  front,  Colonel 
Baynes — who  commanded  the  descent 
— moved  over  the  narrow  causeway 
whicli  connects  Horse  Island  with  the 
mainland ;  and,  with  the  greatest  gal- 
lantry, they  advanced  against  the 
American  troops.'^  As  they  approach- 
ed, the  militia  rose,  fired  a  scattering 
volley,  and,  without  farther  resistance, 
fled,  hj  a  bridle-path,  into  the  woods, 
leaving  behind  them  the  six-ponnder 
which  covered  their  left  flank.^  At  the 
urgent  solicitation  of  General  Brown, 
about  eighty  of  the  militia,  under  Cap- 
tain McKnitt,  took  post  behind  a  large 
fallen  tree,  in  the  rear  of  a  small  open 
field,  aud  gave  the  enemy  three  or  four 
volleys  ;  but,  being  pressed  by  superior 
numbers,  they  were  compelled  to  retire, 
with  the  General^  after  their  compan- 
ions.^ 

While,  on  the  left,  the  militia  were 
thus  disgracing  themselves,  by  their 
shameful  desertion  of  their  colors,  the 
Albauy  Volunteers,  on  the  right  of  the 
line,  manfully  stood  their  ground  uutil 
they  were  overpowered  by  numbers;* 
when  they  slowly  retired  by  way  of  a 
wagon-i-oad  on  the  bank  of  the  lake, 
skirmishing  with  the  advance  of  the 
enemy,  as  they  retreated.^     In  this  they 

'  Col.  Biiynes  to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  May  30 ;  James,  i.  p. 
168;  Christie,  p.  108.—=  Gen.  Biown  to  Sec.  of  War, 
June  1 ;  Col.  Baynes  to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  May  30  ;  Wilkin- 
son, i.  p.  583  ;  Perkins,  i.  p.  250 ;  James,  i.  p.  168. 

'  Gen.  Brown  to  Sec.  of  War,  June  1 ;  Wilkinson,  i.  p. 
583  ;  Perkins,  p.  250  ;  James,  i.  p.  169  ;  Christie,  p.  108. 
As  this  is  the  last  of  Gen.  Brown's  services,  during  the  ac- 
tion, it  is  difficult  to  conceive  why  he  was  considered  the 
hero  of  the  day  ;  and  especially  since  Lieut.-Col.  Backus 
and  Lieut.-Col.  Mills  commanded  the  only  troops  who 
stood  their  ground. 

^  Col.  Baynes  to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  May  SO  ;  Wilkinson,  1. 
p.  584.—'  Wilkinson,  i.  p.  584  ;  James,  i.  p.  170. 


were  supported  by  small  parties  of 
regulars  who  were  sent  out  by  Lieu- 
tenant-colonel Backus,  for  that  pur- 
pose ;^  and  the  enemy  suffered  severely, 
notwithstanding  the  gunboats  and  light 
vessels  of  his  squadron  scoured  the 
woods  through  which  the  volunteers 
were  retirinof.^ 

When  the  assailants  had  passed  the 
wood  they  displayed,  and  moved  for- 
ward against  the  I'egular  troops,  which 
awaited  their  approach,  and  against  the 
volunteers,  who  had  already  so  faithful- 
ly resisted  them,  and  afterwards  fallen 
into  the  line  on  the  left  of  the  regulars. 
The  I'ight  of  the  line  was  occupied  by 
the  dismounted  light-dragoons ;  the  left 
by  the  volunteei-s,  already  referred  to ; 
and  the  centre  by  the  infantry  and  artil- 
lery ;  while  the  guns  on  Fort  Tompkins 
were  brought  to  bear  on  the  advancing 
columns  of  the  enemy.  Encouraged  by 
the  successful  termination  of  their  at- 
tack on  the  militia,  the  enemy  pressed 
forward  aa^ainst  the  extreme  of  this  line 
— probably  with  the  hope  of  turning 
the  flank  of  the  American  line — but  he 
was  hurled  back  by  the  gallant  dra- 
goons, with  considerable  loss.  Like  the 
waves  of  the  ocean  on  a  lee  shore,  again 
and  again  the  enemy's  column  dashed 
against  the  American  lines,  but  Lieu- 
tenant-colonel Backus  and  his  command 
stood  firm,  and  every  movement  of  the 
veteran  assailants  was  successfully  op- 
posed.^ 

At  length,  after  an  hour's  conflict, 
the  superiority  of  numbers  in  the  ene- 
my's column  had  begun  to  oppress  the 


'  Wilkinson,  i.  p.  584.— '  Col.  Baynes  to  Sir  G.  Prevost, 
May  30.—'  Wilkinson,  i.  p.  584. 


Chap.  XL VIII.]        THE  ATTACK  ON  SACKETT'S  HARBOR,  N.  Y. 


239 


Americans,  and  a  successful  termination 
of  his  efforts  began  to  be  looked  for, 
A  portion  of  the  Americans  had  fallen 
back  into  a  log-barracks  near  by ;  ^  and 
Lieutenant  Chauncey,  influenced  by  er- 
roneous information,  had  set  on.  fire  the 
new  ship  General  Pike^  which  was  near- 
ly ready  to  be  launched ;  while  orders 
had  been  sent  to  set  on  fire,  also,  the 
store -houses,  the  barracks,  and  the 
schooner  Dulce  of  Gloucester^  which 
had  been  captured  at  York,  a  few  days 
before.^  At  this  moment  Sir  George 
Prevost,  who  was  in  the  rear,  appears 
to  have  been  suddenly  impressed  with 
the  knowledge  that  there  was  "  no  ob- 
ject within  his  reach,  to  attain,  that 
could  compensate  for  the  loss  he  was 
momentarily  sustaining  from  the  heavy 
fire  of  the  American  cannon,"^  and  a 
retrograde  movement  was  ordered;* 
and  soon  afterwards  the  troops,  "leis- 
urely, and  in  perfect  order,"  returned 
to  their  boats  and  the  squadron ;  ^  leav- 
ing behind  them,  however,  their  dead 
and  wounded.® 

As  quickly  as  possible,  after  the  re- 
treat of  the  enemy,  the  flames  which 
had  been  set  to  the  shipping  and  other 

'  Wilkinson,  i.  p.  584  ;  James,  i.  p.  170. 

'  Col.  Baynes  to  Sir  Gr.  Prevost,  May  30  ;  Letter  from 
an  officer,  in  ''The  War,"  1.  p.  212;  Perkins,  p.  2-50; 
Cooper,  ii.  p.  166  ;  James,  i.  p.  170  ;  Davis,  p.  69  ;  Arm- 
strong, i.  p.  147. 

'  Col.  Baynes  to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  May  30 ;  Christie,  p. 
109.  It  has  been  stated  that  Sir  George  considered  an 
immediate  retreat  necessary,  from  the  fact  that  Gen. 
Brown  was  returning,  with  the  militia,  through  the 
bridle-path,  to  cut  off  his  retreat.  As  this  would  have 
been  a  plausible  excuse,  which  was  not  employed,  for  the  re- 
treat ;  as  a  different  cause  was  assigned  by  Col.  Baynes  ;  and 
as  Gen.  Brown  does  not  allude  to  any  such  movement,  1 
have  disci'edited  the  statement. 

*  Col.  Baynes  to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  May  30.—'  Ibid. 

°  James,  i.  p.  173  ;  Ingersoll,  i.  p.  281  ;  Armstrong,  i. 
p.  147  ;  Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  145. 


property  were  extinguished,  but  not 
until  large  quantities  of  stores — princi- 
pally those  which  had  been  captured 
at  York — had  been  consumed.  The 
General  Pike^  owing  to  the  unseasoned 
wood  of  which  she  was  constructed,  was 
but  little  injured.^ 

Soon  afterwards  Sir  George  Prevost 
sent  a  flasr  to  the  villasre  demandins^  its 

o  o  o 

surrender;  but,  as  might  have  been 
reasonably  expected,  the  demand  was 
peremptorily  refused  ;  and  the  squad- 
ron returned  to  Kingston.^ 

In  this  remarkable  action  the  ene- 
my lost  Captain  Gray,  Acting  Deputy 
Quartermaster-general,  and  forty-seven 
men,  hilled  '  Majors  Evans,  Drummond, 
and  Moody,  Captains  Blackmore,  Tythe, 
Leonard,  Shore,  and  McPherson,  Lieu- 
tenants Nutal,  Lowry,  Rainford,  Moore, 
and  Delancy,  Ensigns  Greig  and  Mat- 
thewson,  and  one  hundred  and  ninety- 
four  men,  woimded:^  that  of  the  Amer- 
icans was  twenty  regulars,  one  volun- 
teer, and  Colonel  Mills,  and  about 
twenty-five  militia,  Tcilled  '  Lieutenant- 
colonel  Backus,  three  lieutenants,  one 
ensign,  and  seventy-nine  men,  ivounded: 
and  thirty-six  missing} 

On  the  conduct  of  Sir  George  Pre- 
vost British  authors  have  been  strongly 
and  properly  severe;^  while,  on  the 
same  subject,  a  careful  writer  of  those 
times,  on  the  American  side,  has  used 

■  James,  i.  p.  172. — "  Letter  from  an  officer,  in  "  The 
War,"  ii.  p.  212  ;  Breckenridge,  p.  138  ;  Thomson's 
Sketches,  p.  146.  Gen.  Brown  (Letter  to  Gov.  Tompkins, 
May  29)  speaks  of  a  flag,  bearing  a  message  concerning 
the  killed  and  wounded ;  but  he  does  not  allude  to  the 
summons. — '  Returns  appended  to  Col.  Baynes'  report  to 
Sir  G.  Prevost,  May  30. — *  Returns  appended  to  Gen. 
Brown's  report  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  June  1. 

'  James,  1.  pp.  173-177  ;  Auchinleck,  pp.  161-168  ; 
Christie,  p.  110;  Rogers'  Canada,  i.  pp.  216,  217. 


240 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


the  following  just  and  very  appropriate 
language:^ 

"  Had  the  result  of  the  expedition 
against  Sackett's  Harbor  been  of  that 
character  of  unparalleled  brilliancy 
which  would  have  entitled  it  to  the 
encomiums  of  its  commander,  and  to 
the  wai-mest  admiration  of  the  Brit- 
ish nation,  its  effects  would  have  been 
long  and  deplorably  felt  by  the  Ameri- 
can government.  Immense  quantities 
of  naval  and  military  stores,  which  had 
been  from  time  to  time  collected  at  that 
depot ;  the  frames  and  timbers  which 
had  been  prepared  for  the  construction 
of  vessels  of  war,  and  the  rigging  and 
armaments  which  had  been  forwarded 
thither  for  their  final  equipment;  as 
well  as  all  the  array  clothing,  camp 
equipage,  provisions,  ammunition,  and 
implements  of  war,  which  had  been 
previously  captured  from  the  enemy, 
would  have  fallen  into  his  hands.  The 
destruction  of  the  batteries,  the  ship 
then  on  the  stocks,  the  extensive  can- 
tonments, and  the  public  arsenal,  would 
have  retarded  the  building  of  another 


naval  force,  and  that  which  was  already 
on  the  lake,  in  separate  detachments, 
could  have  been  intercepted  in  its  at- 
tempt to  return,  and  might  have  been 
captured  in  detail.  The  prize  vessel, 
which  was  then  lying  in  the  harbor, 
and  which  had  been  taken  by  the 
Americans,  and  the  two  United  States' 
schooners,  would  have  been  certainly 
recaptured,  and  the  whole  energies  of 
the  American  government,  added  to 
their  most  vigorous  and  unwearied 
sti'uggles,  might  never  again  have  at- 
tained any  prospect  of  an  ascendency 
on  the  lake.  As  it  proved,  however, 
all  these  impending  evils  were  averted, 
and  the  wisdom  of  the  commanding 
officer,  and  the  invincible  firmness  of 
those  of  his  troops  who  withstood  the 
brunt  of  the  action,  converted  that  event 
into  a  splendid  victory,  which  would 
otherwise  have  been  an  irretrievable 
disaster." 


[Note. — The  Dispatches  of  Gen.  Brown  to  the  Sec.  of 
War,  and  Col.  Baynes  to  Sir  Geo.  Prevost,  which  had  been 
supplied  for  the  illustration  of  this  chapter,  have  been 
omitted  by  the  Publishers  for  want  of  room.] 


CHAPTER    XLIX 

June  1,  1813. 

THE     LOSS     OF     THE     CHESAPEAKE, 


The  frigate  Chesapeake  having  re- 
turned to  Boston  from  a  long  but  un- 
successful cruise,  and  thereby  estab- 
lished her  character  as  an  "unlucky 
ship,"^  she   was   refitted,  and,  late   in 


■  Thomson's  Sketches,  pp.  147,  148. 
'  Washington  Irving' s  Memoir  of  Capt.  Lawrence  (Ana- 
leclic  Mag.,  ii.  p.  136);  Cooper's  Naval  History,  ii.  p.  101. 


May,  1813,  was  again  ready  for  sea.^ 
At  this  time  the  harbor  of  Boston  was 
blockaded  by  a  squadron  of  the  ene- 
my's vessels ;  and  when  it  was  under- 
stood that  the  Chesapeahe  was  ready, 
one  of  that  squadron,  the  Shannon^  of" 

»  Auchinleck's  History  of  War,  p.  137  ;   Perkins'  His- 
tory of  War,  p.  176  ;  Cooper's  Naval  History,  ii.  p.  102. 


Chap.  XLIX.] 


THE  LOSS  OF  THE  CHESAPEAKE. 


241 


thirty-eight  guns,  commanded  by  Cap- 
tain Philip  Bowes  Vera  Broke,  appeared 
in  the  offing  and  courted  an  engage- 
ment.^ To  insure  such  a  result,  on  the 
first  of  June  Captain  Broke  addressed  a 
letter  to  "  the  Commander  of  the  United 
States  frigate  CTiesapeake^''  in^ating  him 
to  a  single  combat,  "  ship  to  ship,  to  try 
the  fortune  of  their  respective  flags  ;"^ 
and,  after  clearing  his  ship  for  action, 
laid  to,  off  the  Boston  Light-house,  and 
awaited  the  answer.^ 

At  the  period  in  question  the  Chesa- 
peaTce  mounted  twenty-eight  long-eigh- 
teens  on  the  main-deck,  sixteen  thirty- 
two-pound  carronades  on  the  quarter- 
deck, and  four  of  the  latter  and  a  long 
eighteen-pounder  on  the  forecastle — for- 
ty-nine guns  in  all.*  Her  crew  had  been 
recently  enlisted,  a  considerable  number 
were  considerably  disaffected  from  some 
supposed  irregularity  concerning  prize- 
money;  and  all  had  been  on  board  so 
short  a  time,  that  the  officers  had  not 
acquired  any  of  that  influence  over  them 
which  a  more  extended  term  of  service 
has  never  failed  to  insure.^  Captain 
James  Lawrence,  her  commander,  had 
taken  the  command  of  her  with  great 
reluctance;*  her  first-lieutenant  (O.  A. 
Page)  was  on  shore,  sick ;  her  third  and 

'  Mem.  of  Sir  P.  B.  V.  Broke,  ia  the  Naval  Chronicle, 
sxxiii.  pp.  15,  16  ;  Irving's  Mem.  of  Capt.  Lawrence 
(Analectic  Mag.,  ii.  p.  136) ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  102  ;  Com.  Bain- 
bridge  to  Secretary  of  Navy,  June  2,  1813. 

^  This  "challenge"  was  landed  at  Salem,  and  mailed, 
thence,  to  Boston,  arriving  at  that  place  after  the  action. 
It  may  be  found  in  the  Naval  Chronicle,  xxx.  pp.  413,  414 
(London,  1813),  and  in  James'  Naval  Occurrences,  Ap- 
pendix, No.  36. — '  Mem.  of  P.  B.  V.  Broke  ;  James'  Naval 
Occur.,  p.  213. — *  James'  Naval  Occurrences,  p.  231. 

°  Irving's  Mem.  of  Capt.  Lawrence  {Analectic  Mag.,  ii.  pp. 
36,  37) ;  Cooper,  ii.  pp.  102, 103.—°  Irving's  Mem.  of  Capt. 
Lawrence  (Analectic  Mag.,  ii.  p.  L36) ;  Sketches  of  the  War, 
p.  298 ;  Capt.  Lawrence  to  Capt.  Biddle,  May  27,  1813. 
Vol.  II.— 31 


fourth  lieutenancies  were  filled  with  mid- 
shipmen ;  and  a  greater  proportion  than 
usual  were  landsmen.^  The  Sliannon^ 
on  the  contrary,  was  manned  with  a 
a  picked  and  experienced  crew,  whose 
confidence  in  its  officers  had  been  pro- 
duced by  long  service  under  their  com- 
mand ;  and  every  conceivable  prepara- 
tion which  could  be  devised  had  been 
made  to  insure  success  in  an  action,  in 
which  the  honor  of  the  flas'  and  that  of 
the  individual  were  the  controlling  mo- 
tives.^ 

When  Captain  Lawrence  saw  the 
movements  of  the  Shannon  he  under- 
stood their  import,  and  decided  .to  ac- 
cept the  proffered  meeting,^  In  this 
rash  determination  he  was  earnestly 
opposed  by  many  experienced  officers, 
who  knew  and  properly  appreciated 
the  disadvantages  under  which  the 
CTiesa])ecike  would  meet  the  Shannon^ 
in  such  an  encounter ;  *  but,  influenced 
by  an  irresistible,  if  not  an  intemperate 
zeal,  he  disregarded  their  arguments 
and  their  entreaties,  and  rushed  madly 
to  the  destruction  which  stared  him  in 
the  face. 

With  this  intent,  after  temporizing 
with  his  disaffected  crew,  by  giving 
checks  for  its  demands,  he  addressed  it 
in  a  short  speech;^  and  endeavored  to 
enlist  its  sympathies  by  raising  three 
ensigns,  on  different  parts  of  his  rig- 
ging,^ and  the  white  burgee,  on  which 


'  Irving's  Mem.  of  Capt.  Lawrence  (Analectic  Mag.,  ii.  p. 
137) ;  Perkins,  p.  176  ;  The  Boston  Palladium,  cited  in 
"The  War,"  i.  p.  214. — ^  Irving's  Mem.  of  Capt.  Lawrence 
(Analectic  Mag.,  ii.  p.  136).—'  Ibid.;  Sketches  of  the  War, 
p.  298  ;  Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  197. — "  Irving's  Mem.  of 
Capt.  Lawrence  [Analectic  Mag.,  ii.  pp.  137,  233). 

^  Ibid.,  p.  138  ;  Sketches  of  the  War,  p.  293. 

'  Capt.  Broke' s  Dispatch,  June  6. 


242 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


was  inscribed  the  motto,  '•'•Free  trade 
and  sailors'  riglits  '"''^'^  but  in  this,  also, 
he  was  quite  unsnccessfuL  He  had  not 
]-eceived  Captain  Brokers  letter  of  chal- 
lenge;^ but  understanding  the  purpose 
of  his  movements,  at  noon,  on  the  first 
of  June,  Captain  Lawrence  weighed  an- 
chor and  stood  down  the  bay,  with  a 
pleasant  breeze  from  the  southwest.*  As 
the  Chesajjeake  approached  the  Shan- 
non^ the  latter  stood  off,  under  easy 
sail;*  and  thus,  until  half-past  four  in 
the  afternoon,  the  two  ships  moved  far- 
ther from  the  shore.  At  that  time  Cap- 
tain Lawi-ence  fired  a  gun,  and  the 
SJmniwn  hove  to,  with  her  head  to 
the  southeastward.^  The  breeze  havinof 
freshened,  at  five  o'clock  the  Cliesa- 
peal:e  took  in  her  royals  and  topgallant 
sails;®  and  at  half-past  five  she  hauled 
up  her  coui'ses.'''  At  this  time  the  two 
ships  were  about  thirty  miles  from  the 
light-house;®  the  Slmnnon  under  single- 
reefed  topsails  and  jib,  and  the  Chesa- 
jpeaTce^  under  her  topsails  and  jib,  com- 
ing down  fast.® 

Captain  Lawrence,  as  the  Cliesa/peake 


1  living's  Mem.  of  Capt.  Lawrence  {Analectic  Mag.,  ii.  p. 
137) ;  Ancliinleck,  p.  138  ;  Sketches  of  the  War,  p.  293  ; 
James'  Naval  Occur  ,  p.  215. — "  Irving' s  Mem.  of  Capt. 
Lawrence  (Analectic  3Iag.,  ii.  p.  137) ;  Aiichinleck,  p.  138 ; 
Cooper,  ii.  p.  102  ;  Breckenridge's  History  of  War,  p.  164. 

'  Lieut.  Budd  to  Secretary  of  Navy,  June  15  ;  Testi- 
mony of  Lieut.  Budd  in  Court-martial  on  Lieut.  Cox, 
April  16,  1814;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  103;  Com.  Bainbridge  to 
Secretary  of  Navy,  June  2. 

*  Ancliinleck,  p.  138;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  103;  Perkins,  p. 
176  ;  Sketches  of  the  War,  p.  293  ;  James'  Naval  Occur., 
p.  214. — '  Lieut.  Budd  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  June  15  ;  Auchin- 
leck.  p.  138;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  103;  Thomson's  Sketches,  p. 
197. — "  Lieut.  Budd  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  June  15  ;  Auchin- 
leck,  p.  138  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  103  ;  Capt.  Broke's  Dispatch, 
June  6. — ''  Lieut.  Budd  to  Sec.  of  Navj',  June  15  ;  Cooper, 
ii.  p.  103. — °  <;<  oper,  ii.  p.  103.  James  (Naval  Occurrences, 
p.  214)  says  they  were  six  leagues  from  the  light-house. 

°  Cooper,  ii.  p.  103. 


approached  the  Shannon^  decided  to  lay 
the  enemy  alongside,  yard-arm  to  yard- 
arm  ;  and  for  this  purpose  he  luffed  and 
ranged  up  abeam,  on  the  Sliannoii^s 
starboard  quarter.^  As  the  guns  of  the 
latter  ship  were  brought  to  bear,  com- 
mencing with  her  cabin  guns,  she  threw 
in  a  fire ;  but  the  Cliesapealce  did  not 
return  it  until  hei'  entire  broadside  bore 
on  the  enemy,  when  she  commenced 
the  action  AAath  great  effect.^  While 
passing  the  enemy's  broadside  the  Ches- 
apealce  had  her  fore-topsail  tie  and  her 
jib-sheet  shot  away ;  and,  at  the  same 
time,  her  spanker-brails  were  loosened, 
and  the  sail  blew  out.®  The  effect  of 
this  slight  damage  was  speedily  appa- 
rent ;  and,  after  the  action  had  contin- 
ued a  few  minutes,  the  ship  was  brought 
up  into  the  wind,  got  sternway,  and  fell 
al)oard  the  Shannon — her  mizzen-rig- 
ging  locking  in  with  the  enemy's  fore- 
chains.* 

In  this  unfortunate  position  the  Clies- 
apealce  was  raked  by  the  Shannon  ;'^ 
and  her  crew  (not  yet  acquainted  with 
their  officers  and  with  each  other,  and 
not  stimulated  with  that  esprit  de  corps 
which  alone  could  sustain  men  in  such 
a  situation),  began  to  flinch  from  their 
guns.®     Captain    Lawrence  had,  mean- 

'  Testimony  of  Lieut.  Budd  on  Cox's  trial ;  Cooper, 
ii.  p.  103  ;  Capt.  Broke's  Dispatch,  June  6,  1813  ;  James' 
Naval  Occurrences,  p.  215. 

'  Irving's  Mem.  of  Capt.  Lawrence  (Analectic  Mag.,  ii.  p. 
138);  Cooper,  ii.  p.  103;  James'  Naval  Occur.,  pp.  215, 
216;  Letter  from  Halifax,  June  9,  in  "The  War,"  ii.  p.  4. 

'Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  198;  James'  Naval  Occur., 
p.  216  ;  Perkins,  p.  177  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  103. 

*  Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  198  ;  James'  Naval  Occur., 
p.  216  ;  Perkins,  p.  177  ;  Capt.  Broke's  Dispatch,  June  6  ; 
Cooper,  ii.  p.  103  ;  Lieut.  Budd's  Dispatch,  June  15. 

'  James'  Naval  Occur.,  p.  216  ;  Sketches  of  the  War,  p. 
293  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  103  —»  Capt.  Broke's  Dispatch,  June 
6  ;  James'  Naval  Occur.,  p.  217  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  104. 


CiTAP.  XLIX.] 


THE  LOSS  OF  THE  CHESAPEAKE. 


243 


while,  received  a  very  severe  wound  in 
the  leo'  and  a  mortal  wound  in  the 
body;  Mr.  Broom,  the  officer  of  ma- 
rines, had  received  a  mortal  wound,  as, 
also,  had  Fii'st-lieutenant  Ludlow,  Mr. 
Ballard,  the  acting  fourth-lieutenant, 
and  Mr.  Adams,  the  boatswain  ;  and 
Mr.  White,  the  master,  had  been  killed.^ 
The  watchful  eye  of  Captain  Broke  in- 
stantly detected  the  weakness  of  his  ad- 
versary^—  with  no  officer  above  the 
rank  of  a  midshipman  on  deck^ — and 
he  ordered  his  boarders  forward  ;  when, 
putting  himself  at  the  head  of  twenty 
of  them,  he  dashed  over  the  bulwarks 
and  led  them  to  the  quarter-deck  of 
the  CJiesapeahe.'^  He  met  with  but  lit- 
tle resistance'''— the  American  boai-ders, 
throuofh  the  terror  of  the  buHer  who 
had  been  ordered  to  call  them,®  having 
received  but  imperfect  verhcd  ordei-s, 
had  not  come  on  deck^ — and  as  the 
leader  of  the  malcontents  had  removed 
the  gratings  of  the  berth-deck,^  the 
enemy  speedily  secured  the  control  of 


'  Sketches  of  the  War,  p.  293  ;  Perkin?,  p.  177  ;  Cooper, 
ii.  pp.  ]03,  104;  living's  Mem.  of  Capt.  Lawrence  [Ana- 
leclic  Mag.,  ii.  p.  139). 

"  Capt.  Broke's  Dispatch,  June  6  ;  James'  Naval  Oc- 
currences, p.  217  ;  Sketches  of  the  War,  p.  294  ;  Cooper, 
ii.  p.  104. 

'Perkins,  p.  177;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  104;  Irving's  Mem. 
of  Capt.  Lawrence  (Analedic  Mug.,  ii.  pp.  139,  140). 

*  Letter  from  Halifa.x,  June  9,  in  "T'/ie  War,"  ii.  p.  4; 
Thomson's  Slcetclies,  p.  198;  James'  Niival  Occur,  p. 
217  ;  Perlvins,  p.  177  ;  Capt.  Broke's  Dispatch,  June  6. 

'James'  Naval  Occur.,  pp.  217,  218;  Perlcins,  p.  177; 
Capt.  Broke's  Dispatch,  June  6  ;  Testimony  of  Lieut. 
Bu  1(1  in  trial  of  Lieut.  Cox,  April  16,  1814;  Cooper,  ii. 
p.  104.— «  Sketches  of  the  War,  p.  294  ;  Perkins,  p.  177  ; 
Cooper,  ii.  p.  104  ;  Decision  of  tlie  Court  of  Inquiry  on 
the  loss  of  the  ship. 

'  TestimoJiy  of  Lieut.  Budd  and  Midshipman  Curtiss 
in  trial  of  Lieut.  Cox,  April  16,  1814  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  104  ; 
Lieut.  Budd's  Dispatch,  June  15. 

*  This  man  was  the  boatswain's  mate.  Thomson's 
Sketches,  p.  198  ;  Perkins,  p.  178  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  104. 


the  ship,  and  Lieutenant  "Watts,  of  the 
Shannon,  hauled  down  her  colors.^ 

It  was  during  the  action,  while  he 
Avas  being  carried  below,  after  receiving 
his  second  and  mortal  wound,  that  Cap- 
tain Lawrence  uttered  his  last  woi'ds, 
which,  slightly  paraphrased,  have  since 
become  a  battle-cry  for  the  navy,  and  a 
proverb  among  the  people.^  ^'■Don't 
give  vp  the  6hip"  floated  at  the  mast- 
head of  Commodore  Perry's  flag-ship, 
on  Lake  Erie ;  and  the  same  laconic 
motto  has  given  new  life  and  energy  to 
the  wearied  and  the  weak-handed,  from 
that  day  to  the  present. 

The  loss  of  the  Chesapeake,^  in  this 
short  but  sanguinary  conflict,  was  Cap- 
tain Lawrence,  Lieutenants  Ludlow, 
Ballard,  and  Bi'oom,  Master  White, 
Boatswain  Adams,  thi-ee  midshipmen, 
twenty-seven  seamen,  and  eleven  ma- 
rines, killed'  and  ninety-eight,  officers 
and  men,  wounded:^  that  of  the  Shan- 
non was,  First-lieutenant  Watt,  Purser 
Aldham,  and  twenty-two  men,  killed; 
and  Captain  Broke,  a  midshipman,  and 
fifty-six  men,  loonnded} 

The  strength  of  the  Chesapeake  has 
been  already  noted ;  the  Shannon 
"  mounted  twenty-four  guns  on  her 
broadside,  and  one  light  boat-gun ; 
eighteen-poundei'S  on  her  main-deck, 
and    thirty-two-pound    carronades    on 


'  Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  198  ;  James'  Naval  Occur- 
rences, p.  219  ;  Capt.  Broke's  Dispatcli,  June  6. 

'  Sketches  of  the  War,  p.  294;  Perkins,  p.  178.  Dr. 
John  Dix,  a  surgeon's-mate  on  the  Chesapeake  (Trial  of 
Lieut.  Cox,  April  18,  1814),  testified  that  Capt.  Lawrence 
"  ordered  me  to  go  on  the  deck  and  tkll  the  men  to  fire 
FASTKK,  AND  NOT  GIVE  UP  THE  SHIP,  whlch  I  attempted  to 
do,"  &c. — '  Returns  appended  to  Lieut.  Budd's  Dispatch, 
June  15. — '  Returns  appended  to  Capt.  Broke's  Dispatch, 
June  6. 


244 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


lier  quarter-deck  and  forecastle ;  and 
was  manned  witli  a  complement  of 
three  hundred  men  and  boys,  besides 
thirty  seamen,  &c.,  who  were  taken  out 
of  recaptured  vessels."  ^ 

Thus  terminated  one  of  the  most  in- 
teresting actions  connected  with  the 
navy  of  the  United  States.  Short,  des- 
perate, and  bloody — it  has  never  failed 
to  excite,  both  among  Americans  and 
Britons,  the  liveliest  sensations  of  pride 
and  gratification — the  former  referring 
to  the  gallant  and  noble-hearted  Law- 
rence as  one  of  their  brightest  jewels ; 
the  lattei',  although  they  may  have 
been  surcharged  with  naval  honors  of  a 
deeper,  bloodier  hue,  yielding,  to  this 


and  to  the  victor,  the  homage  which 
older  and  better  soldiers  had  struggled 
for  and  failed  to  secure.  The  former, 
gathering  the  remains  of  their  fallen 
ones,  conveyed  them  to  the  city  of  New 
York — the  centre  of  that  commerce 
which  they  had  fallen  to  protect — and 
there  they  were  interred,  amidst  the 
people  whom  they  loved;  the  latter 
pouring  honors  of  unusual  splendor  on 
the  conqueror,  sent  down  to  the  latest 
generation  the  story  of  his  prowess  and 
of  their  gratitude. 


[Note. — The  Dispatches  of  Lieut.  Budd  to  the  Sec.  of 
Navy,  and  Capt.  Broke's  to  the  Admiral  of  N.  A.  Station, 
which  had  been  prepared  for  the  illustration  of  this  chap- 
ter, have  been  omitted  by  the  Publishers  for  want  of  room.] 


CHAPTER    L. 

June  G,  1§13. 

THE      ACTION      AT      STONY      CEEEK. 


The  capture  of  Foi-t  George ;  the 
retreat  of  General  Vincent,  who  com- 
manded the  enemy's  forces;  the  con- 
centration of  all  his  troops  near  the 
Beaver-dams,  have  been  noticed  in  a 
preceding  chapter  of  this  work.^  With- 
in a  few  days  after  he  had  reached  this 
point  General  Vincent  was  strengthened 
by  the  arrival  of  two  companies  of  the 
Eighth,  or  King's,  regiment  of  the  line, 
and  a  small  party  of  seamen  under  Cap- 
tain Bai'clay,  of  the  Roj^al  navy,  who 
was  then  on  his  way  to  Lake  Erie.^ 
General  Dearborn,  misled  by  informa- 

'  Capt.  Broke's  challenge,  June  1,  1813. 
-  Vide  Chap.  XLVII.— »  Auchinleck's  History  of  the 
War,  p.  100;  Armstrong's  Notes,  i.  p.  134. 


tion  which  the  enemy  had  placed  in  his 
way,  frittered  away  several  days  in  an 
"unsuccessful  and  mortifying"  pursuit; 
and  a  subsequent  difference  of  opinion 
between  that  officer  and  Commodore 
Chauncey,  and  the  subsequent  with- 
di  awal  of  the  squadron,  cut  off  the  little 
remaining  hope  of  a  successful  termina- 
tion of  the  campaign,  which  the  General 
had  entertained.-^ 

Preferring,  in  that  emergency,  to  at- 
tack the  enemy  in  the  mountain-passes, 
with  diminished  hopes  of  success,  to  a 
season  of  inactivity,  in  the  prosecution 
of  a  purely  defensive   policy,'  on   the 

1  Armstrong,  i.  pp.  135,  136. 


Chap.  L.] 


THE  ACTION  AT  STONY  CREEK. 


245 


first  of  June  lie  detaclied  General  Win- 
der, with  a  small  brigade  of  less  than 
eight  hundred  men,  to  attack  the  ene- 
my and  drive  him  from  his  position.^ 
It  was  not  long,  however,  before  the 
strength  of  the  enemy  was  discovered  ; 
and  General  Winder  properly  decided 
to  halt  at  Forty-mile  Creek,  until  the 
arrival  of  reinfoi'cements  warranted  him 
in  advancing.^ 

On  the  morning  of  the  fifth  of  June 
Brigadiei'-general  John  Chandler  joined 
General  Winder  with  a  second,  but 
weak  brigade ;  *  and  as  General  Win- 
der's troops  were  under  marching  or- 
ders, after  a  short  halt  the  entire  force 
marched  for  Stony  Creek,  reaching  that 
place  between  five  and  six  in  the  after- 
noon, and  driving  before  them  a  small 
picket  which  the  enemy  had  posted 
there.*  With  considerable  risk  the  ad- 
vance-guard—  consisting  of  the  light- 
infantry  under  Captains  Hindman,  Bid- 
die,  and  Nicholas,  a  part  of  the  rifle 
corps  under  Captain  Lytle,  and  detaeh- 


'  Armstrong,  i.  p.  136  ;  Mansfield's  Scott,  p.  85.  Mr. 
Thomson  {Sketches  of  the  War,  p.  135)  says  this  partj'  em- 
braced, in  addition  to  Gen.  Winder's  brigade,  a  regiment 
from  Gen.  Chandler's  brigade. — '  Armstrong,  i.  p.  136. 

'  Gen.  Chandler  to  Gen.  Dearborn,  June  18.  Mr.  Arm- 
strong (Notes,  i.  p.  136)  says  he  "brought  up  a  second 
brigade  on  the  third  of  June."  Col.  Burn,  on  whom  the 
command  devolved  after  the  engagement,  reported  the 
strength  of  Gen.  Chandler's  brigade  at  500  men— making 
1300  in  all.  Respecting  the  strength  of  these  two  bri- 
gades, there  has  been  the  usual  amount  of  controversy. 
Gen.  Vincent  (Bisjjatches,  June  6,  1813)  reports  it  at  3750 
men  ;  Mr.  James  {Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  205),  at  3500  men  ; 
Mr.  Christie  {3Iil.  and  Naval  Occur.,  p.  112)  and  Mr.  Rogers 
{Hist,  of  Canada,  i.  p.  214),  at  3250  men  ;  while,  on  the 
American  side,  Mr.  Ingersoll  {Hist,  of  War,  i.  p.  285)  says 
they  amounted  to  1300  men,  in  which,  as  we  have  seen. 
Col.  Burn  sustains  him.  Mr.  Perkins  {Hist,  of  War,  p. 
252)  and  Gen.  Armstrong  {Notices,  i.  p.  136)  also  concur 
in  this  statement. 

'  Gen.  Chandler's  Dispatch,  June  18  ;  Armstrong,  i.  p. 
137  ;  Auchlnleck,  p.  168. 


ments  from  the  Second  dragoons  under 
Captain  Selden — was  allowed  to  pursue 
the  fugitives  until  a  second  picket  was 
fallen  in  with;^  and  after  a  slight  re- 
sistance that  also  was  defeated — the 
advance  continuing  the  pursuit  even 
longer  than  the  General  "  could  have 
wished."^ 

The  troops  having  taken  the  Lake 
road,  the  Thirteenth  and  Fourteenth 
regiments,  and  Captain  Samuel  B.  Ar- 
cher's company  of  artillery,  were  order- 
ed to  take  a  position,  for  the  night, 
near  the  mouth  of  the  creek,  to  cover 
the  boats  which  were  expected  there -j^ 
while  the  remainder  of  the  division, 
about  one  thousand  in  number,  was 
encamped  where  it  had  halted.  The 
troops  were  ordered  to  lay  on  their 
arms ;  flank-guards  and  a  rear-guard 
were  posted ;  and  a  picket  was  thrown 
out  from  a  half  to  three-quarters  of  a 
mile  in  front,  with  express  orders  to 
keep  a  patrol  constantly  in  motion. 
As  the  commanding  general  {Chandler-) 
appears  to  have  been  impressed  with 
the  idea  that  an  attack  would  be  made 
before  morning,  he  had  provided  for 
the  emergency  by  every  means  in  his 
power.  He  had  directed  where  and 
how  the  line  should  be  formed,  in  case 
of  attack ;  and  he  had  directed  that  the 
harness  should  not  be  taken  from  off 
the  horses  which  belonged  to  the  artil- 
lery.* 


^Col.  Burn  to  Gen.  Dearborn ;  Gen.  Chandler's  Dis- 
patch, June  18  ;  Gen.  Lewis  to  Sec.  of  War,  June  14. 

'  Gen.  Chandler  to  Gen.  Dearborn,  June  18. 

'  As  this  detachment  was  three  miles  from  the  camp, 
and  took  no  part  in  the  engagement,  this  portion  of  the 
expedition  must  be  excluded  in  all  estimates  of  the  rela- 
tive strength  of  the  contestants.—*  Gen.  Chandler  to  Gen. 
Dearborn,  June  18  ;  Armstrong's  Notices,  i.  p.  137. 


246 


BATTLES  OF  TPIE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


The  night  was  an  exceedingly  dai'k 
one,  and  as  the  broken  pickets  reached 
General  Vincent's  encampment,  it  was 
apparent  to  all  that  his  situation  was 
exceedingly  critical.-^  Desiring,  how- 
ever, to  know  the  strength  and  position 
of  the  American  forces,  he  immediately 
detached  Lieutenant-colonel  John  Har- 
vey, Deputy  Adjutant-general  of  the 
army,  with  the  light  companies  of  the 
Eighth  and  Forty-ninth  regiments,  to 
reconnoitre  and  take  an  accurate  view 
of  the  position  of  the  American  encamp- 
ment. That  distinguished  officer  quick- 
ly reported,  "that  the  enemy's  camp- 
guards  were  feio  and  negligent',  that 
his  line  of  encampment  was  long  and 
hrokenj  that  his  2ivi\)i[Q,vj  wq&  feebly  sup- 
ported '  and  that  several  of  the  corps 
were  placed  too  far  in  the  rear  to  aid 
in  repelling  a  blow  which  might  be 
rapidly  and  vigorously  struck  at  the 
front;"  and  he  advised,  therefore,  that 
a  night  attack  should  be  hazarded,  not- 
withstanding the  scarcity  of  ammuni- 
tion in  the  encampment.^ 

In  accordance  with  this  advice,  at  a 
little  before  midnight  on  the  fifth  of 
June,  General  Vincent,  at  the  head  of 
five  companies  of  the  Eighth,  or  King's, 
regiment,  and  the  whole  of  the  Forty- 
ninth — seven  hundred  and  four  pri- 
vates, in   all — marched  out  of  camp  ;  ^ 


1  Gen.  Vincent's  Dispatch,  June  6  ;  Anchinleck,  p.  168  ; 
Armstrong's  Notices,  i.  p.  138. — °  Gen.  Vincent's  Dis- 
patch, June  6  ;  Auchinleck,  p.  168  ;  Ingersoll,  i.  p.  285  ; 
James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  204  ;  Armstrong's  Notices,  i.  p. 
138  ;  Christie,  p.  112.  This  gentleman  has  since  become 
better  Icnown  to  us  as  Sir  John  Harvey,  Lieutenant-gov- 
ernor of  New  Brunswiclt  during  the  troubles  concerning 
the  Northeastern  boundarj'  question. 

'  Gen.  Vincent's  Dispatch,  June  6.  Mr.  James  (Mil. 
Occur.,  1.  pp.  205-210),  and  Messrs.  Armstrong,  Christie, 
Rogers,  and  Inger.soll,  suppose  Lieut. -Col.  Harvey  was 


and,  after  having  united  with  the  scout 
which  Lieutenant-colonel  Harvey  had 
taken  out  of  the  camp,^  two  hours  after- 
wards, with  fixed  bayonets,  he  dashed 
into  the  centre  of  the  American  camp*^ 
— the  sentries  having  been  bayoneted 
without  raising  any  alarm.^ 

The  Forty-ninth,  led  by  Major  Plen- 
derleath,  was  in  the  advance,  and  pushed 
forward  to  the  artillery,  bayoneting 
one  of  the  American  artillerists,  who 
was  in  the  act  of  discharging  his  piece, 
and  capturing  two  six-pounders.  It 
was  gallantly  supported,  in  this  charge, 
by  one-half  the  detachment  from  the 
Eighth,  the  remainder  of  the  latter 
party,  under  Major  Ogilvie,  charging 
the  left  wing  of  the  American  encamp- 
ment, and,  eventually,  throwing  it  into 
the  greatest  confusion.* 

The  left  wing  of  the  American  forces 
was  composed  of  the  Fifth,  Sixteenth, 
and  Twenty-third  regiments  of  the  line, 
and  some  riflemen,  under  General  Win- 
der,^— the  cavalry,  under  Colonel  Burn, 
being  in  the  rear,^ — and  when  the  ene- 
my's fire  was  opened,  it  was  immediately 

sent  out  vnth  this  parly ;  tvhich  is  not  true.  That  gallant 
officer  was  already  in  the  field,  with  all  the  light  troops; 
had  "  se?!<  back  to  propose  to  trie  a  night  attack  on  the 
camp"  {Gen.  Vincent's  Dispatch);  "/moved  forward"  with 
the  line  companies  of  the  8th  and  49th  regiments, 
"amounting  to  seven  hundred  and  four  firelocks"  (Ibid.), — 
eight  hundred  men  who  could  fight,— and  joined  the 
scout  under  Harvey,  and  made  the  attack.  The  number 
of  the  assailants,  therefore,  may  be  safely  estimated  at  a 
thousand  men,  including  officers,  and  excluding  the  Indians 
who  accompanied  them. 

'  As  Lieut.-Col.  Harvey  did  not  return,  but  "  sent  hack" 
to  report  and  advise  the  attack,  it  is  evident  the  parlies 
joined  before  the  attack —'^  Gen.  Lewis  to  Sec.  of  War, 
June  14  ;  Perkins,  p.  252  ;  James,  i.  pp.  205,  206  ;  Mans- 
field's Scott,  p.  85 ;  Armstrong,  i.  p.  138. 

'  Letter,  signed  "A  FoETi'-NiNTH  Man,"  in  Auchinleck's 
Hi-it.,  p.  179. — ■*  Gen.  Vincent's  Dispatch,  June  6  ;  James, 
i.  p.  206.—'  Col.  Burn's  Report. 

^  Gen.  Lewis  to  Secretary  of  War,  June  14. 


Chap.  L.] 


THE  ACTION  AT  STONY  CREEK. 


247 


answered,  witli  good  effect,  from  the 
greater  part  of  the  line,  and  from  the 
Twenty-fifth,  which  was  near  the  centre 
of  the  position.^  Immediately  after- 
wards, however,  a  fire  was  opened  in 
the  rear,  by  some  detached  parties 
from  the  enemy's  forces,  when  Colonel 
Milton,  with  the  Fifth  regiment,  was 
ordered  to  form  in  that  direction,  near 
the  woods,  to  protect  that  part  of  the 
encampment ;  while,  at  the  same  time, 
the  Twenty-third  was  ordered  to  form 
so  far  to  the  right,  that  its  right  might 
cover  the  artillery.^  At  this  moment 
a  fire  was  opened  on  the  right  flank  of 
the  American  position ;  and  thither 
General  Chandler  hastened,  in  the  dark- 
ness, to  prevent  the  enemy  from  turn- 
ing his  flank,  in  that  direction.  Unfor- 
tunately his  horse  stumbled  and  fell, 
injuring  the  General  very  severely,  but 
he  succeeded  in  reaching  the  flank,  and 
in  providing  for  its  safety.^  While  re- 
turning to  the  centre,  however,  he 
heard  a  confusion  near  the  artillery, 
where  he  had  ordered  the  Twenty- 
third  to  form;  and,  supposing  it  to  be 
that  regiment,  he  hastened  to  the  spot, 
and  "  hobbled  in  among  them,  began  to 
rally  them,  and  directed  them  to  form." 
Much  to  his  surprise,  however,  he  found 
himself  among  the  enemy,— the  Forty- 
ninth  regiment  already  referred  to, — 
and  he  was  disarmed  and  taken  to  the 
rear,  a  prisoner  of  war.* 

About  the  same  time,  by  a  similar 
mistake.    General    Winder    and    Major 

'  Letter  from  "  A  Fortt-ninth  Man  ;"  Col.  Burn's  Re- 
port ;  Gen.  Chandler  to  Gen.  Dearborn,  June  18  ;  James, 
i.  p.  206. — '  Gen.  Chandler  to  Gen.  Dearborn,  June  18 ; 
Armstrong,  i.  pp.  138,  139. — '  Gen.  Chandler  to  Gen. 
Dearborn,  June  18.  -*Ibid.;  Perkins,  p.  252;  James,  i. 
p.  206;  Breckenrldge,  v,.  133. 


Vande venter  were  also  captured;^  and 
the  most  extreme  confusion,  on  both 
sides,  ensued.^  In  this  confusion,  some 
singular  scenes  were  enacted.  Gen- 
ei-al  Vincent,  the  commander  of  the 
enemy's  force,  having  been  thrown  from 
his  horse,  was  unable  either  to  regain 
his  seat  or  find  his  command ;  and,  after 
wandering  through  the  woods,  without 
his  hat  or  sword,  and  almost  famished, 
he  was  discovered  by  some  of  his  own 
party,  the  following  day,  at  the  distance 
of  four  miles  from  the  scene  of  the  ac- 
tion —  his  horse  and  accoutrements, 
meanwhile,  having  fallen  into  the  hands 
of  the  Americans.^  Colonel  Burn,  who 
commanded  the  dragoons,  having  cut 
his  way  through  the  Forty-ninth  regi- 
ment {Britisli)^  continued  his  course 
until  he  had  also  cut  a  passage  through 
the  centre  of  the  Sixteenth  {Americaii)^ 
which  had  rallied  and  was  forming  on 
its  colors,  under  Captain  Steele.*  The 
different  companies  of  the  last-named 
regiment,  disconcerted  by  the  move- 
ment of  the  cavalry,  opened  a  fire  at 
random,  and  answered  each  other  in 
the  darkness,  each  supposing  the  others 
were  enemies ;  ^  and  the  most  intense 
excitement  prevailed.  Xor  were  the 
Americans  the  only  party  which  suffer- 
ed from  this  cause.  The  British,  also, 
were  thrown  into  the  greatest  confu- 
sion, especially  when  Captain  Towson 
of  the  artillery  moved  forward  his 
pieces,  and,  taking  advantage  of  the 
light   which    the  American    camp-fires 

'  Gen.  Chandler  to  Gen.  Dearborn,  June  18  ;  Perkins, 
p.  252  ;  James,  i.  p.  206  ;  Breckenridge,  p.  133. 

'  James,  i.  p.  207. — '  Gen.  Lewis  to  Secretary  of  War, 
June  14;  Armstrong,  i.  p.  139  ;  Ingersoll,  i.  p  286. 

*  Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  136. 

'  Ibid. 


248 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


supplied,  opened  a  fire  on  the  assail- 
ants.^ 

As  soon  as  Lieutenant-colonel  Har- 
vey could  collect  his  scattered  forces  lie 
hastened  back  to  the  encampment  at 
Burlington  Heights,  leaving  behind  him 
two  of  the  six-pounders  which  he  had 
taken,  his  general,  and  part  of  his  men ; 
having  fully  accomplished  the  object  of 
the  expedition,  and  earned  for  himself 
the  credit  of  possessing  great  skill  in 
the  pi-actice  of  his  profession.^ 

The  strength  of  the  contestants  has 
been  already  noticed.  The  loss  of  the 
Americans  was  seventeen  men  Icilled^ 
thirty-eight  wounded^  and  ninety-nine 
missing  '^  nine  horses,  eight  sets  of  har- 
ness, one  limber  and  one  tumbril,  an 


iron  six-pounder  and  a  brass  five-and-a- 
half-inch  howitzer:^  that  of  the  enemy 
was  Lieutenant  Hooper,  three  sergeants, 
and  nineteen  privates,  hilled ^  Majors 
Plenderleath,  Taylor,  Clark,  Dennis, 
and  Ogilvie,  Captains  Munday,  Gold- 
rick,  and  Manners,  Lieutenants  Way- 
land  and  Boyd,  Ensign  Davy,  an  adji- 
tant,  nine  sergeants,  two  drummers,  and 
one  hundred  and  thirteen  men,  wounds 
ed  '  three  sergeants  and  fifty-two  men 
missing? 


[Note.— An  extract  from  Gen.  Lewis's  Dispatch,  with, 
the  inclosure  ;  Gen.  Chandler's  Dispatch  to  tlie  Secre- 
tary of  War ;  and  Gen.  Vincent's  Dispatch  to  Sir  Geo. 
Prevost,  which  had  heen  provided  for  the  illustration  of 
this  chapter,  have  been  omitted  by  the  Publishers  for 
want  of  room.] 


CHAPTER    LI. 

June  11,  1S13. 

THE      DEFENCE      OF     THE     ASP. 


The  occupation  of  Chesapeake  Bay 
by  the  enemy's  shipping,  and  his  incur- 
sions along  its  shores,  have  been  already 
noticed ;  and  one  of  many  similar  gal- 
lant acts,  in  which  the  naval  ofiicers  and 
seamen  of  the  United  States  opposed 
these  predatory  expeditions,  is  the  sub- 
ject of  this  chapter. 

For  the  purpose  of  defending  the 
tributary  streams  and  harbors  which 
are  scattered  along  the  shores  of  the 
bay  from  these  marauders,  the  Federal 


'  Col.  Burn's  Report. — 'Armstrong's  Notices,  i.  p.  139. 

'  Report  appended  to  Gen.  Lewis's  Dispatch.  A  return 
appended  to  Gen.  Vincent's  Dispatch  states  that  the 
prisoners  taken  by  the  British,  besides  the  two  Generals, 
were  a  major,  5  captains,  1  lieutenant,  and  116  men. 


government  had  fitted  out  several  small 
vessels,  and  given  the  command  of  them 
to  the  younger  ofScers  of  the  navy — 
generally  to  midshipmen — furnishing  to 
them  not  only  the  best  possible  means 
of  acquiring  a  practical  knowledge  of 
their  profession,  but,  at  the  same  time, 
inciting  them  to  acts  of  daring  which, 
when  under  the  control  of  older  ofiicers, 
they  would  not  have  been  permitted  to 
attempt. 

On   the  fourteenth  of  June,  two  of 
these  little  vessels,  the  Scorpion  and  the 

'  Return  appended  to  Gen.  Vincent's  Dispatch,  signed 
"  Wm.  Holckoft,  Major  commanding  Royal  Arlillery." 

2  Return  appended  to  Gen.  Vincent's  Dispatch,  signed 
"Edward  Baynes,  Adj. -Gen." 


Chap.  LI.] 


THE  DEFENCE  OF  THE  ASP. 


249 


A'Sp — the  latter  carrying  three  small 
guns  and  twenty-one  men,  command- 
ed by  Midshipman  Sigourney — got  un- 
der way  and  stood  out  of  the  Yeocom- 
ico — a  small  stream  which  flows  into  the 
Chesapeake — and  at  ten  o'clock  they 
discovered  a  considerable  number  of 
the  light  vessels  of  the  enemy's  fleet, 
which  immediately  gave  chase.  The 
greatly  superior  force  of  the  enemy 
rendering  any  attempt  at  defence  not 
only  inexpedient  but  hopeless,  the  com- 
mander of  the  Scorpion^  who  was  the 
senior  officer,  signalled  to  the  Asp  to 
act  at  discretion,  and  stood  up  the 
Chesapeake.  In  consequence  of  a  strong 
head  wind  and  the  bad  sailing  qualities 
of  the  Asp^  the  latter  was  not  able  to 
secure  her  escape  by  following  her  con- 
sort ;  and  Mr.  Sigourney  determined  to 
return  to  the  Yeocomico,  the  shallow- 
ness of  whose  waters,  he  hoped,  would 
prevent  the  enemy  from  pursuing  him. 
Two  brigs  were  detached  to  follow  her, 
while  the  remainder  of  the  squadron 
stood  up  the  bay ;  and  when  the  former 
reached  the  bar  which  obstructed  the 
mouth  of  the  Yeocomico  they  cast  an- 
chor, manned  their  boats,  and  continued 
the  pursuit.  The  Asp  having  anchored 
before  the  brigs  had  thus  showed  their 
designs,  Mr.  Sigourney  resolved  to  run 
farther  up  the  creek ;  and  with  this 
object  he  cut  his  cable,  and  stood  up 
the  stream.  While  thus  engaged  he 
was  overtaken  by  three  boats,  well 
manned  and  armed,  and  a  spirited  en- 

VoL.  11. —32 


gagement  ensued,  resulting  in  the  com- 
plete repulse  of  the  assailants,  and  their 
retreat  to  the  brigs. 

About  an  hour  afterwards  five  boats, 
with  a  heavy  and  well-armed  force,  pro- 
ceeded up  the  creek  and  renewed  the 
attack,  the  gallant  little  crew  manfully 
defending  itself  against  a  force  three 
times  more  numerous  than  itself,  until — 
overpowered  by  the  assailants,  with  its 
commander  and  one-half  its  number 
killed  or  disabled,  and  with  fifty  of  the 
enemy  occupying  its  deck  and  refusing 
quarters  to  the  powerless  liandful  of  men 
who  remained — it  was  "  compelled  to 
leave  the  vessel,  as  the  enemy  had  pos- 
session." 

After  setting  the  vessel  on  fire  the 
boats  returned  to  the  brigs ;  but  Mid- 
shipman McClintock,  the  second  officer 
of  the  Asp^  immediately  returned  to 
her,  and  with  much  difficulty  extin- 
guished the  flames. 

As  already  stated,  the  loss  of  the 
Asp^  out  of  a  crew  of  twenty-one  men, 
was  her  gallant  young  commander  and 
ten  men — an  evidence,  in  itself,  of  the 
severity  of  the  attack  and  of  the  des- 
perate obstinacy  of  the  defence.^ 


[Note. — The  Dispatch  of  Midshipman  McClintock, 
which  had  been  provided  for  the  illustration  of  this 
chapter,  has  been  omitted  by  the  Publishers  for  want  of 
room.] 

'  Those  curious  In  a  farther  examination  of  this  affair 
are  referred  to  Midshipman  H.  M.  McClintock' s  Dispatch 
to  the  Secretary  of  Navy,  July  13,  1813  ;  Cooper's  Naval 
History,  11.  p.  118  ;  Sketches  of  the  War,  p.  326. 


CHAPTER    LII 


June  20,  1§13. 

THE      ATTACK      ON     THE     JUNON.' 


I]sr  the  prosecution  of  the  enemy's 
predatory  designs  in  the  Chesapeake, 
to  which  reference  has  been  made  in 
other  parts  of  this  volume,  on  the  seven- 
teenth of  June,  three  frigates  anchored 
in  Hampton  Roads — one  of  them  nearly 
as  far  up  as  the  Quarantine-ground — 
and  sent  their  boats  up  the  James  River 
to  destroy  some  small  vessels  which 
were  there,  and  to  plunder  the  neigh- 
boring planters.^ 

While  the  enemy  was  thus  employed 
Captain  Joseph  Tarbell,  of  the  Constel- 
lation^ organized  an  expedition  to  attack 
the  frigate  which  laid  nearest  the  town ; 
and,  with  this  object,  at  eleven  o'clock 
in  the  evening  of  Saturday,  the  nine- 
teenth of  June,  with  fifteen  gunboats, 
he  descended  the  harbor.  The  flotilla 
was  formed  into  two  divisions — one  un- 
der Lieutenant  John  M.  Gardner,  the 
other  under  Lieutenant  Robert  Henley ; 
and,  besides  their  own  crews,  the  gun- 
boats had  been  strengthened  with  fifty 
musketeers,  who  had  been  ordered  from 
Craney  Island  for  that  purpose.^ 


'  Auchinleck's  Hist,  of  War,  p.  272;  Perkins'  Hist,  of 
War,  p.  163  ;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  ii.  p.  54. 

"  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  ii.  p.  54  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  116.  Mr. 
Thomson  (Sketches,  p.  214)  supposes  this  affair  transpired 
in  Hay. 

'  Com.  Cassin  to  Secretary  of  Navy,  June  21,  1813  ; 
James'  Mil.  Occur.,  ii.  pp.  54,  55  ;  "The  War,"  ii.  p.  7  ; 
Cooper,  ii.  p.  116  ;  Sketches  of  the  War,  p.  325  ;  Thom- 
son's Sketches,  p.  214. 


A  steady  head-wind  prevented  the 
flotilla  from  reaching  its  designated 
anchorage  until  four  in  the  morning  of 
the  following  day^  (^Sunday.,  June  20), 
when,  under  cover  of  the  darkness  and 
of  a  fog  which  prevailed,^  at  three-quar- 
ters of  a  mile  distant,  it  opened  "  a 
heavy  galling  fire"  on  the  frigate.  It 
is  said  that  she  was  taken  completely 
by  surprise ;  that  she  returned  the  fire 
with  but  little  spirit  and  only  after  a 
considerable  delay ;  and  that  strong 
hopes  were  entertained  that  she  would 
be  compelled  to  surrender.  The  wind 
being  very  light,  she  could  neither  close 
with  her  tiny  assailants  or  haul  off  to 
her  consorts ;  while  the  sweeps  wdth 
which  the  gunboats  were  provided  en- 
abled their  crews  to  place  them  in  any 
desired  position.^ 

Half  an  hour  this  singular  engage- 
ment was  sustained,  every  moment  ren- 
dering the  prospect  of  a  final  success 
more  apparent ;  *  when,  suddenly,  a 
fresh  breeze  sprung  up  from  the  east- 
northeast,  and  the  two  frigates  which 
had   been   anchored  below,  made  sail 


1  Com.  Cassin  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  June  21.  Mr.  Thomson 
{Sketches,  p.  214)  supposes  they  approached  in  (he  afternoon  ; 
and  Mr.  James  {31ililary  Occurrences,  ii.  p.  54)  agrees 
with  him. 

'^  Cooper's  Naval  History,  ii.  pp.  116,  117. 

^Ibid.,  p.  117;  "The  War,"  ii.  p.  7;  Thomson's 
Sketches,  p.  214.—*  "The  War,"  ii.  p.  7;  Sketches  of 
the  War,  p.  325. 


Chap.  LIIL] 


THE  DEFENCE  OF  CRANET  ISLAND. 


251 


and  joined  the  one  above,  opening 
their  fire  on  the  gunboats  as  they  came 
up.^ 

Without  manifesting  any  undue  fear, 
the  gunboats  hauled  off,  as  the  ships 
came  up ;  while,  at  the  same  time,  they 
continued  their  fire  for  nearly  an  hour 
longer,  after  which  they  retired.^ 

The  damaofe  which  the  Jxinon — the 
uppermost  frigate — sustained  in  this 
action,  is  said  to  have  been  very  severe, 
requiring  a  deep  careen  and  extensive 
temporary  repairs  before  she  could  re- 
gain the  position  occupied  by  the  fleet  :^ 
that  of  the  gunboats  was  very  trifling — 
Numher   One   liundred  and  fifty-four 


having  received  a  shot  between  wind 
and  water;  Nwmhev  Sixty-seven  losing 
her  franklin ;  and  several  others  sustain- 
ing slight  injuries.  Master's-mate  Alli- 
son was  killed,  and  two  seamen  were 
slightly  wounded,  which  were  the  only 
losses  sustained  by  the  crews.^ 

This  apparently  insignificant  affair 
led  to  the  retaliatory  visits  by  the 
enemy  to  Craney  Island  and  to  Hamp- 
ton ;  and  on  this  account  it  possesses 
an  importance  which  it  would  not 
otherwise  have  secured. 


[Note. — The  Dispatch  of  Com.  Cassin,  to  the  Secretary 
of  the  Navy,  has  been  omitted  by  the  Publishers  for  want 
of  room.] 


CHAPTER    LIII 


June  22,  1813. 


THE     DEFENCE     OF     CRANEY     ISLAND 


TiiE  assault  on  the  enemy's  frigate 
1)y  the  American  gunboats,  already  re- 
ferred to,*  appears  to  have  aroused  him, 
and  led  to  more  active  operations  against 
the  defences  of  the  Americans  in  the 
vicinity  of  Norfolk. 

With  this  object  in  view,  the  gun- 
boats had  no  sooner  retired,  on  the 
morning  of  the  twentieth  of  June,  than 
the  enemy  began  to  prepare  for  retalia- 


'  Com.  Cassin  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  June  21  ;  '■'■The  TFar," 
ii.  p.  7  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  117  ;  Sketches  of  the  War,  p.  325  ; 
James,  ii.  p.  55.  These  ships  are  said  (James'  Mil.  Occur., 
ii.  p.  55)  to  have  been  the  Barrosa,  of  42,  and  the  Laures- 
(inus,  of  28  guns. — '  Com.  Cassin  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  June 
21  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  117  ;  Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  214. 

'  Com.  Cassin  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  June  21 ;  Thomson's 
Sketches,  p.  214.  Mr.  James  (Mil.  Occur.,  ii.  pp.  55,  56) 
denies  all  this. — *  Vide  Chap.  LII. 


tory  measures ;  and  with  the  next  tide 
fourteen  sail  of  vessels  entered  the 
Koads,  ascended  to  the  mouth  of  the 
James  Kiver,  and  prepared  to  send  out 
their  boats.^ 

At  the  same  time  Captain  Tarbell, 
who  commanded  the  naval  force  in  that 
vicinity,  sent  Lieutenants  ISTeale,  Shu- 
brick,  and  Sanders,  of  the  Constellation, 
with  one  hundred  seamen,  and  Lieuten- 
ant Breckenridge  with  fifty  marines,  to 
take  charge  of  the  principal  battery  on 
the  northwest  point  of  Craney  Island, 
and  to  strengthen  the  garrison  of  militia 
— five  hundred  and  eighty-seven  in  num- 


'  Cooper,  ii.  p.  117. — ''  Com.  Cassin  to  Secretary  of  Navy, 
June  21  ;   ^'  TIte  War,"  ii.  p.  7  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  117. 


252 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


ber — under  Lieutenant-colonel  Beatty, 
whicli  was  already  on  tlie  island.^ 

At  an  early  hour  on  tlie  morning  of 
tlie  twenty-second  of  June  the  enemy 
commenced  the  debarkation  of  a  large 
body  of  troops,  some  two  thousand  five 
hundred  in  number,  and  commanded  by 
Admiral  Cockburn,^  near  the  point  of 
the  Nansemond  River,  with  the  evident 
intention  of  approaching  Craney  Island 
by  land,  on  the  west  side  of  the  island, 
between  which  and  the  mainland  in- 
fantry could  readily  pass  at  low  water.^ 
At  eight  o'clock  the  boats  from  the 
squadron — some  forty-five  or  fifty  in 
number,  on  boai-d  of  which  were  about 
twenty-five  hundred  men,  under  Admi- 
ral Warren — moved  from  the  squadron, 
and,  passing  around  to  the  north  side  of 
the  island,  beyond  the  reach  of  the 
gunboats'  fire,  they  approached  the  spot 
where  Lieutenant  Neale  and  his  party 
of  seamen  and  marines  were  posted.* 

The  attack  began  with  a  discharge  of 
Congreve  rockets,  but  without  producing 
any  other  effect  than  alarming  a  body 
of  the  militia,  among  whom  the  first 
was  thrown.^  The  gunners  from  the 
Constellation^  however,  were  dififerently 
constituted,  and  they  directed  their  fire 

'  ''The  War"  ii.  p.  7;  Gen.  Taylor  to  Sec.  of  War, 
July  4  ;  Tngeisoll,  i.  p.  200. 

'  Letter  from  an  officer  of  the  Constellation,  Juno  23,  in 
■•The  War,"  ii.  p.  10;  Col.  Beatty's  Dispatch,  June  25; 
Naval  Chronicle,  xxx.  p.  182.  The  strength  of  this 
party,  as  usual,  has  been  the  subject  of  great  dispute — 
varying  from  800  by  the  British  partisan  writers,  to  4000 
bj'  the  Americans.  I  have  adopted  the  number  which 
appears  to  be  best  sustained  by  the  testimony  of  all  par- 
ties.— '  Letter  from  an  officer,  &c.;  Col.  Beatty's  Dis- 
patch, June  25. 

■•Ibid.;  Cooper,  ii.  pp.  117,  118.  The  same  trouble 
exists  concerning  the  number  of  these  troops  that  pre- 
vails concerning  those  heretofore  referred  to  ;  and  I  have 
adopted  the  number  which  appears  to  have  been  best  sus- 
tained by  the  evidence. — '  Letter  from  an  officer,  &c. 


with  SO  much  certainty  that  one  of 
the  enemy's  rocket-vessels  was  speedily 
sunk;^  and  when  his  barges  had  come 
within  grape-shot  distance  they  poured 
in  so  severe  a  fire  that,  after  four  or  five 
of  the  boats  had  been  sunk,  the  re- 
mainder were  withdrawn  by  Admiral 
Warren.^ 

While  the  seamen  were  thus  engaged 
with  the  enemy's  barges,  the  troops 
who  had  been  debarked  on  the  main- 
land also  opened  a  fire  on  the  island, 
fi'om  a  field-piece  and  a  howitzer,  which 
they  had  placed  in  battery  under  cover 
of  a  neighboring  thicket.^  Their  fire 
was  returned  by  two  twenty-four-pound- 
ers and  four  six-pounders,  under  Major 
Faulkner ;  and  when  the  retreat  of  the 
boats  had  relieved  the  seamen  of  their 
enemy  on  the  water,  they  turned  their 
guns  on  Admiral  Cockburn  and  the 
force  on  shore,  and  with  similar  success.* 
After  continuins:  the  action  for  some 
time,  and  suffering  severely,  perceiving, 
at  the  same  time,  that  the  boats  had 
withdrawn  from  the  assault,  this  body 
of  the  assailants  also  retired,  and  the 
contest  ended.^ 

In  this  engagement  the  Americans 
suffered  no  loss ;  the  assailants,  besides 
the  loss  of  their  boats,  had  three  hilled; 
Captain  Hanchett  of  the  Diadem — an 
illegitimate  son  of  George  III.® — and 
fifteen  men  wounded;  and  sixty-two 
missiiig  (prisoners).^ 

>  Letter  from  an  officer,  &c. ;  Letter  from  an  English 
officer,  in  the  Naval  Chronicle,  xxx.  p.  183. 

"  "The  War,"  ii.  p.  7;  Letter  from  an  officer;  Col. 
Beatty's  Dispatch,  June  25;  Adm'l  Warren's  Dispatch, 
June  24;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  118.— '  Letter  from  an  officer; 
Col.  Beatty's  Dispatch,  June  25.—*  Ibid.—'  Letter  from  an 
officer  ;  James,  ii.  p.  57.—*  Ingersoll,  i.  p.  201. 

'  Reports  appended  to  Adm'l  Warren's  Dispatch. 


Chap.  LIV.] 


THE  BATTLE  AT  THE  BEAVER-DAMS. 


253 


Thus  terminated  the  operations  of  an 
expedition  which,  both  in  its  organiza- 
tion and  its  execution  reflected  no  cred- 
it on  the  professional  skill  of  the  British 
officers,  and  which  has  not  ceased  to  re- 
ceive the  hearty  condemnation  of  their 
historical    students    and    military    and 


naval  authorities  from  that  time  to  the 
present. 


[Note.— The  Dispatch  of  Gen.  Taylor  to  the  War  De- 
partment, with  the  inclosure  ;  that  of  Com.  Cassin  to  the 
Naval  Department ;  and  that  of  Adm'l  Warren  to  tlie 
Admiralty,  have  heen  omitted  by  the  Publishers  for  want 
of  room.] 


CHAPTER     LIY. 


June  24,  1S13. 


THE    BATTLE     AT    THE     BEAVER -DA  MS 


After  the  affair  at  Stony  Creek,  of 
which  notice  has  been  already  taken, 
the  enemy  was  reinforced  with  a  de- 
tachment of  troops  from  Sir  James 
L.  Yeo's  squadron  on  Lake  Ontario,  and 
assumed  aofo^ressive  measures;^  while  the 
Americans  fell  back  and  concentrated 
their  forces,  even  beyond  the  limits  of 
propriety  or  self-respect— the  enemy, 
meanwhile,  occupying  the  positions 
from  which  the  former  had  retired.^ 

The  enemy's  advance  had  been  placed 
under  the  command  of  Lieutenant-col- 
onel Bisshopp;  and  about  the  twenty- 
second  of  June  that  officer  sent  detach- 
ments forward  and  occupied  the  cross- 
roads at  the  Ten-mile  Creek  and  the 
strong  position  at  the  Beaver-dams — 
the  latter,  consisting  of  thirty  men  from 
the  One  hundred  and  fourth,  occupying 
a  stone  house  near  that  place.^ 

Against  this  party,  which  appears 
to  have  been  smaller  than  had  been 
reported.  General  Dearborn,  then  at 
Fort  George,  planned  a  formidable  ex- 

'  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  pp.  213,  214.— « Ibid.,  p.  214 ; 
Perkins'  Hist,  of  War,  p.  252. — '  James,  i.  p.  215 ;  Auchin- 
Icck,  p.  174. 


pedition ;  and,  in  the  evening  of  the 
twenty-third.  Lieutenant-colonel  Boerst- 
ler,  of  the  Fourteenth  infantry,  moved 
from  that  post  with  five  hundred  and 
seventy  men,  Avith  orders  to  attack  and 
disperse  it.^  This  detachment  had  near- 
ly reached  the  Beaver-dams,  and  was 
movinoj  through  the  woods,  when  its 
rear — where  were  posted  twenty  light- 
dragoons^ — was  suddenly  attacked  by 
a  body  of  four  hundred  and  fifty  Mo- 
hawks,^ led  by  John  Brant  and  Captain 
William  Johnson  Kerr,*  who  had  laid 
in  ambush  near  the  I'oad  on  which  the 
troops  were  advancing.^  With  great 
coolness.  Lieutenant-colonel  Boerstler 
immediately  formed  his  troops,  and 
charged  on  his  hidden  foe ;   but,  with 


'  Gen.  Dearborn  to  Secretary  of  War,  June  25. 

'  Maj.  C.  Chapin,  in  Buffalo  Gazette,  July  20,  1813. 

'  stone's  Life  of  Brant,  ii.  p.  616.  Mr.  Auchinleck 
{Hist.,  p.  174)  says  there  were  but  two  hundred  Indians,  in 
which  Mr.  James  {3Iil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  215)  concurs.  Mr. 
Ingersoll  (i.  p.  287)  says  they  numbered  "five  or  six  hun- 
dred."— *  This  gentleman  was  grandson  of  Sir  Wm.  John- 
son, and  the  husband  of  Elizabeth,  the  youngest  daughter 
of  the  chief,  Josejih  Brant. — '  Gen.  Dearborn's  Dispatch, 
June  25;  Letter  from  Fort  George,  June  28;  Maj.  C. 
Chapin's  statement;  Auchinleck,  p.  174;  Stone's  Biant, 
ii.  p.  516;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  215. 


254 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


characteristic  agility,  the  Indians  eluded 
him,  and  opened  a  fire  from  other  and 
not  more  exposed  positions.  Thus  singu- 
larly engaged, — the  enemy  never  show- 
ing his  strength,  but,  from  the  thickets, 
steadily  harassing  the  Americans  on 
every  side, — the  uneven  contest  was 
maintained  nearly  three  hours,  with  un- 
usual spiiit  on  both  sides,  the  Indians, 
meanwhile,  gradually  falling  back  be- 
fore their  opponents'  bayonets.^  At 
length.  Lieutenant-colonel  Boerstler  de- 
termined to  retire ;  and,  while  thus 
moving  off,  he  was  encountered  in  the 
woods  by  a  small  party  of  militia,  un- 
der Lieutenant-colonel  Clark,  when  he 
considered  it  necessary  to  halt,  and, 
subsequently,  to  occupy  an  open  field 
which  was  near  by,  until  he  could  in- 
form General  Dearborn  of  his  situation 
and  receive  reinforcements.^ 

About  the  same  time  another  small 
party  of  forty-seven  men,  belonging 
to  the  Forty-ninth  (British)  regiment, 
led  by  Lieutenant  Fitzgibbon  —  who 
had  been  warned  of  Lieutenant-colonel 
Boerstler's  advance  by  Mrs.  Secord  of 
Queenstown,  who  had  travelled  from 
her  home  on  foot  for  that  purpose — 
also  approached,  and  reconnoitred  the 
position  occupied  by  Lieutenant-colonel 
Boerstler.^  While  thus  engaged,  prob- 
ably perceiving  the  confusion  which 
prevailed  in  the  American  ranks.  Lieu- 
tenant Fitzgibbon  conceived  the  idea  of 


'  Maj.  Chapin's  statement;  Aiichinleck,  p.  174 ;  Stone's 
Brant,  ii.  516  ;  James'  Militaiy  Occurrences,  i.  p.  215. 

^  Maj.  Chapin's  statement;  Auchinleck,  p.  174;  James' 
Military  Occurrences,  i.  p.  216  ;  Perkins,  p.  254. 

'  "General  Orders,"  "Kingston,  June  28,"  signed 
"E.  Baynes,  Adj.-Gen.;"  Col.  Fitzgibbon's  statement; 
Ingersoll,  i.  p.  287  ;  Stone's  Brant,  ii.  p.  516;  James,  i. 
p.  217  ;  Lieut.  Fitzgibbon  to  Maj.  De  Haren,  June  24. 


demanding  the  surrender  of  the  expedi- 
tion ;  and  with  this  design  he  displayed 
the  greater  part  of  his  little  party  in 
such  a  manner  as  to  convey  the  impres- 
sion that  it  was  only  the  advance  of  a 
much  larger  force.  Acting  on  these 
principles,  the  surrender  of  the  Ameri- 
cans was  immediately  demanded  in  the 
name  Major  De  Haren — the  comman- 
dant of  the  district^ — and  Lieutenant- 
colonel  Boerstler  was  informed,  "  on  the 
honor  of  a  British  soldier,"  that  Lieu- 
tenant-colonel Bisshopp,  with  fifteen  hun- 
dred British  troops  and  seven  hundred 
Indians,  were  in  his  rear,  advancing  to 
support  him.^ 

Trusting  to  the  "word  of  honor"  of 
the  British  officer,  Lieutenant-colonel 
Boerstler  very  properly  supposed  that 
a  retreat  would  be  impossible,  in  view 
of  the  fact  that  no  supporting  party 
had  followed  him ;  and  he  resolved  to 
surrender — providing  that  the  militia 
and  volunteers  of  his  party  should  re- 
turn to  the  United  States  on  their  pa- 
roles.^ At  that  moment  Major  De  Haren 
— who  had  been  sent  for  by  Lieutenant 
Fitzgibbon — with  upwards  of  two  hun- 
dred men,  came  up,  and  received  the 
submission  of  the  Americans* — five  hun- 
dred and  forty-two  of  whom,  with  one 
twelve-pounder,  one  six-pounder,  and  a 
stand  of  colors,  graced  the  victory.^ 

It  is  said,  by  an  eye-witness,^  that 
"  the   articles   of  capitulation  were    no 


>  "General  Orders,"  &c.;  Stone's  Brant,  ii.  p.  517; 
James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  217  ;  Lieut.  Fitzgibbon  to  Maj. 
De  Haren,  June  24. — ^  Maj.  Chapin's  statement;  Stone's 
Brant,  ii.  p.  517  ;  Roger's  Canada,  i.  p,  214;  Christie,  p. 
115.—'  Maj.  Chapin's  statement ;  Eoger's  Canada,  i.  p.  214. 

*  Auchinleck,  p.  175;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  217; 
Articles  of  Capitulation ,  &c.— ^  Return  of  Prisoners,  signed 
"E.  Baynes,  Adj.-Gen." — °  Maj.  Chapin's  statement. 


Chap.  LV.] 


THE  DESCENT  ON  HAMPTON,  VA. 


255 


sooner  signed  than  they  were  violated. 
The  Indians  immediately  commenced 
their  depredations,  and  plundered  the 
officers  of  their  side-arms.  The  soldiers, 
too,  were  stripped  of  every  article  of 
clothing  to  which  the  savages  took  a 
fancy,  such  as  hats,  coats,  shoes,  &c." 
The  commander  also  violated  the  arti- 
cles by  refusing  to  allow  the  militia  and 
volunteers  to  be  paroled — a  violation 
which  /  was  reciprocated  by  many  of 
them  rising  on  their  guards  and  escap- 
ing, carrying  their  guards  with  them  to 
the  United  States.-^ 


The  result  of  this  disaster  serving,  as 
it  did,  as  a  climax  to  the  series  of  mis- 
takes and  disasters  in  the  North,  filled 
the  entire  country  with  indignation  and 
excitement;  and  Congress,  an  index  of 
the  popular  sentiment,  informally  de- 
sired the  President  to  remove  General 
Dearborn  from  the  command — a  meas- 
ure which  was  adopted  soon  after- 
wards.^ 


[Note. — The  Dispatches  of  Lieut.  Fitzgibhon  and  of 
Lieut. -Col.  Boerstler  have  been  omitted  by  the  Publish- 
ers for  want  of  room.] 


CHAPTER     LY. 

June  35,  1§13. 
THE      DESCENT      ON      HAMPTON,    VA. 


The  attack  on  Craney  Island  by  the 
combined  land  and  naval  forces  of  the 
enemy,  under  the  command  of  Admi- 
rals Warren  and  Cockburn ;  its  gallant 
defence  by  a  small  party  of  seamen  and 
marines,  under  Lieutenant  Neale,  and  of 
militia  under  Lieutenant-colonel  Beatty ; 
and  the  repulse  of  the  assailants  by  the 
garrison,  have  been  briefly  noted  in  a 
preceding  chapter  of  this  work;^  and  a 
retaliatory  movement,  which  was  un- 
dertaken against  Hampton — a  flourish- 
ing village,  the  county-seat  of  Elizabeth 
City  County,  Virginia,  and  situated  on 
the  western  bank  of  the  Hampton  Riv- 
er, one  mile  above  its  entrance  into 
Hampton  Roads — is  the  subject  of  this.^ 


1  Maj.  Chapin  to   Gen.  Dearborn,  June  13  ;    Buffalo 
Gazette,  Jul)'  20;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  218. 
"  Vide  Chap.  LIIL— =  McCulloch's  Gazetteer,  ii.  p.  1058. 


With  this  object,  during  the  night  of 
the  twenty-fourth  of  June,^  the  enemy's 
land  force,  numbering  about  twenty- 
five  hundred  men,^  under  Major-general 
Sir  Sydney  Beckwith,  were  transferred 
from  the  shipping  into  light  sailing-ves- 
sels and  boats  ;  and,  under  the  j)ersonal 
direction  of  Admiral  Cockburn,  it  moved 
against  the  village.  Before  daybreak 
the  advance,  led  by  Lieutenant-colonel 
Napier,  and  consisting  of  the  One  hun- 
dred and  second  regiment,  two  compa- 
nies of  Canadian  chasseurs,  three  com- 

1  IngersoU,  i.  pp.  287,  288.—"  The  Dispatch  of  Sir  Syd- 
ney Beckwith,  published  in  the  Naval  Chronicle,  xxx.  p. 
245,  says  this  was  done  on  the  night  of  the  Iblh ;  but  it  is 
inconsistent  with  every  other  part  of  the  dispatch,  and 
with  the  statement  of  every  other  officer,  and  I  have  not 
followed  it. — '  Maj.  Grutchfieid  to  Gov.  Barbour,  June  28, 
1813  ;  Sketches  of  War,  p.  325.  It  will  be  seen  that  this 
agrees  with  the  report  of  Sir  Sydney's  strength  at  Craney 
Island. 


256 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


panies  of  marines,  and  two  six-pounders, 
was  landed  two  miles  west  from  the 
village ;  and  soon  afterwards  the  main 
body,  under  Lieutenant -colonel  Wil- 
liams, was  also  landed,  without  any  op- 
position, under  coyer  of  the  Mohawh 
sloop-of-war.'^ 

At  the  period  in  question,  at  English's 
plantation,  southwest  from  the  village, 
and  only  separated  fi'om  it  by  a  small 
creek,  were  three  hundred  and  forty- 
nine  infantry  and  riflemen,  sixty-two 
artillery,  and  twenty-five,  cavalry — all 
Virginia  militia  —  under  Major  Sta. 
Ci-utchfield  ;  while  four  six -pounders 
had  been  mounted,  and  covered  the 
water-front  of  the  encampment  and  the 
village.^ 

The  plan  of  operations  which  the 
enemy  had  adopted  was  well  adapted 
to  secure  the  object  of  the  expedition ; 
especially  when  it  was  considered  that 
an  undisciplined  force  of  militia,  greatly 
inferior  in  numbers  to  his  own,  was  the 
only  force  in  the  village  or  its  vicinity. 
It  was  designed,  with  this  force,  to 
move  against  the  rear  of  the  village 
and  the  encampment ;  and,  while  Ad- 
miral Cockburn,  by  a  feint,  amused  the 
Americans  on  their  front,  to  fall  on 
the  rear  of  their  position.^  Accord- 
ingly the  forces  under  General  Beck- 
with  moved  silently  and  rapidly,  by 
way  of  the  great  road,  towards  the 
rear  of  the  village ;  *  while  the  armed 

'  Sir  Sydney  Beckwith's  Dispatch,  June  28;  Adm'l 
Wanen's  Dispatch,  June  27  ;  James'  Military  Occur- 
rences, ii.  pp.  64,65  ;  Auchinleck,  p.  275. — '  Maj.  Crutch- 
field's  Dispatch,  June  28;  Ingersoll,  i.  p.  201;  Thom- 
son's Sketches,  p.  218. — '  Sir  Sydney  Beckwith's  Dis- 
patch, June  28  ;  Adm'l  Warren's  Dispatch,  June  27 ; 
Maj. Crutchfield's  Dispatch,  June  28 ;  Armstrong's  Notices, 
ii.  p.  47. — ■'Sir  Sydney  Beckwith's  Dispatch,  June  28; 
Maj.  Crutchfield's  Dispatch,  June  28;  Perkins,  p.  164. 


launches  and  boats — thirty  or  forty  in 
number — approached  the  mouth  of  the 
Hampton  Eiver,  by  way  of  Newport's 
Noose,-^ 

As  the  boats  approached  the  shore 
they  wei-e  discovered  by  the  patrols 
near  Mill  Creek,  and  the  camp  was 
alarmed.  Orders  were  immediately  is- 
sued for  the  formation  of  the  troops, 
and  with  the  greatest  alacrity  the  or- 
ders were  obeyed.  In  a  very  short 
time  afterwards,  however,  Celey's  pa- 
trol reported  the  approach  of  the  party 
under  General  Beckwith,  in  the  rear; 
and,  threatened  both  in  front  and  rear 
at  the  same  time,  the  little  party  pre- 
pared to  defend  the  position  it  occu- 
pied with  the  greatest  coolness.^ 

As  the  boats  approached  Black- 
beard's  Point  they  opened  a  fire  of 
round-shot  on  the  encampment,  which 
was  immediately  returned  from  the 
four-gun  battery  on  shore ;  and,  with 
so  much  success,  that  the  flotilla  fled 
under  cover  of  the  Point,  and  con- 
tented itself  with  occasionally  throw- 
ing a  shot  or  a  rocket  into  the  Ameri- 
can camp.^ 

In  the  mean  time  a  company  of  rifle- 
men, under  Captain  Servant,  had  been 
detached,  with  ordere  to  conceal  them- 
selves in  the  woods,  near  the  road  on 
which  General  Beckwith  was  advan- 
cing, and  to  check  his  progress.  This 
had  been  done  with  great  success ;  and 
as  it  was  now  apparent  that  an  attack 
on  the  rear  was   intended,  while   the 


1  Sir  Sydney  Beckwith's  Dispatch,  June  28  ;  Maj. 
Crutchfield's  Dispatch,  June  28  ;  Ingersoll,  i.  p.  201  ; 
Perkins,  p.  164. — '  Maj.  Crutchfield's  Dispatch,  June  28. 

'  Ibid.;  Perkins,  p.  164  ;  Breckenridge,  p.  154  ;  Thom- 
son's Sketches,  p.  218. 


Chap.  LV.] 


THE  DESCENT  ON  HAIMPTON,  VA. 


257 


movement  in  front  was  merely  a  diver- 
sion, the  officers  in  command  of  the 
Americans  appear  to  have  turned  their 
attention  chiefly  in  that  direction.  Ac- 
cordingly Major  Crutchfield,  with  the 
infantry,  moved  to  the  support  of  the 
riflemen,  marching  in  column  of  pla- 
toons through  a  lane  and  an  open  corn- 
field which  led  to  "the  great"  and  Ce- 
ley's  roads,  for  that  purpose ;  when  he 
was  fired  on  by  a  body  of  the  enemy 
which  had  gained  a  piece  of  woods 
which  bordered  the  road.  Orders  were 
immediately  issued  to  wheel  to  the  left 
into  line,  and  to  charge  the  enemy. 
This  order  was  also  obeyed  with  a  pre- 
cision which  would  have  honored  vet^ 
eran  troops ;  but  the  line  had  not  moved 
more  than  fifty  yards  when  a  fire  was 
opened  from  the  enemy's  six-pounders, 
loaded  with  grape  and  canister,  while  a 
number  of  small  Congreve  rockets  also 
added  to  the  severity  of  the  fire.-^ 

During  this  time  the  enemy's  right 
flank  had  been  severely  harassed  by 
Captain  Servant's  riflemen,  and  his  left 
by  a  troop  of  dragoons,  under  Captain 
Cooper  —  both  of  which  officers,  and 
their  men,  rendered  great  service,  both 
in  covering  the  movements  of  the  in- 
fantry, under  Major  Crutchfield,  and  in 
harassing  the  enemy .^ 

After  having  faced  this  unexpected 
fire  a  short  time,  Major  Crutchfield 
broke  his  line  into  column  again  and 
retired  under  a  heavy  fire,  when  part 
of  his  command  fled  in  confusion — the 


'  Maj.  Crutchfield's  Dispatch,  June  28;  Sir  Sydney 
Beckwith's  Dispatch,  June  28  ;  Ingersoll,  i.  p.  201  ;  Breck- 
eniidge,  p.  154  ;  Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  218. 

»  Maj.  Crutchfield's  Dispatch,  June  28 ;  Ingersoll,  i.  p. 
201  ;  Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  219. 
Vol.   II.— 33 


remainder,  under  Captains  Shield,  Hern- 
don,  Ashby,  Brown,  Millei-,  Cary,  and 
Goodall,  rallying  on  the  flanks  of  Cap- 
tain Servant's  riflemen,  and  renewing 
the  action  with  great  spirit.^ 

Finding  the  opposition  stronger  than 
he  had  anticipated.  General  Beckwith 
detached  a  strong  party  towards  the 
flanks  of  the  Americans,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  cutting  oflf  their  retreat,  on  see- 
ing which  Major  Crutchfield  considered 
it  his  duty  to  withdraw  his  men,  and 
discontinue  the  engagement.  The  ene- 
my pursued  him,  in  his  retreat,  nearly 
two  miles ;  but  the  activity  of  the 
American  light  troops  protected  the 
fugitives  from  serious  loss.** 

While  the  contest  was  being  thus 
carried  on  in  the  rear,  the  flotilla  and 
the  battery  in  front  amused  themselves 
with  an  occasional  shot.  Captain  Pryor, 
who  had  been  left  in  command,  main- 
tained his  position  even  after  the  re- 
treat of  the  main  hodj  ;  and  only  when 
the  enemy  had  approached  within  sixty 
or  seventy  yards  did  he  spike  the  guns, 
break  through  the  ranks  of  the  assail- 
ants, and,  by  swimming  a  creek,  make 
good  a  retreat,  carrying  his  firelocks 
with  him,  and  without  losing  a  man.^ 

There  is  little  doubt  that,  as  the  land 
force  employed  was  the  same  which 
had  been  led  by  Sir  Sydney  against 
Craney  Island,  the  flotilla  was  also 
manned  in  a  similar  manner,  in  which 
case    the    enemy's   force    was   not   less 


'Maj.  Crutchfield's  Dispatch,  June  28;  Ingersoll,  i. 
p.  201 ;  Thomson's  Sketches,  pp.  219,  220. 

'  Maj.  Crutchfield's  Dispatch,  June  28  ;  Breckenridge, 
p.  154. 

=  Ibid.;  Ingersoll,  i.  pp.  201,  202  ;  Thomson's  Sketches, 
pp.  219,  220. 


258 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


than  four  thousand  men:^  that  of  the 
Americans,  as  before  stated,  was  six 
hundred  and  thh'ty-six  raen.^ 

The  enemy's  reported  loss  was  five 
hilled^  thirty-three  wounded^  and  ten 
Tnissing  :^  that  of  the  Americans,  seven 
hilled^  twelve  wounded^  one  taken  pris- 
oner^ and  eleven  missing— the  latter  of 
whom  were  supposed  to  have  fled  to 
their  homes.*  Seven  pieces  of  artillery 
and  two  stands  of  colors,  also — those  of 
the  Sixty-eighth  regiment  {James'  City 
Liglit-iiifantry)  and  of  the  Eighty-fifth 
regiment — were  among  the  enemy's  tro- 
phies.^ 

Having  thus  secured  the  possession 
of  the  village,  the  enemy  gave  it  up  to 
pillage  and  outrage ;  and  every  excess 
which  a  brutal  and  outlawed  soldiery 
could  invent  was  freely  employed.  Not 
only  were  the  houses  of  the  citizens 
robbed  of  their  contents ;  their  negroes 
carried  away  and  sent  to  Bermuda  and 
the  West  Indies ;  and  the  aged  and  de- 
crepit made  the  objects  of  abuse  and 
injury ;  but  the  females  were  outraged 
in  the  most  brutal  manner.  A  respect- 
able lady  {Mrs.  Turnbull^  after  having 
been  seized  and  stripped  naked  by  five 

'  Including  both  parties — that  with  Adm'l  Cockburn 
and  that  under  Sir  Sydney  Beckwith. 

"^  Vide  p.  255,  col.  2,  note  2. — ^  Sir  Sydney  Becliwith's 
Dispatch,  June  28.  Otlier  writers,  on  the  report  of  Brit- 
ish officers,  make  the  loss  much  greater. 

*  Maj.  Crutchfields  Dispatch,  June  28.  The  "official 
report,"  published  In  '■'■The  War,"  ii.  p.  28,  shows  sixteen 
wounded — five  "■dightly." 

''  Sir  Sydney  Beckwith's  Dispatch,  June  28. 


or  six  ruffians,  escaped,  and  fled  to  the 
river  for  safety;  but  she  was  pursued, 
dragged  on  shore,  and  outraged  by 
each  of  her  brutal  persecutors.  An- 
other, with  her  infant  child  in  her  arms, 
and  two  young  women,  were  subjected 
to  the  same  fate,  all  in  open  day,  and 
in  the  presence  of  many  others,  whose 
inability  or  depravity  prevented  them 
from  interfering;  while,  to  add  to  the 
horrors  of  the  scenes,  the  negroes  were 
encouraged  and  urged  to  violate  their 
own  mistresses.^  So  great,  indeed,  were 
the  excesses  of  every  kind,  that  even 
the  most  violent  partisan  writers  in 
England  and  the  colonies  were  filled 
with  shame,  and  denounced  them  ;^  and 
General  Beckwith  and  Admiral  Cock- 
burn,  acknowledging  the  justice  with 
which  the  ministers  of  "  the  higher 
law"  had  condemned  theii'  conduct,  re- 
moved from  the  service  the  renegadoes 
— the  sweepings  of  the  British  prisons — 
with  which  it  had  been  disgraced,  and 
Hamjoton  desolated.^ 


[Note.— The  Dispatch  of  Maj.  Crutchfield  to  Gov.  Bar- 
bour; that  of  Sir  Sydney  Beckwith  to  Adm'l  Warren; 
and  that  of  Adm'l  Warren  to  the  Admiralty,  which  had 
been  provided  for  the  illustration  of  tliis  chapter,  have 
been  omitted  by  the  Publishers  for  want  of  room .] 


1  Letter  from  an  officer,  at  "Armislead's,  near  Hampton, 
July  10;"  Maj.  Crutchfield's  Dispatch,  June  28  ;  Wilkin- 
son's Mem.,  i.  p.  733  ;  Ingersoll,  1.  pp.  202-204 ;  Arm- 
strong, ii.  p.  47  ;  Perkins,  pp.  164,  165  ;  Sketches  of  War, 
p.  325  ;  Breckenridge,  pp.  154-157  ;  Thomson's  Sketches, 
pp.  220,  221. — '  James'  Military  Occurrences,  ii.  pp.  66-69  ; 
Auchinleck,  p.  277. — °  James,  i.  p.  69. 


CHAPTER     LVI. 


July  11,  1§13. 

THE    ATTACK     ON     BLACK     ROCK,N.Y. 


The  predatory  excursions  wliicli  gen- 
erally characterize  a  border  warfare 
were,  as  we  have  seen,  peculiarly  suc- 
cessful on  the  Northern  frontier,  and 
led  to  their  frequent  organization  in 
the  armies  of  both  nations. 

In  July,  1813,  one  of  these  was  or- 
ganized by  Lieutenant-colonel  Bisshopp, 
formerly  commander  of  the  British  post 
of  Fort  Erie,  against  the  village  of  Black 
Rock,  on  the  eastern  bank  of  the  Niag- 
ara River,  where  were  a  dock-yard,  store- 
houses, &c}  For  this  purpose,  at  two 
in  the  morning  of  the  eleventh  of  July, 
1813,  a  detachment  of  Royal  artillery, 
under  Lieutenant  Armstrong ;  foi'ty 
men  fi'om  the  Eighth  or  King's  regi- 
mejit,  under  Lieutenant  Barstow ;  one 
hundred  men  from  the  Forty-first,  un- 
der Captain  Saunders ;  forty  men  from 
the  Forty-ninth,  under  Lieutenant  Fitz- 
gibbon  ;  and  forty  from  the  Second  and 
Third  Lincoln  militia,  were  embarked 
on  the  Canada  shore ;  and  at  half  an 
hour  before  daylight  it  landed  near 
Black  Rock,  without  having  been  dis- 
covered, and,  after  a  slight  resistance 
from  the  garrison  and  the  troops  who 
were  stationed  there,  it  succeeded  in 
capturing  the  post.^ 

» Ingersoll,  i.  p.  289  ;  Rogers'  Canada,  i.  p.  214. 

»  Lieut. -Col.  Clark  to  Adj. -Gen.  Harvey,  July  12,  1813  ; 
Eogers'  Canada,  i.  p.  214 ;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  228  ; 
Buffalo  Gazette,  July  16,  1813. 


After  setting  fire  to  the  block-houses, 
the  seamen's  barracks,  the  navy-yard, 
and  a  large  schooner  which  laid  there, 
and  carrying  off  as  many  of  the  stores 
as  he  could  secure,  the  enemy  retired 
to  his  boats  and  moved  off.^ 

While  the  enemy  was  engaged  in  re- 
moving the  stores  he  was  attacked  by 
a  body  of  regulars,  volunteers,  and  mi- 
litia from  Buffalo,  and  a  small  party  of 
Indians,  the  whole  under  General  Pe- 
ter B.  Porter  ;  and  a  brisk  engagement 
ensued,  resulting,  within  twenty  min- 
utes, in  a  hasty  i-etreat  of  the  enemy,^ 
leaving  behind  him  Captain  Saunders 
and  nine  men,  killed  and  wounded, 
and  fifteen  prisoners.^  After  he  had 
reached  his  boats  the  fire  was  more 
effective  than  before,  and  the  com- 
mander of  the  expedition,  Lieutenant- 
colonel  Bisshopp,  together  with  many 
of  his  men,  were  added  to  the  list  of 
his  losses.* 

The  loss  of  the  Americans  was  a  ser- 
geant and  two  men  killed,  and  three 
men  and  two  Indians  wounded  '^  that 

'  Lieut. -Col.  Clark  to  Adj. -Gen.  Harvey,  July  12  ; 
Iiigersoll,  i.  p.  289  ;  Rogers'  Canada,  i.  p.  214  ;  James'  Mil. 
Occur.,  i.  p.  228  ;  Buffalo  Gazette,  July  16,  1813. 

=  Lieut-Col.  Clark  to  Adj. -Gen.  Harvey,  July  12  ; 
Auchinleck,  p.  176  ;  Ingersoll,  i.  p.  289  ;  James'  Mil. 
Occur.,  i.  p.  229  ;  Buffalo  Gazette,  July  16,  1813. 

'  Rogers'  Canada,  i.  p.  215 ;  Buffalo  Gazette,  July  16, 1813. 

*  Lieut. -Col.  Clark  to  Adj. -Gen.  Harvey,  July  12  ; 
Rogers'  Canada,  1.  p.  215;   Buffalo  Gazette,  July  16,  1813. 

'  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  229  ;  Buffalo  Gaz.,  July  16, 1813. 


260 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


of  tlie  enemy  is  not  fully  known — the 
militia  and  the  Forty-ninth  having 
made  no  reports.^  As  the  other  de- 
tachments lost  thirteen  hilled^  three 
officers  and  twenty-one  men  wounded^ 
and  six  missing^  the  enemy's  aggregate 
loss  could  not  have  been  less  than  sev- 
enty men. 

Four  guns,  one  hundred  and  seventy- 
seven  muskets,  and  other  stores  were 
taken  by  the  enemy ;  and  two  twelves 
and  two  nines — all  iron — were  spiked 
and  abandoned.^ 

Much  as  the  loss  of  the  stores  was 
felt  by  the  Americans,  the  loss  which 
the  enemy  experienced  in  the  death  of 


Lieutenant-colonel  Bisshopp — one  of  the 
most  energetic  and  promising  of  the 
British  officers  of  that  day — was  im- 
measurably greater.  Young,  and  inde- 
fatigable in  the  dischai-ge  of  his  duties, 
his  superiors  in  office  missed  the  benefit 
of  his  co-operations  in  the  subsequent 
movements  on  the  frontier;  and  his 
country  no  longer  secured  the  fruits  ot 
his  dashing,  well-arranged,  and  success- 
ful enterprises. 


[Note. — The  Dispatches  of  Gen.  Peter  B.  Porter  to  Gov. 
D.  D.  Tompkins,  and  of  Lieut. -Col.  Clark  to  Adj. -Gen. 
Harvey,  which  had  been  provided  for  the  illustration  of 
this  chapter,  have  been  omitted  by  the  Publishers  for 
want  of  room.] 


CHAPTER    LYII. 

Aus:ust  1  and  2,  1S13. 

THE  DEFENCE  OF  FORT  STEPHENSON,  OHIO. 


The  defeat  of  the  allied  forces  before 
Fort  Meigs,  in  May,  1813,  did  not  ap- 
pear to  satisfy  the  ambition  of  the  no- 
torious Proctor,  or  the  desires  of  his 
swarthy  companions  ;*  and  in  July  they 
began  a  second  time  to  infest  the  coun- 
try in  that  vicinity.®  Tecumth^  and  his 
warriors,  and  Dixon, — a  Scotch  ruffian, 
— with  his  band  of  Indian  desperadoes, 
numbering,  in  the  aggregate,  about 
three  thousand  five  hundred  braves, 
had   assembled  in   that  vicinity;®    and 


'  Lieut. -Col.  Clark  to  Adj. -Gen.  Harvey,  July  12. 

"  Ibid. — '  Returns,  signed  "  R.  S.  Armstrong,  Lkut.-Col. 
R.  A    "  and  "Tiios.  Clark,  Lieui.-Col.  2d  Lincoln  mililia.' 

*  Auchinleck;  p.  184 ;  McAfee's  War  in  the  West,  p.  317 

'  Ingersoll,  i.  p.  146  ;   Perkins'  Annals  of  the  West,  p 
633  ;    McAfee,  pp.  316,  317.—'  Perkins'  Annals  of  the 
West,  p.  633  ;  Breckenridge's  Hist,  of  War,  pp.  159,  160 
Christie's  Naval  and  Mil.  Operations,  p.  117.     The  pris 


the  intelligence  of  their  movements 
reached  General  Harrison  while  that 
officer  was  at  Lower  Sandusky,  the  site 
of  a  stockade-fort  known  as  Ifo?'t  Ste- 
phenson} Leaving  that  post  in  com- 
mand of  Major  George  Ci'oghan,  he 
moved  up  to  Seneca  Town,  with  one 
hundred  and  foi-ty  men,  and  there  es- 
tablished his  head-quarters ;  where  he 
was  joined,  soon  afterwards,  by  Colonels 
Paul  and  Ball,  with  four  hundi-ed  and 
fifty  regulars,  and  by  Generals  McAr- 
thur  and  Cass.^ 


oners  told  Gen.  Harrison  that  they  numbered  twenty-five 
hundred;  Mr.  James  (Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  264)  says  they  were 
twenty-two  hundred;  Gen.  Armstrong  {Notices,  i.  p.  164) 
says  four  thousand ;  and  Capt.  McAfee  (War  in  West,  p.  321) 
sa,ys  five  thousand. 

'  McAfee,  p.  319.—''  Ibid. 


Chap.  LVH.]  THE  DEFENCE  OF  FORT  STEPHENSON,  OHIO. 


2G1 


Soon  afterwards  the  allied  enemies 
abandoned  Fort  Meigs  and  moved 
against  Fort  Stephenson — the  savages 
marching  across  the  country,  and  guard- 
ing the  approaches  to  the  fort,  to  pre- 
vent both  the  movement  of  reinforce- 
ments and  the  escape  of  the  garrison; 
the  British,  at  the  same  time,  sailing 
around  into  Sandusky  Bay,  and  ap- 
proaching the  fort  by  water.^ 

At  the  period  in  question  Fort  Ste- 
phenson was  an  oblong  stockade-fort, 
about  one  hundred  yards  long  and 
fifty  yards  wide,  protected  with  pickets 
about  twelve  feet  high,  and  fraized  with 
hayonets?  It  was  surrounded  with  a 
ditch  eight  feet  wide  aud  eight  feet  deep ; 
and  at  each  angle  it  was  strengthened 
with  a  block-house.^  It  was  defended 
by  one  hundred  and  sixty  men,*  with  a 
single  six-pounder,  and  Major  George 
Croghan,  a  young  man  of  twenty-one 
years,  was  its  commandant.^ 

It  had  been  pronounced  untenable 
by  General  Harrison  and  his  officers ;  ® 
and  orders  were  issued  to  the  Major  to 
abandon  it,  set  it  on  fire,  and,  with  the 

1  Gen.  Harrison  to  Sec.  of  War,  Aug.  1  and  4,  1813  ; 
Letter  from  Chilicothe,  Aug.  12,  in  "The  War,"  ii.  p.  47  ; 
McAfee,  p.  321 ;  Sketches  of  War,  p.  166. 

*  Auchinleck,  p.  185  ;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  pp.  263, 
264  ;  Letter  from  Chilicothe,  Aug.  12.  Mr.  Perkins  {Hist, 
of  War,  p.  223)  says  the  pickets  were  eighteen  feet  high  ; 
the  author  of  Sketches  of  War  (p.  167)  says  tliey  were  ten 
feet  high.—'  Letter  from  Chilicothe,  Aug.  12.  Blr.  Au- 
cliinleck  {Hist.,  p.  185)  and  Mr.  James  {Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p. 
264)  says  it  was  twelve  feet  wide  and  seven  feet  deep  ;  Mr. 
Perkins  {Hist,  of  War,  p.  223),  "six feel  vdde  and  deep ;"  Mr. 
Breckenridge  {Hist,  of  War,  p.  175),  six  feet  wide  and  nine 
feet  deep. — *  McAfee,  p.  319;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p. 
264  ;  Breckenridge,  p.  175.  Mr.  Perkins  {Annals  of  West, 
p.  633)  and  Gen.  Armstrong  {Notices  of  War,  i.  p.  165) 
say  it  was  only  one  hundred  and  fifty  men  ;  and  the  author 
of  Sketches  of  the  War  (p.  166)  says  of  these  only  one  hun- 
dred and  thirty-three  were  effective. 

'  Gen.  Harrison  to  Secretary  of  War,  Aug.  4. 

'  McAfee,  p.  321  ;  Hall's  Harrison,  p.  246. 


garrison,  to  repair  to  head-quarters;^ 
but  the  messengers  having  lost  their 
way,  the  order  did  not  reach  the  fort 
until  the  Indians  had  surrounded  it, 
and  a  retreat  was  utterly  impossible.^ 
He  resolved,  therefore,  "to  maintain 
the  place,"  and  sent  information  of  his 
design  to  head-quarters;^  but  the  Gen- 
eral relieved  him  of  his  command  until 
he  had  given  an  explanation,  in  person, 
at  head-quarters,  -of  the  causes  which 
induced  him  to  disobey  his  orders.* 

It  will  very  easily  be  seen  that  this 
incident  was  not  lost  sight  of  in  the 
subsequent  defence  of  the  post ;  and 
the  rebuke  which  the  Major  received 
for  his  disobedience  of  orders  served 
rathei"  to  increase  his  determination  "  to 
maintain  the  post"  at  all  hazards,  than 
to  discourage  it. 

Early  in  the  evening  of  the  first  of  Au- 
gust,^ General  Proctor,  with  the  Forty- 
first  reo:iment  and  seven  or  eight  hun- 
dred  Indians,  under  Dixon,  appeared  be- 
fore the  fort,  and  after  having  landed  his 
forces  and  disposed  them  agreeably  to  his 
wishes,  he  sent  Colonel  Elliott  and  Major 
Chambers,  with  a  flag,  to  demand  the 
surrender  of  the  post."  The  latter,  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  custom  of  the  allies, 
informed  Ensign  Shipp,  who  represent- 
ed Major  Croghan,  that  General  Proctor 
possessed  "  a  number  of  cannon,  a  large 

'  Gen.  Harrison  to  Maj.  Croghan,  July  29,  1813. 
=  McAfee,  pp.  322,  323  ;  Hall's  Harrison,  p.  247. 
'  Maj.  Croghan  to  Gen.  Harrison,  July  30. 

*  A.  B.  Holmes,  Assistant  Adj. -Gen.,  to  Maj.  Croghan 
July  30 ;  Letter  from  Chilicothe,  Aug.  12. 

*  Maj.  Croghan  to  Gen.  Harrison,  Aug.  5  ;  Letter  from 
Chilicothe,  Aug.  12  ;  Auchinleck,  p.  185  ;  Perkins'  Hist, 
of  War,  p.  223  ;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  264  ;  McAfee, 
p.  324.— «  Maj.  Croghan  to  Gen.  Harri.'^on,  Aug.  5,  1813. 
Capt.  McAfee  {Hist.,  p.  324)  supposes  the  flag  was  borne 
by  Maj.  Chambers  and  Dixon. 


2fi2 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  ,11. 


l)ody  of  regular  troops,  and  so  many 
Indians,  whom  it  was  impossible  to  con- 
trol, that  if  the  fort  was  taken,  as  it 
must  be,  tlie  whole  of  the  garrison 
wotdd  he  massacred^''  unless  it  surren- 
dered without  opposition.  To  this 
threat  the  Ensign  replied  that  "it  was 
the  determination  of  Major  Croghan, 
his  officers,  and  men,  to  defend  the 
garrison  or  be  buried  in  it ;  and  that 
they  might  do  their  best."^ 

Immediately  after  the  return  of  the 
flag  the  enemy  opened  his  fire  from  the 
gunboats  and  from  a  five-and-a-half-inch 
howitzer  which  he  had  taken  ashore;^ 
and  it  w^as  continued,  with  but  little 
intermission,  durino-  the  entire  nis^ht.^ 
While  it  was  yet  dark  the  enemy 
mounted  three  six-pounders  in  battery, 
within  two  hundred  and  fifty  yards  of 
the  pickets ;  and,  at  an  early  hour  on 
the  second,  their  fire,  also,  was  thrown 
into  the  fort,  with  little  effect.* 

Continuing  this  inefficient  fire  until 
four  p.  M.,^  the  enemy  at  that  time  ap- 
peared to  change  his  plan  of  operations, 
and  concentrated  his  fire  on  the  north- 
western angle  of  the  fort;®  and  Major 
Croghan  properly  considered  that  his 
object  was  to  make  a  breach,  prepara- 


'  Gen.  Harrison  to  Sec.  of  War,  Aug.  4,  1813  ;  Maj. 
Croghan  to  Gen.  Harrison,  Aug.  5;  "The  War,"  ii,  p. 
49  ;  Ingersoll,  i.  p.  148  ;  Perltins'  Annals  of  West,  p.  633  ; 
McAfee,  p.  32-5, — '^  Maj.  Croghan  to  Gen.  Harrison,  Aug. 
5;  Letter  from  Ghilicotlie,  Aug.  12;  McAfee,  p.  326; 
Armstrong's  Notices,  i.  p.  165. — '  Maj.  Croghan  to  Gen. 
Harrison,  Aug.  5  ;  Perkins'  Hist,  of  War,  p.  223  ;  McAfee, 
p.  32.5  ;  Armstrong's  Notices,  i.  p.  165. 

*  Maj.  Croghan  to  Gen.  Harrison,  Aug.  5 ;  Auchinlecli, 
p.  185  ;  Perkins'  Hist,  of  War,  p.  223  ;  Sketches  of  War, 
p.  167  ;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  265.—*  Maj.  Croghan  to 
Gen.  Harrison,  Aug.  5.  Mr.  Auchinleck  {Hist,  of  War,  p. 
185)  says  until  three  in  the  afternoon. — °  Maj.  Croghan  to 
Gen.  Harrison,  Aug.  5  ;  Letter  from  Chilicothe,  Aug.  12  ; 
Perkins'  Annals,  pp.  633,  634  ;  McAfee,  p.  326. 


tory  to  storming  the  works  at  that 
point.  He  immediately  ordered  his 
command  to  strengthen  that  angle ; 
and  by  means  of  sand-bags,  sacks  of 
flour,  <fec.,  he  was  so  far  successful  that 
no  injury  was  sustained  by  the  fort  or 
its  garrison.^ 

It  does  not  appear  from  the  Major''s 
dU-patcli  that  this  fire  was  returned,  ex- 
cept with  small  arms^ — the  six-pounder 
which  was  in  the  fort  having  been  se- 
cretly placed  in  the  block-house,  which 
commanded  the  ditch  near  the  north- 
west angle,  and  was  maslced^  in  order 
that  the  assailants  might  not  abandon 
or  change  the  details  of  what  was  his 
evident  design  on  that  part  of  the  fort. 

Every  man  of  the  garrison  was  at  his 
post  and  fully  aware  of  the  responsibil- 
ity which  was  rapidly  devolving  upon 
him;*  and  when,  after  sunset,  darkness 
had  begun  to  gather  around  the  fort 
and  its  defenders,  the  enemy  opened  a 
more  furious  and  concentrated  fire  on 
the  devoted  northwest  angle,  and  it  w^as 
apparent  to  every  one  that  the  trying 
moment  had  come.^  Taking  advantage 
of  the  darkness — rendered  still  more 
efifective  by  the  volumes  of  dense  smoke 
which  hong  over  the  scene® — the  ene- 
my, in  three  columns,  approached  the 

'  Maj.  Croghan  to  Gen.  Harrison,  Aug.  5  ;  Perkins' 
Annals,  p.  634  ;  Sketches  of  War,  p.  167. 

"  I  am  aware  that  the  report  of  the  Major's  six-pounder 
has  added  to  the  "  effect"  In  many  narratives,  wliich  have 
been  written  by  those  who  were  not  in  tlie  fort.  Had 
these  been  true  1  see  no  use  for  the  efforts  to  conceal  it ; 
nor  can  I  understand  why  the  enemy  did  not  prepare  for  it. 

^  Letter  from  Chilicothe,  Aug.  12  ;  Perkins'  Annals,  p. 
634;  Perkins'  War,  p.  224;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  266. 

*  Maj.  Croghan  to  Gen.  Harrison,  Aug.  5. 

'Ibid.;  Letter  from  Chilicothe,  Aug.  12;  McAfee,  p. 
326.—*  Maj.  Croghan  to  Gen.  Harrison,  Aug.  5  ;  Perkins' 
Annals,  p.  634  ;  Perkins'  Hist,  of  War,  p.  224  ;  Sketches 
of  War,  p.  167  ;  McAfee,  p.  326. 


Chap.  LVII.]  THE  DEFENCE  OF  FORT  STEPHENSON,  OHIO. 


263 


works  with,  every  appearance  of  an  in- 
tention to  storm  the  lines.^  Two  of 
these,  however,  headed  by  the  grena- 
diers under  Lieutenant-colonel  Warbur- 
ton,  passed  around  the  western  side  of 
the  fort  in  order  to  make  a  feint  on  its 
southern  front,  where  Captain  Hunter 
of  the  Seventh  regiment,  the  second  in 
command,  had  been  stationed  with  his 
company.^  As  it  was  necessary  to  make 
a  circuit  through  the  woods,  this  col- 
umn did  not  reach  its  appointed  scene 
of  operations  until  after  the  principal 
attack  had  been  made  on  the  north- 
western angle  of  the  fort ;  and  after 
making  two  demonstrations — producing 
nearly  all  which  had  been  designed,  in 
keeping  a  portion  of  the  little  garrison 
on  the  qui  vive  at  a  distance  from  the 
real  point  of  attack — they  were  with- 
drawn, and  returned  to  their  camp  with 
but  little  loss.^ 

In  the  mean  time  the  other  column — 
with  which  had  been  intrusted  the  duty 
of  storming  the  fort — had  been  led 
against  the  northwest  angle  by  Lieu- 
tenant-colonel Short.*  Approaching  the 
point  of  attack  under  cover  of  the 
smoke  which  had  been  raised  by  the 
artillery,^  the  column  had  come  within 
eighteen  or  twenty  yards  before  it  was 
discovered;^  when  every  musket  and 
rifle  on  that  part  of  the  lines  was  di- 

'  Maj.  Croghan  to  Gen.  Harrison,  Aug.  5;  Maj.  Richard- 
son, in  Auchinkch' s  Hist.,  p.  185.  Gen.  Harrison  (Dispatch, 
Aug.  4,  1813),  and  many  others,  following  him,  speak  of 
but  two  columns. — ^  Maj.  Croghan  to  Gen.  Harrison,  Aug. 
•5;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  265.— '  James'  Mil.  Occur., 
1.  p.  265. — '  Auchinlecli,  p.  185  ;  Ingersoll,  i.  p.  148 ; 
James'  Mil.  Occur.,!,  p.  265;  Christie,  p.  118.— '  Maj. 
Croghan  to  Gen.  Harrison,  Aug.  5  ;  Sketches  of  the  War, 
p.  167  ;  McAfee,  p.  326  ;  Armstrong,  i.  p.  166. 

°  Maj.  Croghan  to  Gen.  Harrison,  Aug.  5  ;  Perkins' 
Annals,  p.  634  ;  Sketches  of  War,  p.  167  ;  Christie,  p.  118. 


rected  against  it.^  As  the  greater  part 
of  these  were  handled  by  Keutuckians 
of  "  the  olden  time,"  the  effect  of  this 
fire  can  be  better  conceived  than  de- 
scribed. It  did  not  check  the  advance 
of  the  column,  however ;  and  with  some 
difficulty  Lieutenant-colonel  Short  suc- 
ceeded in  getting  over  the  outer  line  of 
pickets,  and  gained  the  ditch  which  sur- 
rounded the  fort.^  Followed  closely  by 
his  command — until  the  dry  ditch  had 
become  well  filled  with  the  assailants^ 
— the  Lieutenant -colonel  ordered  his 
men  to  follow  him,  telling  them  to 
"  scale  the  pickets,  and  show  the  damn- 
ed Yankee  rascals  no  quarters,"*  and 
moved  towards  the  devoted  northwest 
angle.^  At  that  instant  the  port  was 
opened,  and  the  masked  six-pounder, 
which,  under  the  direction  of  private 
Brown  of  the  Petersburg  volunteers,^ 
had  been  loaded  with  half  a  charge  of 
powder  and  a  double  charge  of  small 
slugs,^  was  run  out  and  fired  on  the 
head  of  the  column,  at  that  time  not 
more  than  ten  yards  distant,^  complete- 
ly raking  the  ditch,  and  sweeping  down 
the  greater  part  of  the  assailants.^     A 

'  Maj.  Croghan  to  Gen.  Harrison,  Aug.  5  ;  Auchinleck, 
p.  185  ;  Perkins'  Hist,  of  War,  p.  224  ;  McAfee,  pp.  326, 
327  ;  Armstrong,  i.  p.  166. — '  Maj.  Croghan  to  Gen.  Har- 
rison,Aug.  5  ;  Auchinleck,  p.  185  ;  McAfee,  p.  327  ;  Arm- 
strong, i.  p.  166. — "  Letter  from  Chilicothe,  Aug.  12  ;  Per- 
kins' Annals,  p.  634  ;  Sketches  of  the  War,  p.  167  ;  Mc- 
Afee, p.  327  ;  Breckenridge,  p.  176. — *  Letter  from  Chili- 
cothe, Aug.  12  ;  Ingersoll,  i.  p.  148  ;  Perkins'  Hist,  of 
War,  p.  224  ;  Sltetches  of  War,  p.  167  ;  Breckenridge,  p. 
176. — "  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  266. — '  Gen.  Harrison  to 
Sec.  of  War,  Aug.  4. — '  Auchinleck,  p.  185  ;  Sketches  of 
the  War,  p.  167  ;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  266  ;  Thom- 
son's Sketches,  p.  163. — *  Perkins'  Annals,  p.  634  ;  James' 
Mil.  Occur.,  1.  p.  266  ;  McAfee,  p.  327  ;  Thomson's 
Sketches,  p.  1Q3, — °  Mi},j.  Croghan  to  Gen.  Harrison,  Aug. 
5  ;  Perkins'  Hist,  of  War,  p.  224  ;  Sketches  of  the  War, 
p.  167  ;  James'  Mil,  Occur.,  i.  p.  266  ;  McAfee,  p.  327  ; 
Armstrong,  i.  p.  166. 


264: 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


volley  of  rifle-balls  finished  the  work 
which  the  six-pounder  had  begun;'  and 
but  few  remained,  of  those  who  had  en- 
tered the  ditch,  to  carry  back  the  intel- 
ligence of  the  disaster. 

Still  others  of  the  column  remained 
who  had  not  yet  scaled  the  pickets, 
and  approached  the  northwest  angle ; 
and  another  officer,  emulous  of  glory, 
called  for  their  co-operation,  and  tried 
the  experiment.  A  second  time  the 
slugs  and  rifle-balls  were  called  into 
requisition,  and  a  second  time  the  ditch 
was  cleared ;  after  which  the  attempt 
was  not  renewed.^ 

In  the  course  of  the  night  the  enemy 
gathered  his  killed  and  wounded,  so  far 
as  he  was  able  to  do  so,  and  embarked 


on  his  vessels ; '  and  at  eight  o'clock  on 
the  morning  of  the  third  he  sailed 
down  the  river,  leaving  behind  him  a 
boat  containing  a  considerable  quantity 
of  clothing  and  military  stores.^ 

The  loss  of  the  garrison  was  one  man 
hilled  and  seven  wounded  j^  the  enemy 
acknowledged  the  loss  of  Lieutenant- 
colonel  Short  and  twenty-six  men  hilled^ 
and  seventy  wounded* — although  it  is 
supposed,  from  the  number  of  those 
who  were  left  behind,  that  it  was  much 
greater.^  The  loss  of  the  Indian  allies, 
according  to  custom,  was  not  recorded. 


[Note. — The  Report  of  Maj.  Croghan  to  Gen.  Harrison, 
and  the  "General  Orders"  issued  by  Sir  Geo.  Prevost, 
which  had  been  provided  for  the  illustration  of  this  chap- 
ter, have  been  omitted  by  the  Publishers  for  want  of  room.] 


CHAPTER    LYIII. 

August  5,  1§13.' 

THE     CAPTURE     OF    THE    DOMINICA. 


The  enterprise  and  gallantry  of  the 
privateers  which  sailed  from  the  several 
ports  of  the  United  States  have  been 
referred  to  in  former  chapters  of  this 
work;*  and  the  subject  of  this  is  a  con- 
tinuation of  that  series  of  exploits. 

Among  the  vessels  which  were  thus 
equipped  and  authorized  to  cruise 
against  the  enemy  was  the  schooner 
Decatur^  of  Charleston,  South  Carolina, 


'  Sketches  of  the  War,  p.  167  ;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i. 
p  266  ;  Brecltenridge,  p.  176. — '  Sketches  of  the  War,  p. 
167  ;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  266  ;  Thomson's  Sketches, 
p.  163  — '  Capt.  Dent  to  Secretary  of  Navy,  Aug.  21  ; 
Eoyal  Naval  Chronicle,  xxx.  p.  348  ;  Coggeshall's  Hist, 
of  Privateers,  p.  172.  Mr.  Breckenridge  [Hist,  of  War,  p. 
172)  says  it  occurred  on  the  \bth. 

*  Vide  Chapters  XXVII.,  XXXVI. ,  XLII. 


carrying  six  twelve-pound  carronades, 
one  long-eighteen,  on  a  pivot,  and  one 
hundred  and  three  men,  Captain  Domi- 
nique Diron,  commanding.®  She  had 
been  cruising  in  the  track  of  the  West  In- 

1  Letter  from  Chilicothe,  Aug.  12  ;  Auchinleck,  p.  185 ; 
McAfee,  p.  328. — '  Maj.  Croghan  to  Gen.  Harrison,  Aug. 
12  ;  Auchinleck,  p.  185 ;  McAfee,  p.  328. 

"  Letter  from  Chilicothe,  Aug.  12  ;  McAfee,  p.  327. 

*  Return,  appended  to  '^General  Orders,"  Sept.  3,  1813, 
signed  "  E.  Bayne,  Adj.-Gen." — 'Maj.  Croghan  to  Gen. 
Harrison,  Aug.  5  ;  Letter  from  Lower  Sandusky,  Aug.  12, 
in  ''The  War,"  ii.  p.  43. 

^  Breckenridge,  p.  172  ;  Capt.  Dent  to  Secretary  of 
Navy,  Aug.  21 ;  Coggeshall,  p.  172.  Mr.  Auchinleck 
(liiM.,  p.  199),  while  he  diminishes  the  strength  of  the 
Dominica,  coolly  makes  that  of  the  Decatur  twelve  guns  and 
one  hundred  and  twenty  men  ;  and  Mr.  James  {Naval  Occur., 
p.  259)  says  a  court-martial  said  she  carried  "  one  hundred 
and  forty  men,"  although  he  afterwards  (p.  260)  considers 
one  hundred  and  twenty-two  enough. 


CiiAP.  LVIII.] 


THE  CAPTURE  OF  THE  DOMINICA. 


265 


clia  traders;^  and,  on  the  fifth  of  August, 
she  was  in  latitude  23°  4'  N.,  longitude, 
about  67°  W.,  steering  to  the  north- 
ward, under  easy  sail.  At  half-past  ten 
in  the  morninfic  two  sail  were  discovered 
from  the  masthead ;  and  the  schoonei", 
tacking  to  the  southward,  immediately 
made  chase.  Half  an  hour  afterwards 
they  were  made  out  to  be  a  ship  and 
schooner,  standing  to  the  northward ; 
and  at  half-past  twelve  the  Decatur 
came  abreast  of  the  schooner,  which 
showed  British  colors.  At  one  o'clock 
the  Decatur  wore  round,  still  keeping 
to  windward  of  the  schooner ;  and  half 
an  hour  afterwards  the  latter  opened  a 
fire,  which  inflicted  no  injury.^ 

The  Decatur'' s  crew  were  called  to 
quarters  ;  the  guns  and  small-arms  were 
loaded ;  the  grapplings,  swords,  pikes, 
and  other  arms  were  got  in  readiness 
for  boarding;  the  necessary  ammuni- 
tion, water,  &c.,  were  taken  on  deck ; 
the  hatches  were  fastened  down ;  and 
every  preparation  was  made  for  an  en- 
gagement. The  plan  of  operations  was 
to  bear  down  on  her  opponent,  to  throw 
in  a  fire  from  all  her  guns  and  small- 
arms,  and,  taking  advantage  of  the 
smoke,  to  board.^ 

With  this  design,  at  two  o'clock,  the 
Decatur  wore,  in  order  to  pass  under 
the  schooner's  stern,  and  give  her  a 
raking  fire ;  but  this  object  was  thwart- 
ed, by  the  enemy  luffing,  and  throwing 
in  a  full  broadside,  as  the  former  came 
up,  without  doing  any  damage.  A  can- 
nonade, with  the  Decatur''s  long  gun, 

'  Coggeshall's  Hist.  Privateers,  p.  172. — '  Sketches  of 
War,  p.  331  ;  Log-book  of  the  Decatur,  published  in 
"r/(6  War."  ii.  p.  49. 

^  Log-book  of  the  Decatur ;  Coggeshall,  p.  173. 
VoT.   TT  -  34 


followed  ;  and,  the  latter  having  hoisted 
American  colors,  at  half-past  two,  the 
schooner  appeared  desirous  of  shaking 
off  her  antagonist.  To  prevent  this  the 
Decatur  hauled  upon  the  larboard-tack, 
with  the  hope  of  bringing  her  bowsprit 
over  the  schooner's  stern ;  but  this  was 
prevented,  and  another  broadside,  which 
injured  the  Decatur''s  sails  and  rigging, 
was  given  by  the  former,  and  answered 
with  the  long  gun  of  the  latter.^ 

Thus  the  contest  continued — the  one 
attempting  to  run  into  and  board  her 
antagonist,  the  latter  skilfully  avoiding 
her,  and  keeping  up  a  warm  fire — until 
half-past  three  o'clock,  when  the  bow- 
sprit of  the  Decatur  was  run  over  the 
schooner's  stern, — her  jib-boom  piercing 
the  mainsail  of  the  latter, — and  under 
"a  terrible  fire"  from  her  guns  and 
small-arms,  the  boarders,  led  by  the 
first  prize-master  (Vincent  Safitli)  and 
the  quarter-master  {Thomas  Wasborn').^ 
rushed  to  the  schooner's  quarter-deck. 
The  crew  of  the  schooner  being  unable 
to  separate  the  vessels,  a  terrible  scene 
of  slaughter  ensued  on  the  schooner's 
quarter-deck ;  and  the  vessels,  mean- 
while, gradually  worked  alongside  of 
each  other.  While  thus  situated  Cap- 
tain Diron  ordered  his  entire  crew  to 
board ;  and,  having  abandoned  their 
guns,  the  order  was  "  executed  with 
the  promptness  of  lightning."  The 
contest  now  became  a  close  hand-to- 
hand  engagement,  and  it  was  carried 
on  with  the  most  desperate  energy. 
Pistols,  cutlasses,  boarding-pikes,  cold- 
shot  hurled  by  hand,  and  every  other 


1  Log-book  of  the  Decatur ;   Sketches  of  the  War,  pp. 
331,  332. 


2(56 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


conceivable  means  of  offence  and  de- 
fence were  resorted  to  by  both  the 
crews ;  and  one  of  the  bloodiest  and 
most  desperately  contested  engagements 
on  record  was  carried  on  on  the  schoon- 
er's deck.-^ 

At  length,  the  deck  having  been  cov- 
ered with  the  dead  and  wounded,  the 
Captain  and  all  the  principal  officers  of 
the  schooner  having  fallen,  and  the 
Decatur''s  crew  having  overpowered 
their  opponents,  the  colors  of  the 
schooner  were  struck  hy  the  victors^ 
and  the  engagement  ended.^ 

The  foi'ce  of  the  Decatur  has  been 
already  noticed;^  that  of  the  schooner — 
which  proved  to  be  His  Britannic  Maj- 
esty's schooner  Dominica — was  twelve 
twelve-pound  carronades,  two  long-six- 
es, a  tbirty-two-pound  carronade  on  a 


pivot,  and  a  brass  four-pound  swivel,^ 
with  a  crew  of  seventy-seven  men.** 
The  loss  of  the  former  was  three  hilled 
and  fifteen  wounded  ;^  that  of  the  lat- 
ter was  Captain  Barrette,  her  com- 
mander, Master  Sackett,  Purser  Brown, 
Midshipmen  Archer  and  Parry,  and 
eight  men,  Mlled  j  Midshipman  Nichols 
and  forty-six  men,  wounded — leaving 
the  surgeon.  Midshipman  Lindo,  and 
fifteen  of  her  crew,  alone,  without  hav- 
ing suffered  injury,'* 

It  was  said,  by  a  contemporary  wri- 
ter, that  "This  engagement  has  been 
the  most  bloody,  and  the  loss  of  the 
killed  and  wounded,  on  the  part  of  the 
enemy,  in  proportion  to  the  number 
engaged,  perhaps  the  greatest  of  any 
action  to  be  found  in  the  records  of 
naval  warfare." 


CHAPTER    LIX. 

Aug^ust  14,  1§13. 

THE      LOSS      OF      THE      ARGUS. 


The  government  of  the  United  States 
having  been  unrepresented  at  the  French 
Court,  in  the  middle  of  June,  1813, 
William  Henry  Crawford  was  appoint- 
ed to  that  important  station ;  and, 
shortly  afterwards,  he  sailed  from  New 
York,  in  the  brig  of  war  Argus^  of 
which  Lieutenant  Wilham  H.  Allen,  of 
Rhode    Island,    was    the    commander. 


'  Log-book    of    the   Decatur ;    Breckenvidge,    p.    172  ; 
Coggeshall,  pp.  173,  174. 

'  Log-book  of  the  Decalur ;  Coggeshall,  pp.  174,  175. 
"  Vide  p.  264. 


After  a  passage  of  twenty-three  days 
he  arrived  at  L'Orient  in  safety;  and, 


'  James'  Kaval  Occur.,  p.  259  ;  James'  Warden  Refuted, 
Table  II.,  p.  25  ;  Breckenridge,  p.  177 ;  Coggeshall,  p.  172. 
Mr.  Auchinleck  {Eist.,  p.  199)  says  she  carried  '^twelve 
guns." — '  James'  Naval  Occur.,  p.  259.  Capt.  Coggeshall 
{Hist,  of  Privateers,  p.  172)  supposes  she  had  dghty-eight 
men  ;  but  as  it  is  admitted  that  all  her  crew,  except  17, 
were  killed  or  wounded,  /cannot  understand  where  more 
thiin  an  aggregate  of  sevenly-seven  is  found.  Mr.  Auchin- 
leck [Hist.,  p.  199)  says  she  had  only  ^^fifty-seven  men  and 
nine  boys,"  which  is  less  than  the  number  of  men  who  were 
killed  and  wounded. — ^  Log-book  of  the  Decatur;  Auchin- 
leck's  History,  p.  199  ;  Capt.  Dent  to  Secretary  of  Navy, 
Aug.  21. — *  Log-book  of  the  Decatur ;  Auchinleck' s  His- 
tory, p.  199  ;  Naval  Chronicle,  xxx.  p.  348. 


Chap.  LIX.] 


THE  LOSS  OF  THE  ARGUS. 


267 


three  days  afterwards,  tlie  Argus  left 
that  port  on  a  cruise.^ 

From  that  time,  until  the  middle  of 
August,  the  Argus  cruised  in  the  chops 
of  the  English  Channel  and  in  the  Irish 
Channel,  carrying,  as  Paul  Jones  had 
carried  before  him,  —  but  with  more 
honor  and  integrity  than  the  former 
had  possessed,  —  the  greatest  dismay 
into  the  counting-rooms  of  mercantile 
England.  Twenty  sail  of  valuable  mer- 
chantmen, taken  and  destroyed  within 
sight  of  the  firesides  of  England,  had  so 
far  alarmed  the  underwriters  in  London 
that  insurance  on  merchant  vessels  was 
obtained  only  with  the  greatest  diffi- 
culty, and  then  only  at  the  most  extra- 
ordinary rates.^ 

On  the  fourteenth  of  Auo'ust  she  fell 
in  with  a  vessel  from  Oporto,  laden 
with  wine ;  and,  it  is  said,  that  through 
this  oneans  the  misfortunes  which  soon 
after  befell  her,  were  principally  pro- 
duced. "A  good  deal  of  the  liquor," 
the  rumor  says,  "  was  brought  on  the 
brig  clandestinely,  as  the  boats  passed 
to  and  fro,  and  many  of  the  people, 
who  had  been  overworked  and  kept 
from  their  rest,  partook  of  the  refj-esh- 
ment  it  afforded  too  freely."^  After 
setting  the  prize  on  fire,  early  the  next 
morning,  the  Argus  left  her,  under  easy 
sail* — her  situation  being  latitude  52° 
15'  N.,  longitude  5°  50'  W.^ 

In  the  mean  time  the  British  authori- 
ties had  aroused  themselves  for  the  re- 

'  Lieut.  Watson  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  March  2, 1815 ;  Cooper, 
ii.  p.  113  ;  Perkins'  Hist.,  p.  179. — '  James'  Naval  Occur., 
p.  269  ;  Aucliinleck,  p.  199  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  113  ;  Perkins, 
pp.  179,  180;  Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  235. 

^  Cooper,  ii.  p.  113. — *  Extract  fi-om  a  Pl3-moiith,  Eng., 
paper,  in  "The  TFar,"  ii.  p.  71  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  118. 

'  Lieut.  Watson's  Dispatch  ;  Sketches  of  the  War,  p.  313. 


moval  of  the  daring  enemy  who  was 
thus  carrying  destruction  to  the  en- 
trances of  their  harbors;^  and  among 
other  vessels  which  had  been  sent  out 
in  quest  of  the  Argus  was  the  brig  of 
war  Pelican^  mounting  sixteen  thirty- 
two-pound  carronades,  four  long-sixes, 
and  a  twelve-pound  carronade,  and  com- 
manded by  Commander  J.  F.  Maples.^ 
The  light  of  the  burning  wine-ship  told 
the  story  of  the  situation  of  the  Argus^ 
although  it  was  yet  scarcely  daybreak  ;  * 
and  the  Pelican  stood  for  the  scene, 
with  every  stitch  of  her  canvas  set.^ 
Her  approach  was  not  discovered  by 
the  Argus  until  she  had  come  too  near 
to  allow  any  manoeuvres ;  and  Captain 
Allen  shortened  sail,  in  order  that  she 
might  have  an  opportunity  to  close.® 

At  six  o'clock,  the  Argus  having 
hoisted  her  colors,  she  wore,  and  gave 
her  larboard  broadside,  at  grape-shot 
distance ;  and  the  action  commenced, 
the  two  brigs  still  approaching  each 
other.'^  Within  four  minutes  after  the 
opening  of  the  fire  a  round-shot  carried 
away  Lieutenant  Allen's  left  leg;  and 
about  the  same  time  the  main-braces, 
mainspring-stay,  gaff,  and  trysail-mast 
of  the  Argus  were  shot  away.  Eight 
minutes  later.  Lieutenant  Watson,  the 


'  Cooper,  ii.  p.  113  ;  Perkins,  p.  130. — '  Capt.  Maples  to 
Adm'l  Thornborough,  Aug.  14;  James'  Naval  Occur.,  p. 
269  ;  Auchinleck,  p.  199. — '  James'  Warden  Refuted, 
Table  IV.,  p.  33  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  114  ;  Sketches  of  the  War, 
p.  314. — *  Capt.  Maples'  Dispatch;  James'  Naval  Occur., 
p.  270  ;  Extract  from  a  Plymouth  paper ;  Auchinleck,  p. 
199  ;  Breckenridge,  p.  167. — '  Lieut.  Watson's  Dispatch, 
Capt.  Maples'  Dispatch  ;  Extract  from  a  Plymouth  paper  ; 
Auchinleck,  p.  199. — °  Lieut.  Watson's  Despatch  ;  James' 
Naval  Occur.,  p.  270;  Extract  from  a  Plymouth  paper; 
Auchinleck,  p.  199;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  113. 

'  The  time  when  the  action  commenced  has  been  sin- 
gularly mistated  by  Mr.  Breckenridge  as  "  aXfive  p.  m." 


268 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


second  in  command,  was  wounded  by  a 
grape-sliot,  and  was  carried  below,  the 
command  of  the  deck  devolving  upon 
Lieutenant  William  H.  Allen,  jr,,^  by 
whom  "  nothing  which  the  most  gallant 
exertions  could  effect  was  left  undone" 
for  the  defence  of  the  brig  and  the 
honor  of  the  flag.  At  a  quarter-past 
six,  the  enemy  being  on  her  weather- 
quarter,  he  edged  off  for  the  purpose  of 
getting  under  the  stern  of  the  Argus, 
for  the  purpose  of  raking  her ;  but 
Lieutenant  Allen  beautifully  frustrated 
his  purpose  by  luffing  close  to,  with 
main-topsail  aback ;  and,  at  the  same 
time,  he  threw  in  a  raking  broadside 
into  the  Pelican,  A  few  minutes  after- 
wards, her  rigging  having  been  severely 
cut,  and  the  use  of  her  after-sails  having 
been  lost,  the  Argus  fell  off  before  the 
wind,  and  the  JPelican  succeeded  in 
crossing  her  stern  and  raking  her.  At 
twenty-five  minutes  past  six,  the  wheel- 
ropes  and  running-rigging  of  the  Argus 
having  been  shot  away,  she  became  un- 
manageable, and  the  enemy  selected 
that  position  which  best  answered  his 
purpose,  occasionally  changing  his  po- 
sition for  the  moi'e  effectual  accomplish- 
ment of  his  object.^ 

Notwithstanding  the  severe  injuries 
which  the  Argus  had  received,  and  the 
hopelessness  of  her  condition,  her  offi- 
cers and  crew  battled  manfully,  and  at- 
tempted to  board  the  Pelican  ;  but,  as 
might  have  been  expected,  in  all  their 

'  This  officer,  althougli  bearing  the  same  name,  was 
not,  in  any  way,  related  to  his  commander. 

'  Capt.  Maples'  Dispatch ;  Lieut.  Watson's  Dispatch  ; 
Extract  from  a  Plymouth,  Eng.,  paper;  James'  Naval 
Occm-.,  pp.  270-273;  Cooper,  ii.  pp.  113-115  ;  Perkins, 
p.  180  ;  Sketches  of  the  War,  pp.  313,  814  ;  Breckenridge, 
pp.  167,  168;  Thomson's  Sketches,  pp.  236,  237. 


efforts  they  were  alike  unsuccessful.  At 
length,  having  suffered  severely  in  her 
hull  and  rigging,  her  guns  being  much 
disabled,  without  being  able  to  oppose 
but  little  more  than  musketry  to  the 
broadside  of  the  enemy.  Lieutenant 
Allen,  jr.  considered  farther  resistance 
improper,  and  surrendered,  after  an  ob- 
stinate engagement  of  forty-seven  min- 
utes' duration. ■^ 

The  force  of  the  Pelican  has  been 
noticed  already;^  that  of  the  Argus 
was  eighteen  twenty-four-pound  carron- 
ades  and  two  long-twelves.^  The  loss 
of  the  former  was  Master's-mate  Youno^ 
and  one  seaman,  hilled  '  and  five  men, 
wounded ;^  that  of  the  latter  was  Mid- 
shipmen Delphy  and  Edwards,  and  four 
men,  Icilled ,'  and  Lieutenant-comman- 
dant Allen,  Lieutenant  Watson,  Boats- 
wain McLeod,  Carpenter  White,  and 
thirteen  men,  wounded? 

Concerning  this  action,  one  who  was 
peculiarly  competent  to  form  a  correct 
opinion,®  says :  "  The  enemy  was  so 
much  heavier,  that  it  may  be  doubted 
if  the  Argus  could  have  captured  her 
antagonist  under  any  ordinary  circum- 
stances ;  but  it  has  been  usual,  in  the 
service,  to  impute  this  defeat  to  the 
want  of  officers  and  to  the  fact  that  the 
people  of  the  Argus  were  not  in  a  fit 
condition  to  go  into  action.    The  Ameri- 


'  Capt.  Maples'  Dispatch  ;  Lieut.  Watson's  Dispatch  ; 
Extract  from  a  Plymouth,  Eng.,  paper;  James'  Naval 
Occur.,  pp.  270-273;  Cooper,  ii.  pp.  113-115 ;  Perkins, 
p.  180  ;  Sketches  of  the  War,  pp.  313,  314  ;  Breckenridge, 
pp.  167,  168 ;  Thomson's  Sketches,  pp.  236,  237. 

'  Vide  p.  267.  With  singular  dishonesty  the  Royal 
Naval  Chronicle  (xxx.  p.  160)  gives  her  force  as  '^  sixteen 
iMrty-two-pound  carronades"  only. — '  Sketches  of  the  War, 
p.  314;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  114. — *  Capt.  Maples'  Dispatch. 

'  Lieut.  Watson's  Dispatch  ;  Report  of  Dr.  Inderwick 
to  the  Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept.  5,  1814.—*  Cooper,  ii.  p.  114. 


Chap.  LX.] 


THE  MASSACRE  AT  FORT  MIMMS. 


269 


can  vessel  Vt^n.^  particularly  tvell-officered^ 
so  far  as  quality  was  concerned,  though 
her  batteries  were  necessarily  left  with- 
out a  proper  supervision  after  Lieuten- 
ant Watson  was  wounded.  It  is  not 
easy  to  believe  that  Captain  Allen 
would  have  engaged  with  his  people 
under  a  very  obvious  influence  from  a 
free  use  of  wine,  but  nothing  is  more 
probable  than  that  the  crew  of  the 
Argus  should  have  been  overworked, 
in  the  peculiar  situation  in  which  they 
were  placed  ;  and  they  may  liave  heen 
exposed  to  the  peculiar  influence  men- 
tioned, without  the  circumstance  having 
come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  superior 
oflicers.  They  have,  indeed,  been  de- 
scribed as  '  nodding  at  their  guns,' 
from  excessive  fatigue.  One  thing 
would  appear  to  be  certain,  that  while 


the  bi'ig  was  beautifully  handled,  so 
long  as  she  was  at  all  manageable,  the 
fii-e  of  no  other  American  ^ruiser,  in 
this  war,  was  as  little  destructive  as 
that  of  the  Argus.  This  has  been  at- 
tributed to  the  fatigue  of  the  crew, 
and  it  is  reasonable  to  suppose  that  the 
circumstance  of  the  two  lieutenants  hav- 
ing been  so  early  taken  from  the  bat- 
teries, did  not  contribute  to  the  accu- 
racy of  the  fire." 

The  wounded  commandant  of  the 
Argus  lived  to  reach  England,  and,  on 
the  eighteenth  of  August,  he  died  in 
the  hospital  of  Mill  Prison,  at  tlie  early 
age  of  thirty  years.^ 


[Note. — The  Dispatches  of  Lieut.  Watson  to  the  Sec.  of 
Navy,  and  of  Capt.  Maples  to  the  Admiral,  which  had  been 
provided  for  the  illustration  of  this  chapter,  have  been 
omitted  by  the  Publishers  for  want  of  room.] 


CHAPTER     LX. 

Aug:ust  30,  1§13. 

THE      MASSACRE      AT      FORT      MIMMS, 


The  influence  of  TecumthA,  in  his  op- 
position to  the  Americans,  was  not  con- 
fined to  the  Indians  of  the  Northwest ; 
but  the  Creeks,  also,  had  been  tampered 
with,  and  gradually  embittered  against 
the  people  among  whom  they  lived .^ 
From  time  to  time  this  hostile  feeling 
was  manifested  by  outrages  committed 
on  the  neighboring  settlers ;  and,  at 
length,  several  families  were  murdered 
in  difterent  parts  of  the  Southwestern 
country,  notwithstanding   every    effort 

•  Claiborne's  Notes  on  the  War  in  the  South,  pp.  17- 
19  ;  Eaton's  Life  of  Jackson,  p.  31 ;  IngersoU,  i.  pp. 
323-326. 


which  the  Indian  agents  could  employ 
to  restore  good  feelings.^ 

In  the  prosecution  of  their  hostile 
designs,  the  first  point  which  was  desig- 
nated for  attack  was  Fort  Mimms,  in 
the  Tensaw  settlement,^ — a  stockade  on 
the  Alabama  Piver,  in  the  State  of 
Alabama,* — and  one  of  a  line  of  similar 
posts,  which  had  been  erected  for  the 
defence  of  the  frontiers,  and  as  places 
of  refuge  for  the  settlers  in   times   of 

'  Report  of  Dr.  Inderwick  to  the  Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept.  5, 
1814.—'  Eaton,  p.  31  ;  IngersoU,  i.  p.  324;  Perkins,  p. 
198  ;  McAfee,  p.  460.—=  Eaton,  p.  33  ;  Goodwin's  Jack- 
son, p.  44. — *  Ingersoll,  i.  p.  325. 


210 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  ,11. 


danger.^  At  the  period  in  question  it 
was  manned  witli  a  garrison  of  about 
one  hundred  and  fifty  men,  under  the 
command  of  Major  Daniel  Beasley,  of 
the  Mississippi  Volunteers;^  and  twen- 
ty-four families — embracing  about  one 
hundred  and  sixty  whites,  seven  In- 
dians, and  one  hundred  negroes- — ^had 
also  entered  it  for  protection.^  It  had, 
oiiginally,  been  a  square  stockade,  sur- 
rounding a  large  dwelling-house  and 
the  usual  offices ;  but  it  had,  recently, 
been  extended,  about  fifty  feet,  on  two 
sides,  the  old  pickets  dividing  the  area 
of  the  inclosure  into  two  unequal  parts. 
"The  back  gate"  had  also  been  par- 
tially inclosed  with  a  bastion,  and  in 
one  corner  of  the  fort  a  block-house  ap- 
pears to  have  been  erected.* 

Notwithstanding  the  alarm  which  the 
congregation  of  the  settlers  within  the 
forts  would  appear  to  indicate,  a  strange 
idea  appears  to  have  prevailed  that  the 
danger  was  not  immediate'  and  the 
warnings  which  were  conveyed  to  the 
fort  were  entirely  disregarded.  The 
Choctaws  had  sent  word  that  an  attack 
was  intended  ;  negroes,  who  had  been 
sent  out,  had  also  reported,  at  different 
times,  the  a23proach  of  the  savages,  and 
some  of  them  had  been  whipped  for 
their  watchfulness — the  garrison  and 
the  assembled  settlers,  meanwhile,  re- 
maining almost  wholly  unmindful  of 
the  duties  which  devolved  upon  them.^ 


I  Judge  Toulmin's  Letter,  Sept.  7, 1813  ;  McAfee,  p.  461. 

»  Eaton,  p.  33  ;  Ingeisoll,  i.  p.  328  ;  Perkins,  p.  198  ; 
Davis'  Jackson,  p.  65. — '  Ingersoll,  i.  p.  330  ;  McAfee,  p. 
461. — *  Claiborne,  p.  21  ;  Gen.  Claiborne  to  Gen.  Flonr- 
ney,  Sept.  3,  1813  ;  Ingersoll,  i.  pp.  328,  329  ;  McAfee, 
pp.  461,  462. — '  Judge  Toulmin's  Letter,  Sept.  7,  1813; 
Ingersoll,  i,  pp.  328,  329  ;  McAfee,  p.  461. 


At  length,  on  the  thirtieth  of  August, 
a  party  of  Creeks — six  or  seven  hun- 
dred in  number,^  and  led  by  Weather- 
ford,  one  of  their  principal  chiefs^ — ap- 
proached the  fort.  The  gate  was  open, 
and  every  thing  indicated  a  most  per- 
fect feeling  of  security;  the  sentries 
allowing  the  savages  to  cross  an  open 
field  in  front  of  the  fort,  one  hundred 
and  fifty  yards  in  width,  and  to  come 
within  thirty  yards  of  the  gate  before 
they  noticed  their  approach.  The  alarm 
of  the  sentries  and  the  yell  of  the  sav- 
ages, as  each  rushed  for  the  open  gate, 
conveyed  at  the  same  moment  the 
di'eadful  intelligence  to  the  occupants 
of  the  fort ;  and,  before  the  barrier 
could  be  closed,  the  torrent  rushed  in 
and  decided  the  fate  of  all  within  it. 
Major  Beasley  appears  to  have  at- 
tempted to  rally  the  occupants,  and 
was  shot  in  the  body  while  he  was 
near  the  gate  ;  directing  his  men,  as 
he  fell,  to  take  care  of  the  ammunition 
and  to  retreat  to  the  dwelling-house.® 

Notwithstanding  the  advantage  which 
the  savages  had  gained  in  the  begin- 
ning, the  garrison  and  the  settlers  ap- 
pear to  have  fought  nobly  in  defence  of 
their  lives  and  their  families ;  and  the 
enemy  was,  evidently,  confined  to  the 
outer  area  of  the  work.  Taking  pos- 
session of  the  port-holes  with  which  the 


'  Eaton,  p.  33  ;  Perkins,  p.  198.  The  number  of  the 
assailants  is  variously  stated,  by  different  authors,  ran- 
ging from  400  to  1500.  I  have  thought,  after  a  careful 
examination  of  the  subject,  that  this  was  as  near  as  could 
be  ascertained. — "  Claiborne,  p.  21  ;  Eaton,  p.  33. 

"  Claiborne,  p.  21 ;  Judge  Toulmin's  Letter,  Sept.  7  ; 
Letter  from  Fort  St.  Stephens,  Sept.  4,  in  ''The  War,"  ii. 
p.  66  ;  Gen.  Claiborne  to  Gen.  Flourney,  Sept.  3  ;  Inger- 
soll, i.  p.  329  ;  Perkins,  p.  198  ;  McAfee,  p.  462  ;  Good- 
win's Jackson,  pp.  44,  45  ;  Breckenridge,  pp.  216,  217. 


i'«. 


w 


§     ■i 


1^ 


»> 

^ 

s 


4 


^ 


Chap.  LX.] 


THE  MASSACRE  AT  FORT  MIMMS. 


271 


old  line  of  pickets  was  pierced,  the  sav- 
ages fired  throngh  into  the  inner  area 
of  the  fort,  inflicting  severe  loss  upon 
those  who  occupied  it ;  and,  at  the 
same  time,  another  party  attempted  to 
cut  open  "the  back  gate"  of  the  fort 
with  the  settlers'  axes,  which  had  been 
carelessly  left  outside  the  lines  by  those 
who  had  been  working  on  the  bastion 
with  which  the  gate  was  sheltered.  At 
the  same  time  another  party  of  Indians 
had  scaled  the  pickets  and  effected  a 
lodgment  on  the  block-honse ;  from 
whence  they  fired  down  upon  the  peo- 
ple within  the  works,  and  inflicted  some 
injury.  After  a  short  time,  however, 
they  were  dislodged,  but  not  before 
they  had  set  fire  to  a  house  which  was 
near  the  pickets,  and  from  which  it  was 
communicated  to  the  kitchen,  and, 
finally,  to  the  main  dwelling.^ 

In  this  manner  the  garrison  and  the 
settlers  struggled,  for  some  time,  against 
every  effort  which  the  savages  put  forth 
to  enter  the  inner  area  of  the  fort ; 
and  they  were  entirely  successful.  At 
length,  however,  the  number  of  those 
who  had  fallen,  the  continued  occupa- 
tion of  the  outer  area  by  the  Indians, 
and  the  progress  of  the  flames,  which 
nothing  had  succeeded  in  checking,  dis- 
couraged the  garrison ;  and  while  a 
few  —  not  more  than  twenty-five  or 
thirty,  in  all — succeeded  in  eflfecting 
their  escape,  the  greater  part  yielded 
to  the  terrible  fate  which  awaited  them.^ 


'  Claiborne,  p.  21  ;  Judge  Toulmin's  Letter,  Sept.  7  ; 
Letter  from  Fort  St.  Stephens,  Sept.  4,  in  "The  War,"  ii. 
p.  06  ;  Gen.  Claiborne  to  Gen.  Flourney,  Sept.  3  ;  Inger- 
soU,  i.  p.  329 ;  Perkins,  p.  198  ;  McAfee,  p.  462  ;  Good- 
win's Jackson,  pp.  44,  45 ;  Breckemidge,  pp.  216,  217. 

2  Ibid. 


It  was  now  late  in  the  afternoon, — 
the  engagement  having  continued  sev- 
eral hours, — and  the  old  men,  women, 
and  children,  for  safety,  had  fled  to  the 
upper  story  of  the  dwelling,  the  lower 
part  of  which  was  in  flames,  while  the 
men  had,  generally,  fallen  before  the 
merciless  tomahawks  of  the  enemy. 
With  the  most  diabolical  pleasure,  the 
enemy  danced  around  the  burning  build- 
ings, filling  the  air  with  their  yells  and 
shouts  of  derision ;  and  they  witnessed 
the  melancholy  spectacle  with  every 
conceivable  manifestation  of  fiendish 
satisfaction.  The  bodies  of  all  whom 
they  could  reach  were  mutilated  with 
scrupulous  and  studied  insult ;  and  old 
age  and  childhood,  the  hardy  settler 
and  the  carewoi'n  matron,  without  dis- 
crimination and  without  mercy,  were 
hurled  to  a  common  and  untimely  end.-^ 

In  this  terrible  catastrophe,  the  sav- 
ages destroyed  upwards  of  three  hun- 
dred lives ;  ^  yet  the  victory  was  dearly 
bought,  upwards  of  two  hundi-ed  In- 
dians having  been  hilled^  and  double 
that  number  wounded^  in  the  severe 
and  prolonged  engagement-  at  the  inner 
gate. 

[Note. — An  extract  of  a  letter  from  Gen.  Ferdinand  L. 
Claiborne  to  Gen.  Flourney,  whicli  had  been  provided  for 
the  illustration  of  this  chapter,  has  been  omitted  by  the 
Publishers  for  want  of  room.] 

'  Claiborne,  p.  21  ;  Judge  Toulmin's  Letter,  Sept.  7  \ 
Letter  from  Fort  St.  Stephens,  Sept.  4,  in  "The  War,"  ii. 
p.  66  ;  Gen.  Claiborne  to  Gen.  Flourney,  Sept.  3  ;  Inger- 
soll,  i.  p.  329  ;  Perkins,  p.  198  ;  McAfee,  p.  462  ;  Good- 
win's Jackson,  pp.  44,  45  ;  Breckenridge,  pp.  216,  217. 

2  Letter  from  Fort  St.  Stephens,  Sept.  4  ;  IngersoU,  i. 
p.  330  ;  Perkins,  p.  199  ;  McAfee,  p.  463.  Several  weeks 
afterwards  a  body  of  troops  were  sent  out,  under  Capt.  J. 
P.  Kennedy,  to  collect  and  bury  the  remains  of  those  who 
were  killed  at  Fort  Mimms,  and,  at  that  time,  found  and 
buried  247  bodies. — Capt.  Kennedy's  Report,  Sept.  26. 

'  Letter  from  Fort  St.  Stephens,  Sept.  4;  McAfee,  p.  463. 


CHAPTER    LXI. 


September  3,  1813. 
THE      CAPTURE      OF      THE      BOXER, 


One  of  the  most  "lucky  vessels" — 
as  the  sailors  understand  that  term — 
which  the  American  navy  ever  pos- 
sessed was  the  little  brig  '■'■Miterprize^'''^ 
the  captor  of  the  Tripolitan  ship  Tripoli^ 
during  the  war  with  that  power.^  In 
the  summer  of  1813  she  was  command- 
ed by  Lieutenant  William  Burrows,  and 
was  employed  in  watching  the  enemy's 
cruisers  between  Cape  Ann  and  the 
Bay  of  Fundy.^ 

She  sailed  from  Portsmouth,  New 
Hampshire,  on  the  first  of  September; 
and,  steering  to  the  eastward,  on  the 
morning  of  the  third,  when  off  Wood 
Island,  she  made  a  schooner  and  chased 
her  into  Portland.*  While  there  Lieu- 
tenant Burrows  received  information 
that  several  of  the  enemy's  cruisers 
were  off  Manhagan ;  and,  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  fourth,  he  weighed  anchor, 
swept  out  of  the  harbor,  and  stood  to 
the  eastward,  with  the  intention  of  ex- 
amining the  neighborhood  in  which  the 
enemy  was  said  to  have  fi'equented. 
On  the  morning  of  the  fifth  he  looked 
into  a  bay  near  Penwin  Point,  and  dis- 
covered a  brig  which  was  then  getting 
under  weigh ;  and,  as  she  appeared  to 
be  a  cruiser,  the  Enterprize  immediately 
gave  chase.^ 

'  Cooper,  ii.  p.  108.—"  Vide  Chap.  VII.—'  Cooper,  ii.  p. 
108.—*  Lieut.  McCall  to  Com.  Hull,  Sept.  7, 1813.—'  Port- 
land Argus,  Sept.  8, 1813  ;  Lieut.  McCall  to  Com.  Hull,  Sept. 
7,  1813  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  108 ;  Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  238. 


The  stranger  witnessed  this  move- 
ment, and  after  having  fired  several 
guns,  for  the  purpose  of  recalling  one 
of  her  boats,  which  had  gone  to  the 
shore,^  she  hoisted  four  ensigns  and 
made  sail  to  close  with  the  Enterprize — 
the  latter,  meanwhile,  having  reconnoi- 
tred the  stranger,  hauled  upon  a  wind 
and  stood  out  of  the  bay,  in  order  to 
clear  the  land.^ 

At  three  in  the  afternoon,  having  com- 
pleted his  preparations,  and  being  at  a 
sufficient  distance  from  the  shore.  Lieu- 
tenant Burrows  shortened  sail,  tacked 
and  ran  down  to  meet  the  stranger  and 
to  bring  her  to  close  action.  As  they 
neared  each  other,  at  twenty  minutes 
past  three  o'clock,  they  kept  away  to- 
gether ;  and  immediately  afterwards,  at 
half  pistol-shot  distance,  the  action  be- 
gan— the  Enterprize  opening  with  her 
larboard,  and  the  stranger  with  her 
starboard,  guns.  At  half-past  three  the 
Enteiprize  ranged  ahead  of  the  enemy, 
when  her  helm  was  put  a-starboard, 
and,  as  she  sheered  across  the  stranger's 


'  Cooper,  ii.  pp.  108,  109.  It  appears  from  James' 
Naval  Occur.,  p.  262,  that  this  boat,  with  the  surgeon 
and  two  midshipmen,  who  were  "pigeon-shooting"  on 
shore,  did  not  reach  the  Boxer.  Mr.  Perkins  {Hist.,  p. 
180)  supposes  these  guns  indicated  a  challenge,  but  in 
this  he  appears  to  have  been  mistaken. — '  Portland  Argus, 
Sept.  8,  1813  ;  Lieut.  McCall  to  Com.  Hull,  Sept.  7,  1813  ; 
Cooper,  ii.  p.  109  ;  Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  238  ;  Perkins, 
p.  181  ;  Auchinleck,  p.  200;  W.  Irving's  Mem.  of  Lieut. 
Burrows,  in  the  Analectic  Magazine,  ii. 


Chap.  LXI.] 


THE  CAPTURE  OF  THE  BOXER. 


273 


bows  slie  fired  her  stern-chaser  witli 
great  effect,  rounding  to  on  lier  star- 
board tack,  immediately  aftej'wards,  and 
throwing  in  a  I'aking  fire  from  her  star- 
board broadside.  Five  minutes  after- 
wards the  stranger's  maintop-mast  and 
topsail  yard  came  down,  when  the  Jiln- 
terprize  took  a  position  on  her  starboard 
bow,  and  continued  to  rake  her  until 
about  four  o'clock,  when  she  surren- 
dered. As  her  colors  were  nailed  to 
the  mast,  her  commander  could  not 
strike  them ;  and  he  surrendered  by 
hailing,  explaining  his  difficulty,  and 
asking  a  suspension  of  the  fire  from  the 
Enterprizis  guns.-^ 

The  stranger  proved  to  be  His  Bri- 
tannic Majesty's  brig  Boxei\  of  fourteen 
guns, — twelve  eighteen-pound  carron- 
ades  and  two  long-sixes,^ — and  was  com- 
manded by  Commander  Samuel  Blyth, 
one  of  the  most  promising  of  the  young- 
er officers  of  the  navy,^  who  had  been 
killed  by  a  cannon-shot  from  the  first 
broadside  fired  on  the  Enterprize^ 

By  a  singular  coincidence,  about  the 
same  time  that  Commander  Blyth  fell, 
on  the  JBoxei'^s  deck.  Lieutenant  Bur- 
rows fell,  on  the  deck  of  the  Enterprize^ 
from  a  canister  or  musket-shot  wound  ;^ 


1  Portland  Argm,  Sept.  8,  1813  ;  Lieut.  McCall  to  Com. 
Hull,  Sept.  7,  1813  ;  James,  pp.  262,  263  ;  Thomson's 
Sketches,  p.  238  ;  Sketches  of  the  War,  pp.  303,  304  ;  Au- 
chlnleck,  p.  200  ;  W.  Irving' s  Memoir  of  Lieut.  Burrows. 

'  James'  Naval  Occurrences,  p.  263.  The  Naval  Chron- 
icle (xxx.  p.  348)  errs  when  it  states  that  she  mounted 
only  ten  eigh teens. — ^  Memoir  of  Samuel  Blyth,  Esq.,  in 
the  Naval  Chronicle,  xxxii.  pp.  441-473. 

*  Lieut.  McCall  to  Com.  Hull,  Sept.  7,  1813 ;   James, 
p.  262.— »  Lieut.  McCall  to  Com.  Hull,  Sept.  7,  1813  ; 
Cooper,  ii.  p.  110,  note. 
Vol.  XL— 35 


and  after  lingering  eight  hours,  he,  also, 
passed  away.^ 

The  Boxer  was  very  much  cut  up, 
both  in  her  hull  and  rigging;  and  be- 
sides her  commander,  she  lost  several 
men  hilled^  and  seventeen  wounded  were 
taken  prisoners.^  The  Enterp^ize  suf- 
fered but  very  slightly,  and  lost,  besides 
her  commander,  one  hilled^  and  Midship- 
man Waters  and  eleven  wounded.^ 

The  ships  were  taken  into  Portland 
by  Lieutenant  Edward  B.  McCall ;  and 
the  two  commanders,  no  longer  antago- 
nists, were  borne  to  their  resting-places 
with  every  honor  which  the  rank  and 
bravery  of  the  deceased,  while  living, 
had  entitled  them  to  receive.*  They 
were  buried  side  by  side,  with  all  the 
honors  of  war;  and  Congress  and  the 
country  bestowed  upon  the  memory  of 
Burrows,  and  upon  Lieutenant  McCall 
and  the  crew  of  the  Enterprize^  the  re- 
ward, both  of  fame  and  of  prize-money, 
which  they  had  so  gallantly  fought  for. 


[Note.— The  Dispatch  of  Lieut.  McCall  to  Com.  Hull, 
which  had  heen  provided  for  the  illustration  of  this  chap- 
ter, has  been  omitted  by  the  Publishers  for  want  of  room  ] 

'  Lieut.  McCall  to  Com.  Hull,  Sept.  7,  1813. 

»  Com.  Hull  to  Com.  Bainbridge,  Sept.  10,  1813.  Her 
loss,  killed,  has  been  the  subject  of  a  prolonged  and  angry 
discussion.  The  British  authorities  claim  that  only  three 
were  killed,  besides  Captain  Blyth ;  while  Com.  Hull, 
after  a  careful  examination,  declared  that  it  exceeded 
thirty.  ^' Boxer"  (in  the  Naval  Chronicle,  xxxii.  p.  471) 
says  her  total  loss  was  21  men.  Mr.  Thomson  (Sketches, 
p.  239)  says  twenty-five  of  her  crew  were  killed,  in  which  Mr. 
Perkins  (Hist.,  p.  181)  concurs.  After  carefully  examin- 
ing the  original  evidence,  I  prefer  the  statements  of  the 
British  authors,  and  suppose  her  killed  did  not  exceed /owr. 

^  Report  appended  to  Lieut.  McCall's  Dispatch  ;  Com. 
Hull  to  Com.  Bainbridge,  Sept.  10,  1813. 

*  ''The  War,"  ii.  p.  55. 


CHAPTER    LXII 


September  10,  1§13. 

THE      BATTLE      OF     LAKE      ERIE. 


The  command  of  the  upper  lakes,  as 
has  been  seen  in  former  chapters  of 
this  volume,  was  a  subject  which  re- 
ceived the  early  attention  of  both  Great 
Britain  and  the  United  States ;  and  it 
was  important  in  facilitating  the  mili- 
tary movements  of  the  party  who  held 
it,  on  every  part  of  the  extended  shores 
of  these  immense  inland  seas. 

With  the  fall  of  Michilimacinac  the 
Caledonia  passed  into  the  hands  of  the 
British  ;^  and  when  the  Adams^  with 
Detroit  and  the  Northwestern  army, 
was  surrendered  by  General  Hull,^  the 
naval  power  of  the  United  States  was 
entirely  broken,  and  the  enemy  com- 
manded, not  only  the  waters  of  Lake 
Erie,  but  the  shores  of  Michigan,  Ohio, 
and  western  New  York.^  To  restore, 
in  some  measure,  this  command  of  the 
western  waters,  steps  were  taken  by 
the  Federal  government  at  an  early 
date.  Sailing-master  Dobbins  was  em- 
ployed in  the  preliminary  preparations;* 
and,  in  the  summer  of  1812,  Lieutenant 
Jesse  D.  Elliott  was  ordered  to  Lake 
Ei'ie  for  the  purpose  of  consulting  with 
General  Van  Rensselaer  "  as  to  the  best 
position  to  build,  repair,  and  fit  for  ser- 
vice, such  vessels  or  boats  as  might  be 
required  to  retain  the  command  of  Lake 


'  Vide  Chap.  XV.— "  Vide  Chap.  XXI. 
'  Dr.  Parsons'  Battle  of  Lake  Erie,  pp.  3,  4  ;   Perliins' 
Hist,  of  War,  p.  226.—*  Cooper's  Nav.  Hist.,  ii.  p.  186. 


Erie;"  and  to  "purchase  any  merchant 
vessels  or  boats  that  could  be  converted 
into  vessels  of  war  or  gunboats,  and  to 
commence  their  equipment  immediate- 
ly."^ At  the  same  time  thirty  carpen- 
ters were  sent  from  New  York  ;^  on  the 
twenty-first  of  September  eighty  more 
followed ;  and  on  the  twenty-fourth  the 
force  was  increased  by  the  addition  of 
one  hundred  and  forty  more,  all  from 
the  same  city^ — all  of  whom  were  em- 
ployed in  equipping  some  small  ves- 
sels which  Lieutenant  Elliott  had  pur- 
chased,* or  in  preparing  to  lay  the  tim- 
bers for  two  larger  vessels  at  Presque 
Isle.®     About  the  same  time  Lieutenant 

'  Com.  Ciiaiincey  to  Lieut.  Elliott,  New  York,  Sept.  7, 
1812  ;  Com.  Elliott's  speech  at  Hagerstown,  p.  3. 

'  Com.  Chauncey  to  Lieut.  Elliott,  Sept.  7,  1812. 

=  Ibid.,  Sept.  24,  1812.— '  Cooper's  Nav.  Hist.,  ii.  pp. 
153,186;  Parsons,  p.  4;  Mackenzie's  Perry,  i.  pp.  147, 148. 

'Parsons,  p.  4;  Mackenzie's  Decatur,  i.  p.  131.  In 
passing,  it  may  not  be  amiss  to  remark  that  Mr.  Bur- 
gess {Battle  of  Lake  Erie,  p.  xv.)  says  that  "Com.  Perry 
was  a  native  of  Khode  Island  ;  and  that  he  carried  with 
him,  from  that  State  up  to  the  lake,  those  men,  who,  under 
his  direction.,  with  the  aid  of  a  few  others,  built  and  equipped 
the  fleet,  which,  under  his  command,  subdued  the  enemy 
on  those  waters  ; "  and  from  this  he  considers  "  it  is  not 
too  much  to  regard  this  distinguished  enterprise  as  a  part  of 
the  maritime  affairs  of  Ehode  Island."  As  Commander 
Perry  did  not  reach  Lake  Erie  until  the  2ith  of  March,  1813, 
and  then  only  as  the  commander  of  seamen ;  and  as  the 
carpenters  went  from  the  city  of  New  York,  and  were  directed 
by  Noah  Brown,  of  that  city,  under  the  general  supervision 
of  the  celebrated  ship-builder  Henry  Eckford,  of  the  same 
city,  who  personally  directed  the  work  at  Black  Rock,  I 
am  disposed  to  claim  shares  of  the  honor  which  attaches 
to  the  building  of  this  fleet  for  the  mechanics  of  New 
York,  and  for  those  of  some  other  places  besides  Newport 
and  Providence. 


Chap.  LXII.] 


THE  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE. 


L^7o 


Elliott  gallantly  recaptured  the  Adams 
and  tlie  Caledonia — destroying  the  for- 
mer, and  restoring  the  latter  to  the 
American  navy.^  Soon  afterwards  part 
of  the  crew  of  the  John  Adams^  which 
had  been  laid  up  at  New  York,  was 
sent  to  Buffalo,  under  Lieutenant  Sam- 
uel Angus,  when  Lieutenant  Elliott  re- 
turned to  Lake  Ontario,  leaving  the 
former  officer  in  command  on  Lake 
Erie.2 

On  the  seventeenth  of  February, 
1813,  Commander  Oliver  H.  Perry, 
then  commanding  the  flotilla  of  gun- 
boats in  Narragansett  Bay,  was  ordered 
"to  the  Lakes;"  and  on  the  twenty- 
third  of  March  he  reached  Buffalo ; 
and  Erie  {Presque  Isle)  on  the  twenty- 
seventh.^  Contending  with  the  multi- 
tude of  difficulties  which  his  peculiar 
situation — remote  from  all  the  means 
for  constructing,  equipping,  arming,  and 
manning  a  squadron,  except  green  tim- 
ber standing  in  the  woods ^  and  a  small 
force  of  seamen  and  carjDcnters — all  the 
ingenuity,  perseverance,  and  self-denial, 
which  formed  such  prominent  parts  of 
his  character,  were  constantly  called 
into  requisition.* 


'  Vide  Chap.  XXIX.—'  Cooper's  Nav.  Hist.,  ii.  pp.  153, 
186. — ^  Mackenzie's  Peny,  i.  pp.  129,  130  ;  Calvert's  Ora- 
tion on  the  Battle  of  Lalie  Erie,  pp.  5,  6  ;  Cooper's  Naval 
History,  ii.  p.  186. 

*  While  the  difficulties  with  which  Com.  Perry  had  to 
contend  were  of  the  most  vexatious  and  perplexing  char- 
acter, they  were  not  exactly  such  as  Mr.  Burgess  has  de- 
scribed in  pp  19-24  of  his  "Lecture"  on  this  subject, 
before  the  R.  I.  Hist.  Society.  "  His  hardy  Rhode  Island 
mariners"  were  not  "required  to  change  the  oaks,  and  the 
green  pines,  and  the  hemlocks,  then  standing  on  those 
shores,  into  a  fleet  of  ships  and  vessels,  and  fit  them  out," 
&c.  That  work  was  given  to  the  appropriate  mechanics; 
and  the  principal  trouble  of  Perry  consisted  in  delays 
which  these  mechanics  experienced  in  their  passage  from 
New  York  and  Philadelphia  ;  in  procuring  the  necessary 


The  capture  of  Fort  George,  and  the 
subsequent  evacuation  of  the  Niagara 
frontier,  relieved  the  five  small  ves- 
sels which  Lieutenant  Elliott  had  pur- 
chased;^ and,  after  great  labor  in  tow- 
ing them  into  the  lake,  the  entire  naval 
force  on  Lake  Erie  assembled  at  Pres- 
que  Isle  on  the  eighteenth  of  June,^ 
The  two  brigs  which  had  been  laid 
down  in  the  winter,  at  that  place,  had 
been  launched;^  and,  although  they 
were  not  yet  ready  to  leave  the  port, 
the  concentration  of  the  entire  force  in 
one  harbor  facilitated  the  completion  of 
the  whole. 

In  the  mean  while  the  enemy,  under 
the  direction  of  Commander  Finnis,  had 
not  been  idle ;  and  he  also  had  built 
or  equipped  a  squadron;*  which  soon 
afterwards  left  port  on  a  cruise,  under 
the  command  of  Commander  Barclay, 
who  had  been  detached  for  that  pur- 
pose.^ After  occasionally  looking  into 
the  harbor  where  the  American  squad- 
ron lay,  finished,  but  without  crews, 
without  venturing  an  attack,  he  as  often 
returned  to  Maiden ;®  and  on  the  fourth 
of  August,  but  for  a  party,  at  which 
Commander  Barclay  was  a  guest,  he 
might  have  been  a  witness,  and  a  disa- 


iron-work,  cordage,  duck,  and  other  stores  ;  and  in  ob- 
taining crews  for  his  vessels,  after  they  had  been  finished 
and  made  ready  for  sea. 

'  Mackenzie's  Perry,  i.  p.  147  ;  Calvert,  pp.  6,  7  ;  Par- 
sons, p.  5  ;  Cooper's  Naval  History,  ii.  p.  186. 

'  Mackenzie's  Perry,  i.  pp.  149, 150  ;  Calvert,  p.  7  ;  Pai-- 
sons,  p.  5. — '  "They  werelaunchedon  the24thof  May." — 
Mackenzie's  Perry,  i.  p.  136.  See  also  Coopers  Nav.  Hist., 
ii.  p.  187. — ''  Mackenzie's  Perry,  i.  p.  149  ;  Cooper's  Nav. 
Hist.,  ii.  p.  187. — *  Mackenzie's  Perry,  i.  pp.  156-158; 
Cooper's  Nav.  Hist.,  ii.  p.  187  ;  Christie's  Mil.  and  Nav. 
Operations,  p.  131 ;  Perkins,  p.  227. — °  Mackenzie's  Perry, 
i.  pp.  157,  158,  160 ;  Calvert,  p.  7  ;  Parsons,  p.  5 ;  Coop- 
er's Nav.  Hist.,  ii.  p.  187  ;  Christie,  p.  131  ;  Com.  Perry 
to  Com.  Chauncey,  July  23,  1813. 


2*76 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


greeable  one,  of  the  passage  of  the 
squadron  over  tlie  bar  at  Erie,-^ 

At  this  time  Commander  Barclay- 
commanded  the  ship  Detroit^  mounting 
nineteen  guns ;  the  ship  Queen  Char- 
lotte^ mounting  seventeen  guns ;  the 
schooner  Lady  Prevost^  mounting  thir- 
teen guns ;  the  brig  Hunter^  of  ten 
guns;  the  sloop  Little  Belt^  of  three 
guns;  and  the  schooner  Cliippewa^oi one 
gun :  ^  while  Commander  Perry  com- 
manded the  brig  Lawrence^  of  twenty 
guns ;  the  brig  Niagara^  Lieutenant 
Turner,  of  twenty  guns ;  the  brig  Cal- 
edonia^  of  three  guns,  under  Purser 
Magrath ;  the  Ariel^  of  four  guns,  un- 
der Lieutenant  Packett;  the  schooner 
Soniers^  of  two  guns,  under  Sailing- 
master  Almy ;  the  schooner  Porcupine^ 
of  one  gun,  under  Midshipman  Senat; 
the  schooner  Tigress^  of  one  gun,  under 
Master''s-mate  McDonald  ;  the  schooner 
Scoipion^  of  two  guns,  under  Sailing- 
master  Champlin ;  the  sloop  Trippe^  of 
one  gun,  under  Lieutenant  Smith ;  and 
the  schooner  Oliio^  of  one  gun,  under 
Sailing-master  Dobbin.® 

After  having  received  reinforcements 
of  soldiers,  volunteers,  and  sailors,  at 
different  times* — the  whole  leaving  the 
vessels  still  insufficiently  manned — the 
squadron  ran  across  the  lake  several 
times  without  meeting  the   enemy,  or 

'  Com.  Perry  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  "Aug.  4,  1812  ;  9  p.  m.;" 
Parsons,  pp.  6,  7  ;  Cooper's  Nav.  Hist.,  ii.  pp.  188,  189  ; 
Mackenzie,  i.  pp.  174-178.  Mr.  Calvert  (Oration,  p.  7)  and 
Gen.  Armstrong  (Notices,  i.  p.  167)  say  the  vessels  crossed 
on  the  second. — '  James'  Warden  Refuted,  Table  I. ;  Par- 
sons, p.  6  ;  Mackenzie's  Perry,  i.  p.  149  ;  Cooper's  Nav. 
Hist.,  ii.  p.  187. — '  Parsons,  p.  6  ;  Cooper's  Nav.  Hist.,  ii. 
p.  188.—*  Mackenzie's  Perry,  i.  pp.  148,  159,  163,  166, 
184;  Biog.  of  Elliott,  p.  26;  Cooper's  Nav.  Hist.,  ii.  p. 
188  ;  Calvert's  Oration,  pp.  7,  8  ;  Parsons,  pp.  7,  8.  Thir- 
ty-six of  these  were  volunteers  from  Gen .  Harrison's  army. 


being  able  to  draw  him  from  Mai- 
den;^ and  on  the  ninth  of  September 
it  returned  to  Put-in-Bay,'  a  harbor  off 
Ottawa  County,  Ohio,  near  the  western 
extremity  of  the  lake,®  which  had  been 
selected  as  its  rendezvous,  anchored, 
and  prepared  for  the  action  which  was 
now  seen  to  be  not  far  distant.*  The 
several  commanders  were  summoned  on 
board  the  Lawrence^  and  received  the 
final  instructions  of  their  young  com- 
mander ;  and  as  they  left  the  brig  they 
were  told  that  in  case  of  an  engage- 
ment "  they  could  not  be  out  of  their 
proper  places,  if  they  laid  their  enemy 
close  alongside."^ 

At  sunrise  on  the  morning  of  the 
tenth  of  September,  while  the  squadron 
was  at  anchor  in  Put-in-Bay,  the  look- 
out at  the  masthead  of  the  Lawrence 
discovered  the  enemy  standing  in  to- 
wards that  place,  with  an  evident  de- 
sire to  draw  the  former  into  an  engage- 
ment;^ and  Commander  Perry  imme- 
diately ordered  the  several  vessels  to 
get  under  weighJ  Within  an  hour 
the  squadron  was  beating  out  of  the 
bay  against  a  light  southwesterly  breeze, 


'  Mackenzie's  Perry,  i.  pp.  180,  181,  198-202,  206,  207  ; 
Cooper's  Nav.  Hist.,  ii.  pp.  188,  189  ;  Calvert,  pp.  7,  8  ; 
Parsons,  pp.  7,  8. — '  Mackenzie's  Perry,  i.  p.  221 ;  Coop- 
er's Nav.  Hist.,  ii.  p.  189  ;  Parsons,  p.  8. — °  Howe's  Hist. 
Coll.  of  Ohio,  p.  394  ;  Parsons,  p.  7. — '^  Mackenzie's  Perry, 
i.  pp.  221,  222;  Cooper's  Nav.  Hist.,  ii.  p.  189. 

'  Mackenzie's  Perry,  i.  p.  222  ;  Calvert's  Oration,  p.  8  ; 
Sailing-master  Taylor's  Affidavit. 

°  Com.  Perry  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept.  13  ;  Testimony  of 
Lieut.  Webster,  April  24,  1815 ;  Sailing-master  Taylor's 
and  Capt.  Brevoort's  Affidavits  ;  Lieut.  Montgomery  to 
Capt.  Elliott,  Feb.  11, 1821 ;  Mackenzie's  Perry,  i.  p.  223  ; 
Cooper's  Nav.  Hist.,  ii.  p.  189  ;  Parsons,  p.  8. 

'  Com.  Perry  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept.  13  ;  Test,  of  Lieut. 
Webster;  Sailing-master  Taylor's  Affid.;  Letter  of  Lieut. 
Forrest,  Jan.  29,  1821  ;  Lieut.  Montgomery  to  Capt.  El- 
liott, Feb.  n,  1821 ;  Mackenzie's  Perry,  i.  p.  224;  Coop- 
er's Nav.  Hist.,  ii.  p.  189  ;  Parsons,  p.  8. 


Chap.  LXH.] 


THE  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE. 


2T7 


with  the  boats  assisting  by  towing;^ 
but  the  enemy  appeared  to  have  se- 
cured the  weather-gage,  and  it  was 
only  by  beating  around  some  of  the 
small  islands  which  cluster  around  the 
entrance  of  the  bay  that  it  could  be 
taken  from  him.^  The  length  of  time 
that  such  a  movement  would  have  re- 
quired, as  well  as  the  uncertainty  of 
the  result,  induced  Commander  Perry 
to  yield  the  advantage  which  the  wea- 
ther-gage would  have  given  him,  and 
he  determined  to  pass  to  the  leeward 
of  the  islands,  and  to  press  forward  and 
compel  the  enemy  to  engage,  notwith- 
standing the  advantage  which  the  long 
guns  of  the  latter  would  possess  over 
the  cari'onades  of  the  American  squad- 
ron, while  the  latter  would  be  to  lee- 
ward.^ Providentially,  at  this  moment, 
the  wind  suddenly  shifted  to  the  south- 
east;* and,  without  turning  the  islands, 
the  squadron  was  enabled  to  approach 
the  enemy,  and  to  gain  the  desired 
weather-gage.^ 

When  the  enemy  perceived  the 
American  squadron  was  clearing  the 
bay,  he  attempted,  in  a  series  of  unsuc- 


'  Test,  of  Lieut.  Webster;  Sailing-master  Taylor's  and 
Capt.  Bievoovt's  Affidavits  ;  Lieut.  Forrest's  Letter,  Jan. 
29,  1821  ;  Lieut.  Montgomery  to  Capt.  Elliott,  Feb.  11, 
1821 ;  Boatswain's  Berry's  Affidavit,  May  14, 1821  ;  Com. 
Barclay  to  Sir  James  Yeo,  Sept.  12,  1812;  Mackenzie's 
Perry,  i.  p.  224  ;  Cooper's  Nav.  Hist.,  ii.  p.  189. 

°  Sailing-master  Taylor's  Affid.;  Mackenzie's  Perry,  i. 
p.  224  ;  James'  Nav.  Occur.,  p.  287  ;  Cooper's  Nav.  Hist., 
ii.  p.  189. — '  Sailing-master  Taylor's  Affid.;  Mackenzie's 
Perry,  i.  p.  225;  Cooper's  Nav.  Hist.,  ii.  p.  189. 

*  Com.  Perry's  Dispatch,  Sept.  13  ;  Lieut.  Forrest's  Let- 
ter, Jan.  29,  1821  ;  Sailing-master  Taylor's  Affid.;  Lieut. 
Montgomery  to  Capt.  Elliott,  Feb.  11,  1821 ;  Cooper's 
Nav.  Hist.,  ii.  p.  189  ;  Mackenzie's  Perry,  i.  p.  225. 

'  Com.  Perry's  Dispatch,  Sept.  13 ;  Test,  of  Lieuts. 
Webster  and  Yarnall,  1815  ;  Lieut.  Forrest's  Letter,  Jan. 
20,1821;  Sailing-master  Taylor's  Affid.;  Cooper's  Nav. 
Hist.,  ii.  p.  189  ;  Mackenzie's  Perry,  1.  p.  225. 


cessful  manoeuvres,  to  gain  the  wind  ;^ 
and  having  failed  in  all  his  attempts,  at 
ten  in  the  morning  lie  liove  to^  and 
formed  his  line  of  battle  with  the  heads 
of  his  vessels  to  the  southward  and 
westward.^  At  this  time  the  wind  was 
very  light,  from  the  southeast  ;^  and, 
at  the  rate  of  about  three  miles  an 
hour,  the  American  squadron, — formed 
in  the  order  of  battle  which  had  been 
determined  on  the  day  before, — was  ap- 
proaching that  of  the  enemy,*  which 
was  about  nine  miles  distant,*  and  still 
lying  with  its  topsails  aback,  awaiting 
its  adversary.  A  light  shower  had 
fallen  in  the  morning ;  but  with  the 
change  of  the  wind  the  clouds  had  been 
scattered,  and  one  of  the  loveliest  days 
of  our  early  autumn  was  lending  its 
enchantment  to  the  scene.  In  the  dis- 
tance the  newly-painted  vessels  of  the 
enemy's  line,  in  close  order,  and  with 
all  their  canvas  and  their  colors  set, 
presented  a  novel  spectacle  to  the  great- 
er part  of  the  American  crews;®  and 
the  contrast  between  the  appearance  of 
the  rival  squadrons  is  said  to  have  been 
greatly  in  favor  of  the  enemy. 

Nothing  occurred  to  disturb  the 
solemn  stillness  of  the  scene  until 
the  American  line  had  approached 
within    three    miles    of    the    enemy,^ 

'  Burgess'  Lecture,  p.  32  ;  Mackenzie's  Perry,  i.  p.  226. 

'  Sailing-master  Tajdor's  Affid.;  Mackenzie's  Perry,  i. 
p.  227  ;  Burgess'  Lecture,  p.  32  ;  Cooper's  Nav.  Hist.,  ii. 
p.  189. — '  Sailing-master  Taylor's  Affid.;  Mackenzie's 
Perry,  i.  p.  227 ;  Cooper's  Nav.  Hist.,  ii.  p.  189. 

*  Mackenzie's  Perry,  i.  p.  227 ;  Burgess'  Lecture,  p.  34. 

'Sailing-master  Taylor's  Affid.;  Burgess'  Lecture,  pp. 
32,34;  Cooper's  Nav.  Hist.,  ii.  p.  189.  Mr.  Mackenzie 
{Biog.  of  Perry,  i.  228)  says  it  was  only  six  miles  distant ; 
Mr.  Calvert  (Oration,  p.  9),  "«x  or  seven;"  and  Dr.  Par- 
sons (Battle  of  Lake  Erie,  p.  8),  "four  or  five." — °  Macken- 
zie's Perry,  i.  pp.  227,  228 ;  Parsons,  p.  8. 

'  Capt.  Champlin  to  the  Author,  Jan.  31,  1860 ;  Mac- 


278 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  11. 


wlieu  Commander  Periy  signalled  the 
Niagara^  which  was  ahead  of  the  Law- 
rence^ and  came  within  hailing  distance. 
He  then  inquired  from  Captain  Bre- 
voort,  the  marine  officer  on  the  former 
brig,  whose  family  lived  in  Detroit,  the 
name  and  force  of  each  ship  in  the  en- 
emy's line;^  when,  perceiving  that  a 
change  had  been  made  in  the  expected 
order  of  battle,^  he  also  determined  to 
change,  to  conform  with  the  new  or- 
der of  his  opponent.*  Accordingly  the 
Scorpion  Sailing-master  Chanii)liu,  was 
ordered  to  the  van,  to  oppose  the  Chip- 
pewa^ which  was  in  the  enemy's  van, 
and  the  Ariel,  Lieutenant  Packett,  next 
to  her,  on  the  weather-bow  of  the  Law- 
7'ence  j  while,  with  the  latter,  Comman- 
der Perry  followed  next,  with  the  inten- 
tion of  engaging  the  Detroit,  which  was 
the  enemy's  flag-ship.  The  Caledonia, 
Lieutenant  Turner,  was  next  in  order, 
with  directions  to  engage  the  Hunter  / 
then  the  Niagara,  Commander  Elliott, 
which  was  ordered  against  the  Queen 
Charlotte 'j  and  \ki%  Somers,  Sailing-mas- 
ter Almy,  the  Porcupine,  Midshipman 
Senat,  the  Tigress,  Lieutenant  Conklin, 
and  the  Trippe,  Lieutenant  Holdup,  fol- 
lowed in  the  order  named,  to  engage 
the  Lady  Prevost  and  the  Little  Lelt.^ 

kenzie's  Perry,  i.  p.  227 ;  Cooper's  Nav.  Hist.,  ii.  p.  189  ; 
Parsons,  pp.  8,  9.  Capt.  Elliott  {Speech,  p.  6)  says  it  was 
"when  approaching  the  enemy,  nearly  wUhin  gunshot;" 
Lieut.  Webster  (Testimony)  says  this  change  was  made 
"  after  the  Commodore' s  battle- flag  was  raised,  I  think  ; "  and 
Lieut.  Forrest,  in  his  testimony,  agrees  with  him. 

1  Capt.  Brevoort's  Affidavit ;  Com.  Elliott's  Speech,  p.  6. 

'  Lieut.  Webster's  Test.;  Com.  Elliott's  Speech,  p.  6; 
Burgess'  Lecture,  p.  28  ;  Cooper's  Nav.  Hist.,  ii.  p.  189  ; 
Mackenzie's  Perry,  i.  pp.  227,  228. 

°  Lieuts.  Webster  and  Forrest's  Test.;  Capt.  Brevoort's 
Affidavit;  Burgess'  Lecture,  p.  28;  Cooper's  Nav.  Hist., 
ii.  p.  189;  Mackenzie's  Perry,  i.  pp.  227,  228. 

*  Lieut.  Smith  to  Gen.  Stansbury,  Oct.  16  ;   Officers  of 


Gradually  the  line  of  battle  was 
closed,  and  all,  except  the  small  vessels 
astern  of  the  Niagara,  having  taken 
their  positions,  half  a  cable's  length 
apart — all,  at  the  same  time,  "  preserv- 
ing their  stations  in  the  line,"  in  con- 
formity with  the  orders  which  they  had 
received  from  Commander  Perry ^ — in 
this  order  they  slowly  approached  the 
enemy. 

About  this  time^  the  simal  for  ac- 
tion — a  blue  burgee,  with  the  inscrip- 
tion "  Don't  give  up  the  ship,"  at  the 
Lawrence^  s  mainroy  al-masthead  —  was 
displayed,  amidst  the  hearty  cheers 
of  the  several  crews.'  With  this  flao: 
at  the  Lawrence's  masthead,  in  the 
appointed  order,  the  squadron  slow- 
ly approached  the  enemy ;  *  during 
which  time  the  bread-bags  were  freely 
resorted  to,  the  noonday-grog  was  dis- 
tributed, and  all  the  precautionary  indi- 
vidual arrangements,  which  men  about 
to  engage  in  deadly  combat  may  reason- 
ably be  expected  to  enter  into,  were 
discussed  and  perfected.^ 

At  a  few  minutes  before  twelve 
o'clock  a  bugle  sounded  on  the  deck  of 
the  enemy's  flag-ship,  the  Detroit ;  and 
as  its  clear  notes,  the  signal  for  com- 


the  Niagara  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Oct.  13  ;  Mackenzie's  Perry, 
i.  pp.  227,  228  ;  Elliott's  Speech,  p.  6  ;  Parsons,  pp.  8,  9  ; 
Cooper's  Nav.  Hist.,  ii.  pp.  189,  190. — '  Com.  Perry'g 
Charges  against  Com.  Elliott,  Charge  IV.  Mr.  Burgess 
(Lecture,  p.  35)  singularly  supposes  the  ''''half  a  cable's 
length"  referred  to  the  distance  between  the  t-u)o  lines  of 
battle,  instead  of  that  between  the  several  vessels  in  the  same 
(American)  line. — ^  Lieut.  Webster's  Test.;  Parsons,  pp.  8, 
9  ;  Calvert,  p.  10  ;  Mackenzie's  Perry,  i.  p.  228  ;  Letter 
from  the  HunUr,  Sept.  24, 1813.  Lieuts.  Yarnell  and  For- 
rest {Test.)  suppose  they  were  "  about  three  miles  from  the  en- 
emy."— '  Parsons,  p.  9 ;  Calvert,  p.  10  ;  Mackenzie's  Perry, 
i.  pp.  222,  228. — *  The  wind  was  not  heavier  than  a  a  two 
or  three  knot  breeze. — (Vide  p.  277,  col.  2,  note  3.) 
'  Parsons,  p.  9  ;  Mackenzie's  Perry,  i.  p.  229. 


CiiAP.  LXII.] 


THE  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE. 


279 


mencing  the  action,  reached  the  other 
vessels  of  the  squadron,  it  was  answered 
with  the  hearty  cheers  which  seamen  of 
all  nations  know  so  well  how  to  give.^ 
Immediately  afterwards  a  twenty-four- 
]")Ound  shot  from  the  Detroit  carried 
the  message  towards  the  Lawrence'' — at 
that  time  on  the  weather-quarter  of  the 
former  vessel,  and  about  a  mile  and  a 
half  distant^ — without  reaching  her;* 
when  Commander  Perry  renewed  the 
order  to  the  vessels  astern,  to  close  the 
line  of  battle;®  and  directed  the  Scor- 
pion^ ahead  and  a  little  on  the  weather- 
bow  of  the  Lawrence^  to  answer  the 
Detroit — an  order  which  was  promptly 
()1)eyed  by  Sailing-master  Champlin.® 

At  this  moment  the  American  line 
WHS  slowly  approaching  that  of  the  en- 
emy— the  two  forming  two  sides  of  an 
acute  angle,  with  the  small  vessels  of 
each  receding  from  each  other^ — and 
as  the  enemy's  long  guns  gave  him  the 
advantage  over  the  Amei-ican  carron- 
ades,  at  this  distance,  the  former  prop- 
erly appeared  anxious  to  maintain  the 
action  witliout  closing^  while  Comman- 


'  Mackenzie's  Perry,  i.  p.  231 ;  Calvert,  p.  11  ;  Letter 
fiom  the  Hunter,  Sept.  24. — '  Lieut.  Tarnall's  Testi- 
mony ;  Lieut.  Turner's,  Chaplain  Breeze's,  Sailing-master 
Taylor's,  and  Capt.  Brevoort's  Affidavits ;  Mackenzie's 
Perry,  i.  p.  231  ;  Burgess'  Lecture,  p.  35  ;  Cooper's  Nav. 
Hist.,  ii.  p.  190.—°  Lieuts.  Webster  and  Yarnall's  Test.; 
Lieut.  Montgomery  to  Capt.  Elliott,  Feb.  11,  1821  ;  Mac- 
kenzie's Perry,  i.  p.  231 ;  Officers  of  the  Niagara  to  Sec.  of 
Navy,  Oct.  13  ;  Cooper's  Nav.  Hist.,  ii.  p.  190.  Many  of 
the  officers  have  testified  that  the  Lawrence  and  Detroit 
were  not  more  than  a  mile  apart ;  while  Mr.  Calvert  says 
the  lines  were  at  an  average  distance  of  one  mile  apart. 

*  Mackenzie's  Perry,  i.  p.  231 ;  Calvert,  p.  11. 

'  Sailing-master  Taylor's  Affid.;  Mackenzie's  Perry,  i. 
p.  233  ;  Cooper's  Nav.  Hist.,  ii.  p.  190  ;  Letter  from  the 
Hunter,  Sept.  24. — *  Lieut.  Tarnall's  Test.;  Mackenzie's 
Perry,  i.  p.  232  ;  Cooper's  Nav.  Hist.,  ii.  p.  190. 

'Cooper's  Nav.  Hist.,  ii.  p.  190;  Diagram  in  Navy 
Department. 


der  Perry,  as  properly,  desired  to  take 
those  positions  where  the  armaments  of 
his  vessels  could  be  handled  with  the 
greatest  advantage.^  Accordingly  sig- 
nals were  made  for  each  vessel  to  en- 
gage her  opponent  in  the  line,  as  desig- 
nated in  previous  orders;'*  and  at  about 
five  minutes  before  twelve  o'clock  the 
action  began.^  As  there  appears  to 
have  been  no  signal  made  for  breaking 
the  line,  or  for  changing  the  relative 
positions  of  the  several  vessels,  the  Cal- 
edonia and  the  Niagara  "preserved 
their  stations  in  the  line,"  agreeabhj  to 
their  orders^  and  opened  and  continued 
their  fire  in  the  best  possible  manner ;  ® 

>  Com.  Perry's  Dispatch,  Sept.  13  ;  Lieut.  Webster's 
Test.;  Mackenzie's  Perry,  i.  p.  233  ;  Cooper's  Naval  His- 
tory, ii.  p.  190. — '  Lieut.  Forrest's  Test.;  Lieuts.  Turner 
and  Stevens',  Sailing-master  Champlin's,  Master's-mate 
Brownell's,  and  Sailing-master  Taylor's  Affidavits  ;  Mac- 
kenzie's Perry,  i.  p.  231 ;  Burgess'  Lecture,  p.  35 ;  Coop- 
er's Nav.  Hist.,  ii.  p.  190. 

'  Com.  Perry's  Dispatch,  Sept.  13  ;  Mackenzie's  Perry, 
i.  232  ;  Cooper's  Nav.  Hist.,  ii.  p.  190 ;  Calvert,  p.  11. 

*  With  all  proper  respect  to  those  who  have  participated 
in  the  angry  and  prolonged  controversy  respecting  the 
part  taken  by  Commander  Elliott  and  the  Niagara,  I  sub- 
mit that  this  fact,  per  se,  would  have  relieved  that  officer 
from  just  blame,  in  any  event.  It  is  very  evident  that  it 
is  not  the  duty  of  a  subordinate  to  question  the  propriety 
of,  or  to  disregard,  at  his  own  pleasure,  the  orders  which 
he  may  receive  from  his  superior  in  command  ;  nor  can 
it  be  done  without  throwing  the  service  into  anarchy, 
and  reducing  all  authority  to  the  dictates  of  individual 
will.  In  "  preserving  his  station  in  the  line,"  even  after 
Com.  Elliott  desired  to  pass  him,  to  go  to  the  relief  of  the 
Lawrence,  Lieut.  Turner  enforced  my  views  by  his  ex- 
ample ;  and  his  subsequent  condemnation  of  the  former 
officer,  for  acting  just  as  he  acted,  with  the  Caledonia,  was 
at  once  unwise  and  inconsistent.  Whether  the  Niagara 
and  her  commander,  while  "preserving  their  station  in 
the  line,"  did  their  duty,  is  not  a  question  to  be  dis- 
cussed in  this  note  ;  but  simply  whether  they  could 
change  the  crrder  of  bailie  and  the  positive  orders  of  their  senior 
officer  in  command,  without  exposing  themselves  to  the 
condemnation  of  those  who  now  condemn  them  for  an 
opposite  line  of  action. 

'  Lieut.  Conklin,  of  the  Tigress;  Lieut.  Montgomery  to 
Capt.  Elliott,  Feb.  11, 1821  ;  Lieut.  Adams',  Dr.  Barton's, 
and  Boatswain  Berry's  Affidavits  ;  Officers  of  the  Niagara 


280 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


althouofli,  from  their  distance,  with  but 
little  effect;^  while  the  Lawrence^  un- 
der the  immediate  orders  of  Comman- 
der Perry,  appears  to  have  left  the  line ; 
and,  after  furling  his  topgallant-sail, 
hauling  up  his  foresail,  and  rounding 
to,^  he  closed  with  the  enemy  "  within 
canister-shot  distance,"^  receiving  dur- 
ing that  time,  a  period  of  not  less  than 
half  an  hour,  a  heavy  and  destructive 
fire  from  the  long  guns  of  the  enemy,* 
The  Ariel  and  the  Scorjpion  were  also 
engaged  during  this  time  with  their 
long  guns,  and  rendered  great  assist- 
ance to  the  Lavjrence  ;^  while  the  ves- 
sels which  remained  in  the  line  gradual- 
ly worked  down  towards  the  enemy, 
receiving  his  fire  with  but  little  dam- 
age, and  returning  it  with  skill  and 
effect.^ 


to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Oct.  13  ;  Cooper's  Nav.  Hist.,  li.  p.  190  ; 
Lient.  Smith  to  Gen.  Stansbuvy,  Oct.  16  ;  Letter  from 
the  Ilunier,  Sept.  24;  Lieut.  Webster's  Test. 

'  Officers  of  the  Niagara  to  Sect,  of  Navy,  Oct.  13. 

'  Lieut.  Tarnall's  Testimony. 

^  The  real  distance  here  referred  to  has  caused  consid- 
erable discussion,  and  exemplifies  the  improper  spirit 
wltli  which  this  question  has  been  examined.  While 
Com.  Perry  (Dispatch,  Sept.  13,  1813)  says  he  sustained 
tlie  fire  of  his  opponents  at  "  wiihin  canister-shot  distance" 
(1320  yards),  in  which  he  is  sustained  by  Sailing-master 
Taylor  {Affid.);  and  Mr.  Cooper  {Nav.  Hist,  ii.  p.  190), 
Lieut.  Forrest  {Test.),  and  the  Letter  from  the  Hunter, 
Sept.  24,  make  it  carronade  '^point-blank"  (450  yards); 
Lieut.  Forrest  {Letter,  Jan.  29,  1821),  Lieuts.  Stevens  and 
Turner,  Sailing-master  Champlin,  Chaplain  Breeze,  and 
Master' s-mate  Brownell,  in  their  Affidavits,  and  Mr.  Mac- 
kenzie {Biog.  of  Ferry,  i.  p.  234),  at  ''close  action"  (say 
350  yards);  Lieut.  Yarnall,  in  his  Testimony,  April,  1815, 
and  Mr.  Burgess  {Lecture,  p.  36),  calls  it  half-musket  shot 
(50  yards). 

'  As  the  action  began  at  12  m.,  the  Lawrence  "  sustain- 
ing the  action,  in  close  order,  upwards  of  two  hours;" 
and  Com.  Perry  leaving  her  at  half-past  two,  it  is  obvious 
that  she  was  half  an  hour  reaching  her  position  off  the 
Detroit. — 'Com.  Perry's  Dispatch,  Sept.  13;  Mackenzie's 
Perry,  i.  pp.  234,  236  ;  Cooper's  Nav.  Hist.,  11.  pp.  190, 191 ; 
Calvert,  p.  11. 

'  Com.  Perry's  Dispatch,  Sept.  13. 


The  Lawrence  having  thus  broken 
the  standing  orders  and  the  line  of  bat- 
tle, leaving  her  consorts,  who  were 
astern ;  and,  with  the  support  of  the 
Ariel  and  the  Scorpion  only,  having 
attacked  the  head  of  the  enemy's  line, 
where  his  strength  chiefly  laid,  without 
enabling  the  commanders  of  those  ves- 
sels, which  have  been  referred  to,  to 
move  independently  to  his  support,  by 
relieving  them  from  their  obligation  to 
obey  his  previous  orders,  "  to  keep 
within  half  a  cable's  length  of  each 
other ^  and  enjoining  upon  the  com- 
manders to  preserve  their  stations  in 
the  line,  and  to  keep  as  near  the  Law- 
rence as  possible,"  Commander  Perry 
assumed  the  grave  responsibility  of  con- 
ducting the  engagement  single-handed, 
and  without  any  prospect  of  immediate 
assistance.  At  this  distance  of  time, 
and  with  the  limited  amount  of  evi- 
dence at  our  command,  the  motives  of 
the  Commander,  in  his  preliminaries  to 
the  action,  are  indistinct  and  incompre- 
hensible. His  change  in  the  first  order 
of  battle^ — at  all  times,  on  sea  or  land, 
when  in  front  of  an  enemy,  a  dangerous 
experiment,  especially,  as  in  this  case, 
when  inexperienced  troops  are  thus 
transferred — was,  evidently,  productive 
of  some  confusion  ;  and  his  alteration  of 
his  own  prescribed  order  of  battle, 
without  releasing  his  subordinates  from 
their  obligations  to  it ;  and  the  hazard- 
ous abandonment  of  his  associates  to 
attack  the  enemy's  line  single-handed, 
without  giving  authority  for  any  of  his 
subordinates  to  leave  "  their  stations  in 
the  line,"  and  move  to  his  support,  have 

'  Vide  pp.  277,  278. 


Chap.  LXIL] 


THE  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE. 


281 


I'eceivecl  no  explanation  from  those  who 
have  testified  on  this  complicated  and 
controverted  subject. 

Having  thus  opened  his  fii^e  on  the 
Detroit^  it  was  evidentlj^  continued  with 
spirit,  until  the  enemy,  perceiving  the 
failure  of  the  American  line  to  come  to 
closer  action  in  support  of  the  Lcnvrence 
— which  the  want  of  orders  from  Com- 
mander Perry,  and  the  absence  of  au- 
thority, in  his  subordinates,  to  break 
the  prescribed  order  and  line  of  battle 
before  referred  to,  appear  to  have  pre- 
vented— the  Hunter^  the  Queen  Char- 
lotte^ and  the  CJdppeioa  concentrated 
their  fire,  with  that  of  the  Detroit,  and 
endeavored  to  cripple  and  overpower 
the  Laiorence ;'^  evidently  hoping  there- 
by to  overcome  the  divided  forces  of 
their  antagonist  before  they  could  be 
concentrated  in  a  new  line  of  battle. 
In  this  unequal  contest,  for  upwards  of 
two  hours,^  the  Laiorence  struggled  des- 
perately and  suffered  severely.  Her 
rio-o-hio-  is  said  to  "have  been  much 
shot  awav,  and  was  hanging  down  or 
towing  overboard ;  her  sails  were  torn 
to  pieces ;  her  spars  wounded  and  fall- 
ins"  to  the  deck :  her  braces  and  bow- 
lines  cut,  so  as  to  render  it  impossible 
to  trim  the  yards  or  keep  the  vessel 
under  control."  "  On  deck  the  destruc- 
tion was  even  more  terrible.  One  by 
one  her  o-uns  had  been  dismounted,  un- 
til  only  one  remained  that  could  be 
fired ;  the  bulwarks  had  been  entirely 
beaten  in;  and  the  enemy's  round-shot 


1  Lieut.  TarnaU's  Test.;  Burgess'  Lecture,  p.  39  ;  Mac- 
kenzie's Perry,  i.  pp.  234,  236  ;  Cooper's  Nav.  Hist.,  ii. 
p.  190  ;  Calvert,  pp.  11,  12  ;  W.  Foster  to  S.  Grosvenor, 
Erie,  Sept.  19,  1813.—'  Com.  Perry's  Dispatch,  Sept.  13  ; 
Mackenzie's  Perry,  i.  p.  237. 
Vol.  II.— 36 


passed  completely  through  the  vessel. 
The  slauo'hter  among  her  crew  was  be- 
yond  any  recorded  in  the  history  of 
naval  warfare.  Of  one  hundred  effi- 
cient men  who  had  gone  into  action, 
twenty-two  had  been  killed  and  sixty- 
one  wounded."  In  short,  she  was  an 
unmanageable  wreck  —  an  unimpeach- 
able witness  of  the  desperation  of  the 
attack,  as  well  as  the  dogged  obstinacy 
of  the  defence.^ 

In  the  mean  time,  during  the  two 
hours  and  a  half  since  the  Lawrence 
had  left  the  line,  the  Caledonia'  and  all 
the  vessels  astern  of  her  had  "kept 
within  half  a  cable's  lens^th  of  each 
other,  preserved  their  stations  in  the 
line,  and  kept  as  near  the  Lawrence  as 
possible ; "  while,  at  the  same  time,  as 
far  as  the  exceedino^  light  summer 
breeze  allowed,  each  had  "  engaged  her 
opponent,  as  designated  in  previous  or- 
ders."'^ With  the  exception  of  thePor- 
ciipine^  Tigress^  and  Trijjpe^  they  had 
gradually  come  into  close  action,  and 
were  taking  part  in  the  engagement 
with  spirit  and  effect.  The  Caledonia 
appears  to  have  been  a  dull  sailer,  and 
it  is  said,  that  in  order  to  "  preserve  his 
station  in  the  line"  without  running 
into  her  stern,  Commander  Elliott,  more 
than  once,  had  been  obliged  to  back  his 
topsail  and   brail  his  jil^.^     At   about 

'  Mackenzie's  Perry,  i.  pp.  237,  238  ;  Calvert,  p.  11. 

"Lieut.  Webster's  and  Midship.  Montgomery's  Test.; 
Midship.  Nichols  to  Capt.  Elliott,  Jan.  22,  1821 ;  Lieut. 
Conklin,  of  the  Tigress ;  Lieut.  Montgomery  to  Capt.  El- 
liott, Feb.  11,  1813  ;  Com.  Elliott's  Speech,  pp.  6,  7. 

=  Lieut.  Webster's  Test.,  April  24,  1815  ;  Purser  Ma- 
grath  to  the  Erie  Seniind;  Mr.  Cooper,  in  Graliam's  3fag- 
azine,  May,  1843.  Lieuts.  Tarnall  and  Turner,  Mr.  Mac- 
kenzie, and  many  others,  who  were  not  present,  have 
intimated  that  this  was  done  to  keep  the  Xiagara  out  of 
action. 


282 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


two  o'clock,  however,  a  breeze  suddenly- 
struck  the  foremost  vessels  in  the  Amer- 
ican line ,  and  enabled  them  to  bear 
down  on  the  enemy,  and  to  relieve  the 
Lawrence^  by  "  engaging  their  oppo- 
nents, as  designated  in  previous  or- 
ders."^ At  the  same  time  the  Queen 
Charlotte  felt  the  breeze,  and  leavins' 
her  place  in  the  enemy's  line,  she  bore 
down  and  brought  her  entire  battery, 
long  guns  and  carronades,  to  bear  on 
the  Laiurence?  Perceiving  this  move- 
ment of  the  Queen  Charlotte^  and  con- 
sidering the  existing  state  of  affairs  as  a 
sufficient  justification  for  assuming  the 
authority  to  do  so.  Commander  Elliott 
hailed  the  Caledonia^  and  ordered  Lieu- 
tenant Turner  to  bear  up  and  let  the 
Niagara  pass  her  to  the  assistance  of 
the  Lawrence?  "  Without  stopping  to 
inquire  whether  Commander  Elliott,  a 
subordinate  like  himself,  had  a  right  to 
give  an  order  involving  a  change  in  the 
oi'der  of  battle,"*  although  it  is  evident 
that  he  had  doubts  on  the  subject.  Lieu- 
tenant Turner  put  up  his  helm  and 
made   room   for   the  Niagara^  which 


>  Midship.  Nichols  to  Capt.  Elliott,  Jan.  22,  1821  ; 
Boatswain  Berry's  Affidavit,  May  14,  1821  ;  Midship. 
Montgomery's  Test.,  April  25,  1815. — "Lieut.  Montgom- 
ery to  Capt.  Elliott,  Feb.  11,  1821  ;  Boatswain  Berry's 
Affidavit,  May  14,  1821  ;  Lieut.  Smith  to  Gen.  Stansbiiry, 
Oct.  16;  Cooper's  Nav.  Hist.,  ii.  p.  191.  Mr.  Calvert 
(Oration,  p.  11)  supposes  this  was  done  at  half-pad  twelve  j 
and  Mr.  Burgess  (p.  40)  and  Mr.  Mackenzie  {Biog.  of  Perry, 
i.  p.  236)  appear  to  sustain  him.  As  the  enemy's  accounts 
of  the  battle  agree  with  those  of  the  authorities  cited,  I 
have  preferred  their  statements. — '  Lieut.  Webster's,  Mid- 
shipmen Montgomery  and  Cummings',  and  Capt.  Bre- 
voort's  Test.;  Lieut.  Montgomery  to  Capt.  Elliott,  Feb. 
11,  1821;  Boatswain  Berry's  Affidavit,  May  14,  1821; 
Officers  of  the  Niagara  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Oct.  13,  1813  ; 
Purser  Magrath  to  Erie  Sentinel;  Com.  Elliott's  Speech, 
p.  7  ;  Cooper's  Nav.  Hist.,  ii.  p.  191 ;  Mackenzie's  Perry, 
i.  p.  235.—'  Mackenzie's  Perry,  i.  p.  235. 

'Lieut.  Webster's  Test.;   Lieut.  Montgomery  to  Capt. 


passed  to  windward  of  the  Caledonia^ 
and  bore  down  for  the  head  of  the  en- 
emy''s  line}  the  latter  vessel  at  the  same 
time  bearing  down  and  closing  with  the 
Hunter? 

This  sudden  and  temporary  breeze, 
trivial  as  it  may  appear  to  many,  com- 
pletely changed  the  current  of  passing 
events ;  and  from  that  moment  the 
scene  changed.  Both  squadrons  taking 
the  breeze  at  the  same  time,  and  both 
drawing  slowly  ahead,^  the  Lawrence 
entirely  unmanageable,  as  has  been 
shown,  gradually  dropped  astern,  and 
the  battle  as  steadily  passed  ahead  of 
her.*  From  this  cause,  while  the  Cale- 
donia passed  to  her  leeward,  while  bear- 
ing down  to  close  with  ih.Q  fourth  vessel 
in  the  enemy's  line,  the  Niagara  was 
obliged,  in  bearing  down  on  the  head 
of  that  line,  to  pass  to  the  windward  of 
the  Lawrence^  at  a  few  yards'  distance,^ 
receiving   and   returning,   as  she   bore 


Elliott,  Feb.  11,  1821  ;  Officers  of  the  Niagara  to  Sec.  of 
Navy,  Oct.  13;  Com.  Elliott's  Speech,  p.  7. 

'  Lieut.  Webber's  and  Midshipmen  Montgomery  and 
Adams'  Test.;  Midship.  Nichols  to  Capt.  Elliott,  Jan.  22, 
1821  ;  Boatswain  Berry's  Affidavit,  May  14,  1821  ;  Par- 
sons, p.  11 ;  McAfee,  p.  357 ;  Elliott's  Speech,  p.  7 ; 
Cooper's  Nav.  Hist.,  ii.  p.  191.  Com.  Perry  {Dispatch, 
Sept.  13,  1813)  says  he  "  was  enabled  to  bring  his  vessel, 
the  Niagara,  gallantly  into  close  action." 

"  Com.  Perry's  Dispatch,  Sept.  13  ;  Parsons,  p.  11  ; 
Cooper's  Nav.  Hist.,  ii.  p.  191. — '  Cooper's  Nav.  Hist.,  ii. 
p.  191. — *  Lieut.  Webster's  Test.;  Calvert,  p.  13  ;  Burgess, 
p.  45 ;  Officers  of  the  Niagara  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Oct.  13  ; 
Purser  Magrath  to  Erie  Sentinel;  James'  Nav.  Occur.,  p. 
288;  Cooper's  Nav.  Hist.,  ii.  p.  191;  Lieut.  Smith  to 
Gen.  Stansburjf,  Oct.  16. 

"  Lieut.  Webster  {Test.,  April  25,  1815)  says  "it  did  not 
exceed  thirty  yards;"  Midship.  Montgomery  (T'est.),  "at 
about  twenty-five  yards'  distance;"  Master' s-mate  Tatem 
(Test.),  at  "  very  little  more  than  room  enough  to  pass  to 
windward  ;"  Capt.  Brevoort  (Affidavit,  Nov.  7,  1818)  says, 
"coming  near  the  Lawrence,  a  boat  was  discovered,"  &c. ; 
Boatswain  Berry  (Affidavit,  May  14,  1821)  says,  "within 
twenty  or  thirty  yards;"  Com.  Elliott  (Speech,  p.  7)  says, 
"within  twenty  yards  of  the  Lawrence." 


I 


k— 4  1^, 


Chap.  LXIL] 


THE  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE. 


283 


down,  a  heavy  fire  from  the  Detroit^ 
the  Chippewa^  the  Lady  Prevost^  and 
the  Queen  Charlotte} 

It  was  at  this  moment,  while  the 
Niagara  was  passing  the  Lawrence^ 
that  the  well-known  transfer  of  the  flag 
from  the  latter  to  the  former  brig  took 
place.  Commander  Perry,  perceiving 
that  his  own  ship  had  become  entirely 
useless,  and  no  longer  able  to  keep  up 
with  the  current  of  the  action,  as  it  was 
gradually  moving  towards  the  south- 
ward and  westward,  determined  to 
leave  the  Lawrence  and  go  on  board 
the  Niagara^  which  was  then  passing 
towards  the  head  of  the  enemy's  line.^ 
Accordingly  he  lowered  his  battle-flag 
— the  blue  burgee  already  referred  to — 
and  taking  it,^  with  his  young  brother. 
Midshipman  J.  Alexander  Perry,*  he 
passed  over  the  weather-gangway  of 
the  Lawrence^  entered  his  cutter,  and 
directed  his  course  towards  the  Niaga- 
ra. During  the  time  which  was  occu- 
pied in  this  celebrated  trip,  the  Niaga- 
ra was  steadily  and  "gallantly"^  bear- 
ing down  on  the  enemy ;  and  the  boat's- 
crevv  was  compelled  to  pursue  her,  all 
the    time    exposed   to   the   fire   of  the 

1  Midship.  Montgomery's  and  Lieut.  Webster's  Test.; 
Lieut.  Montgomery  to  Capt.  Elliott,  Feb.  11, 1821 ;  Lieut. 
Cummings'  Affidavit,  Nov.  25,.  1818  ;  Dr.  E.  Barton's 
Affidavit,  April  24,  1821  ;  Officers  of  the  Niagara  to  Sec. 
of  Navy,  Oct.  13  ;  Lieut.  Smith  to  Gen.  Stansbury,  Oct.  16. 

2  Lieuts.  Webster,  Yarnall,  and  Forrest's,  Midshipmen 
Montgomery,  Adams,  and  Cummings'  Test.;  Lieut.  For- 
rest to  M.  C.  Perry,  Jan.  29,  1821  ;  Lieut.  Brownell's, 
Sailing-master  Taylor's,  Capt.  Brevoort's,  and  Lieuts. 
Adams  and  Cummings'  Affidavits ;  Calvert,  p.  12  ;  Par- 
sons p  11 ;  Burgess,  pp.  43,  44 ;  Mackenzie's  Perry,  i.  pp. 
243-246  ;  Elliott's  Speech,  p.  7  ;  James  Webster  to  Even- 
ing Post,  March  11,  1843;  Cooper's  Nav.  Hist.,  ii   p.  191. 

'  Burgess,  p.  43  ;  Armstrong's  Notices,  i.  p.  169  ;  Chris- 
tie, p.  132  ;  McAfee,  p.  357  ;  Irving's  Perry  ;  Letter  from 
the  Hunter,  Sept.  24. — *  Mr.  Cooper,  in  Graham's  Muga- 
siiie,  May,  1843. — '  Com.  Perry's  Dispatch,  Sept.  13. 


heaviest  ships  in  the  enemy's  line.^ 
The  zealous  young  Commander,  actu- 
ated by  the  most  commendable  mo- 
tives, thirsting  for  that  honest  renown 
which  he  so  quickly  secured,  and  disre- 
garding the  danger  with  which  he  was 
threatened,  had  determined  "  if  a  vic- 
tory was  to  he  gained^  to  gain  it^^'''^  and 
standing  erect  in  his  boat,^  he  urged  his 
crew  to  give  way  cheerily.'*  With  the 
rising  breeze  the  headway  of  the  Niag- 
ara increased,  and  for  fifteen  minutes 
the  oarsmen  labored  steadily  in  the  pur- 
suit.^ At  length,  passing  under  the 
stern  of  the  Niagara.^  he  came  along- 
side, and  went  on  board  by  her  wea- 
ther-gangway.® 

It  is  said  that  Commander  Pei'ry, 
when  he  reached  the  deck  of  the  Niag- 
ara^ expressed  some  fears  concerning 
the  final  result  of  the  action,  and  great 
dissatisfaction  with  the  failure  of  the 
small  vessels  to  come  into  action.'^  For 
the  purpose  of  restoring  the  fortunes  of 
the  day,  if  possible.  Commander  Elliott 
immediately  volunteered  to  take  the 
cutter  in  which  Commander  Perry  had 
just  passed  from  the  Lawrence^  to  pass 
up  the  line,  and  bring  the  small  vessels 
forward,^  declaring,  at  the  same  time, 


>  Sailing-master  Taylor's  Affidavit ;  Mackenzie's  Perry, 
i.  p.  245  ;  Burgess,  p.  44. — "  Lieut.  Forrest  to  M.  C.  Perry, 
Jan.  29,  1821.—'  Sailing-master  Taylor's  Affidavit;  Mac- 
kenzie's Perry,  i.  p.  245;  Burgess,  p.  44;  Calvert,  p.  12. 

*  Mackenzie's  Perry,  i.  p.  245.—'  Ibid.,  i.  pp.  245,  246. 

'  Midship.  Montgomery's  Testimony. 

'  Capt.  Brevoort's  Affidavit,  Nov.  7,  1818;  Lieuts.  Ad- 
ams and  Cummings'  Affidavits,  Nov.  25,  1818 ;  Boat- 
swain Berry's  Affidavit,  May  14,  1821  ;  Biog.  of  Elliott, 
p.  34 ;  Officers  of  the  Niagara  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Oct.  1 3  ; 
Capt.  Brevoort  to  Maj.  Swearingen,  Nov.  1,  1813  ;  Lieut. 
Cummings  to  Capt.  Elliott,  Nov.  22,  1818. 

'Com.  Perry's  Dispatch,  Sept.  13;  Capt.  Brevoort's 
Affidavit,  Nov.  7,  1818  ;  Midship.  Nichols  to  Capt.  El- 
liott, Jan.  22,  1821 ;  Lieuts.  Adams  and  Cummings'  Affi- 


284 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


that  tlie  case  was  not  as  hopeless  as  the 
latter  had  supposed.-^  In  this  proposal 
Commander  Elliott  "  anticipated  the 
wish"  of  Commander  Perry  ;^  and,  leav- 
ing the  Niagara  in  charge  of  Commander 
Perry,  he  entered  the  cutter,  "passed 
along  the  line  of  small  vessels,  hailed 
each  as  he  passed,  ordered  them  to  cease 
firing,  to  get  out  their  sweeps,  to  close 
with  and  fire  upon  the  large  ships  of 
the  enemy ;  and  then,  returning  along 
the  line  of  small  vessels,  he  went  on 
board  the  Soniers^  and  bore  up  with  all 
possible  dispatch."  ^ 

As  the  Niagara  was  bearing  down 
upon  tJie  head  of  the  enemy's  line  when 
Commander  Perry  took  the  command  of 
her,  it  does  not  appear  that  he  changed 
her  course,  or  issued  any  order  farther 
than  was  necessary  to  take  her  more  to 
leeward,  in  order  that,  instead  of  run- 
ning to  the  head  of  the  line^  she  might 
be  taken  alongside  the  Detroit  and  the 
Queen  Charlotte^  in  which  case  the 
Chi])])ewa  and  Lady  Prevost^  which 
were  at  some  distance  ahead  of  the 
former,  would  necessarily  be  separated 
from  their  consorts  and  left  to  wind- 
ward of  the  Niagara.  With  the  great- 
est gallantry,  therefore.  Commander  Per- 
ry directed  the  Niagara.,  under  foresail, 
topsails,  and   topgallant-sails,  into  the 


davits,  Nov.  25,  1818  ;  Boatswain  BeiTy's  Affidavit,  May 
14,  1821 ;  Biog.  of  Elliott,  p.  34  ;  Officers  of  the  Niagara 
to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Oct.  13. 

'  Lieuts.  Adams  and  Cummings'  Affidavits,  Nov.  25, 
1818.—'  Com.  Perry's  Dispatch,  Sept.  13. 

'  Biog.  of  Elliott,  p.  34.  See  also  Lieuts.  Webster  and 
Tarnall's,  and  Midship.  Montgomery's  Test.,  April,  1815  ; 
Midship.  Nichols  to  Capt.  Elliott,  Jan.  22,  1821 ;  Lieut. 
Conklin's  Affid.;  McAfee,  p.  358;  Lieut.  Page  to  Capt. 
Elliott,  May  20,  1821  ;  Lieut.  Adams'  Affidavit,  Nov.  25, 
1818  ;  Cooper's  Nav.  Hist.,  ii.  p.  191  ;  Com.  Perry's  Dis- 
patch, Sept.  13,  1813  ;  Elliott's  Speech,  pp.  7,  8. 


midst  of  the  enemy's  line,  dividing  it, 
and  throwing  her  fire  on  either  hand  as 
she  went.^  The  Chippewa  and  the  Lady 
Prevost.,  as  before  stated,  were  sepa- 
rated from  the  main  body  of  the  ene- 
my, and  received  the  larboard  broad- 
side of  the  Niagara.,  at  half-pistol-shot 
distance ;  while  the  Detroit  and  the 
Queen  Charlotte — which  in  attempting 
to  wear  had  got  foul  of  each  other — 
and  the  Hunter^  at  the  same  time  and 
at  the  same  distance,  were  favored  with 
her  starboard  guns.'^  Having  passed 
under  the  bows  of  the  enemy's  flag-ship 
{the  Detroit).,  the  Niagara  appears  to 
have  come  to  the  wind  on  the  starboard 
tack,  with  her  head  to  the  northward 
and  eastward  f  and  with  her  starboard 
guns  she  opened  a  terribly  efiective 
raking  fire  on  the  two  ships  which  lay 
foul  of  each  other;*  while  with  her 
stern  chasers  she  threw  in  an  occasional 
shot  on  the  Lady  Prevost  and  the  Chip- 
peioa.,  which  she  had  cut  ofli^  from  their 
line.^ 

At  the  same  time  the  Caledonia., 
which  had  closed  with  the  Hunter ^^ 
and  the  small  vessels  which  had  come 
up,  under  the  orders  which  they  had 
received  through  Commander  Elliott,'^ 
were  pouring  a  cross-fire  into  the  ene- 
my's line,  while  the  Ariel  and  the  Scor- 
pion  continued  to  throw  in  an  equally 

'  Lieut.  Yarnall's  Test.;  Sailing-master  Taylor's  Affid.; 
Cooper's  Nav.  Hist.,  ii.  p.  192. — «  Com.  Perry's  Dispatch, 
Sept.  13;  Capt.  Elliott's  Speech,  p.  8;  McAfee,  p.  358; 
Calvert,  p.  13;  Cooper's  Nav.  Hist.,  ii.  p.  192. 

^  Burgess,  p.  46  ;  Diagram  No.  3  of  the  action,  in  Gra- 
ham's Magazine,  May,  1843;  Cooper's  Nav.  Hist.,  ii.  p. 
192;  Irving's  Biography  of  Perry.—*  Burgess,  p.  46; 
Cooper's  Nav.  Hist.,  ii.  p.  192;  Mackenzie's  Perry,  i.  p. 
252.— '  Cooper's  Nav.  Hist,  ii.  p.  192;  Mackenzie's 
Perry,  i.  p.  252.— «  Vide  p.  282,  col.  2,  note  2. 

'  Vide  p.  284,  col.  1,  note  3. 


Chap.  LXH.] 


THE  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE. 


285 


effective  cross-fire  on  tlie  Chippewa^  the 
Lady  Prevost^  and  the  Detroit^  from 
the  extreme  left  of  the  American  line. 

While  the  current  of  the  engagement 
was  thus  setting  in  favor  of  the  Ameri- 
cans, the  shattered  hulk  of  the  Law- 
rence— glorious  in  its  helj^lessness — was 
fallinof  to  leeward,  like  a  veteran  who 
has  performed  his  part  of  the  service 
and  been  relieved  from  active  duty. 
The  remnant  of  her  gallant  crew,  not  a 
dozen  in  number,^  had  witnessed  the 
departure  of  their  commander,  and  had 
anxiously  watched  his  passage  to  the 
Niagara:'^  one  by  one  her  guns  had 
been  deprived  of  their  crews  and  ren- 
dered unfit  for  further  service  :*  her 
berth-deck,  exposed  to  the  enemy's  fire, 
was  crowded  with  the  shattered  forms 
of  more  than  sixty  of  her  crew ;  and 
her  youthful  surgeon's-mate,  on  whom 
the  heavy  responsibility  of  their  treat- 
ment had  fallen,  was  busy  relieving 
their  immediate  necessities,  amidst  the 
occasional  intrusion  of  a  round-shot 
from  one  of  the  enemy's  vessels;*  and 
her  carefully  sanded  decks,  now  slippery 
with  the  gore  of  the  fcdlen  ones,  no 
lono-er    afforded    a  secure   foothold   to 

O 

those  who  trod  them:^  yet,  battle- 
scathed  as  she  was,  her  colors  still 
floated  at  her  peak,  and,  like  a  regen- 
erated conscience,  held  in  check  the 
rising  distrust  of  her  officers  and  crew. 
But  the  steady  fire  of  the  enemy  on 
the  defenceless  and  unopposing  brig 
forced  the  feeble  band,  unwillingly,  to 


1  Of  her  crew,  only  ten  remained  who  were  not  killed 
or  wounded. — "  Mackenzie's  Perry,  i.  p.  247. 

'  Ibid.,  p.  237. — '  Parsons,  pp.  11,  13;  Mackenzie's 
Perry,  i.  p.  238.—'  Mackenzie's  Perry,  i.  pp.  226,  251; 
Parsons,  p.  14. 


take  counsel  of  each  other,  and  to  en- 
tertain an  idea  of  surrendering.  Under 
the  discretionary  powers  with  which 
Commander  Perry  had  vested  Lieuten- 
ant Yarnall  when  he  stepped  into  the 
cutter,^  therefore,  a  brief  consultation 
was  held  on  the  quarter-deck;  and  in 
order  to  prevent  an  unnecessary  sacri- 
fice of  life,  the  surviving  officers  re- 
solved to  strike  their  colors.^  In  the 
midst  of  the  most  enthusiastic  cheers  of 
the  enemy's  crews,  therefore,  the  colors 
of  the  flag-ship  were  lowered  ;  ^  and  the 
important  part  which  the  Lawrence  per- 
formed in  this  interesting  drama  closed. 

In  the  mean  time  the  action  contin- 
ued between  the  Niagara^  the  Caledo- 
nia^ and  the  smaller  American  vessels, 
on  the  one  side,  and  the  entire  strength 
of  the  enemy,  on  the  other ;  and  within 
half  an  hour  after  Commander  Perry 
took  the  command  of  the  Niagara^  an 
ofiicer  appeared  on  the  taflfrail  of  the 
Queen  Charlotte  to  signify  that  she  had 
surrendered ;  and,  within  a  few  minutes, 
all  the  enemy's  line,  except  the  Little 
Belt  and  Cliippeioa^  on  the  extremes  of 
the  line,  followed  her  example.^  These, 
making  sail,  attempted  to  escape  to  lee- 
ward ;  but,  after  a  chase  of  an  hour, 
they  were  overtaken  by  the  Scorpion 
and  the  Trippe^  and  brought  back  to 
their  proper  places  among  the  trophies 
of  the  victor.® 

The  Lawrence^  floating  helplessly  on 


1  Lieut.  Tarnall's  Test.;  Mackenzie's  Perry,  i.  p.  247. 

2  Mackenzie's  Perry,  i.  p.  247  ;  Cooper's  Nav.  Hist.,  ii. 
p.  191. — '  Parsons,  p.  11  ;  Cooper's  Nav.  Hist.,  ii.  p.  191  ; 
Irving's  Perry  ;  Mackenzie's  Perry,  i.  p.  248. 

*  Lieuts.  Webster  and  Yarnall's  Test. — '  Cooper's  Nav. 
Hist.,  ii.  p.  192  ;  Mackenzie's  Perry,  i.  p.  253. 

»  Com.  Perry's  Dispatch,  Sept.  13,  1813  ;  McAfee,  p. 
358  ;  Burgess,  p.  46;   Mackenzie's  Perry,  i.  pp.  253,  254. 


286 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


the  waters,  by  this  result  was  relieved 
from  the  unpleasant  position  into  which, 
as  a  prize  to  the  enemy,  she  had  fallen ; 
and,  with  the  fall  of  the  enemy's  colors, 
her  own — on  which  her  surrender  had 
imposed  no  stain  or  taint  of  dishonor — 
again  floated  at  her  masthead.^ 

Immediately  afterwards  the  victors 
began  the  discharge  of  their  final  duty 
— that  of  taking  possession  of  their 
prizes  and  of  receiving  the  formal  sur- 
render of  their  commanders.  The  for- 
mer, satisfactory  as  it  must  have  been, 
was  not  unalloyed,  when  the  severe  loss 
which  the  enemy  had  sustained  was 
seen ;  the  latter  was  a  fitting  finale  of 
the  events  which  have  been  referred 
to;  and  it  consummated  the  glory 
which  clusters  around  the  quarter-deck 
of  the  Lawrence^  on  which,  with  deli- 
cate propriety,  the  young  conqueror  re- 
ceived the  swords  of  his  gallant  oppo- 
nents.^ 

In  this  engagement — the  first  in 
which  an  American  squadron  had  been 
a  party  since  Benedict  Arnold,  on  Lake 
Champlain,  opposed  the  progress  of 
General  Carleton  in  1*776^ — the  rela- 
tive strength  of  the  opposing  forces  has 
been  already  noticed.*  Of  the  enemy, 
Commander  Finnis  of  the  Queen  Char- 
lotte^ Lieutenant  Gordon  of  the  marine 
force,  and  Lieutenant  Garland  of  the 
Detroit^  and  thirty-eight  men  were  Mil- 
ed'  and  Commander  Barclay,  the  senior 
officer  of  the  squadron,  First-lieutenant 
Stokoe  and  Midshipman  Foster  of  the 
Queen   Charlotte^    Lieutenant- comman- 

1  Parsons,  p,  13  ;  Cooper's  Nav.  Hist.,  ii.  p.  192  ;  Mac- 
kenzie's Perry,  i.  p.  253. — '  Mackenzie's  Peiry,  i.  pp. 
254,  263,  264 ;  Calvert,  p.  15 ;  Parsons,  p.  14. 

=  Vide  Book  I.,  Chap.  XIII.—*  Vide  p.  276. 


dant  Buchan  and  First-lieutenant  Rou- 
lette of  the  Lady  Prevost^  Lieutenant- 
commandant  Bignall  and  Master's-mate 
Gateshill  of  the  Hunter^  Master's-mate 
Campbell,  commanding  the  Chippeiva^ 
Purser  Hoffmeister  of  the  Detroit^  and 
eighty-five  men  were  wounded:'^  while 
in  the  American  vessels.  Lieutenant 
Brooks,  Midshipmen  Laub  and  Clark, 
Quartermaster  Mayhew,  Boatswain's- 
mate  White  and  twenty-two  men  were 
hilled j  and  Lieutenants  Yarnall,  For- 
rest, and  Edwards,  Sailing-master  Tay- 
lor, Purser  Hambleton,  Midshipmen 
Claxton,  Swartwout,  and  Cummings, 
Carpenter  Stone,  and  eighty-seven  men 
wounded  j  of  whom  eighty-three  were 
on  the  Latorence^  twenty-seven  on  the 
Niagara^  three  on  the  Caledonia^  two 
on  the  Somers^  four  on  the  Ariel^  two 
on  the  Tri])]pe^  and  two  on  the  8cor- 
jpion? 

As  the  intelligence  of  this  victory 
was  carried  through  the  country,  the 
most  extravagant  expressions  of  delight 
were  everywhere  displayed ;  and  Com- 
mander Perry  was  hailed  as  the  savior 
of  the  Northwest.  Salutes,  and  illumi- 
nations, and  public  meetings  gave  evi- 
dence of  the  popular  sentiment ;  and  it 
is  said  "  the  general  joy  was  unequalled 
since  the,  surrender  of  Cornwallis  at 
Yorktown."^ 

But  not  alone  from  its  efiects  on  the 
affairs  of  the  nation  was  this  action 
niemorable.  In  the  language  of  one  of 
the  most  eminent  of  our  cotemporaries,* 
"  were  any  thing  wanting  to  perpetuate 

'  Keports  appended  to  Com.  Barclay's  Dispatches. 
=  Reports  appended  to  Com.  Perry's  Dispatches. 
°  Mackenzie's  Perry,  ii.  p.  11. 
*  Washington  Irving. 


Chap.  LXII.] 


DOCUjVIENTS. 


287 


the  fame  of  this  victory,  it  would  be 
sufficiently  memorable  from  tlie  scene 
wliere  it  was  fought.  The  war  had 
been  distinguished  by  new  and  pecu- 
liar characteristics.  Naval  warfare  had 
been  carried  into  the  interior  of  a  con- 
tinent ;  and  navies,  as  if  by  magic, 
launched  from  among  the  depths  of  the 
foi'est.  The  bosoms  of  peaceful  lakes 
which,  but  a  short  time  before,  were 
scarcely  navigated  by  man,  except  to 
be  skimmed  by  the  light  canoe  of  the 
savage,  had  all  at  once  been  ploughed 
by  hostile  ships.  The  vast  silence,  that 
had  reigned  for  ages  on  those  mighty 
waters,  was  broken  by  the  thunder  of 
artillery ;  and  the  aflFrighted  savage 
stared  with  amazement  from  his  cov- 
ert at  the  sudden  apparition  of  a  sea- 
fight  amid  the  solitudes  of  the  wilder- 


ness. 


55 


Time  and  the  angry  disputes — un- 
worthy of  the  subject — to  which  this 
event  has  given  rise,  have  failed  in  their 
usual  effects,  and  at  the  present  day, 
not  less  than  in  the  fall  of  1813,  the 
names  of  Perry  and  the  Laiorence  are 
on  every  tongue.  The  historian  of 
that  day  spake  not  more  enthusiastic- 


ally of  the  glory  of  the  achievement 
than  is  our  privilege ;  and,  with  him, 
we  can  say,  with  honest  pride,  that  "  in 
future  times,  when  the  shores  of  Lake 
Erie  shall  hum  with  busy  population  ; 
when  towns  and  cities  shall  brighten 
where  now  extend  the  dark  and  tan- 
gled forest ;  when  ports  shall  spread 
their  arms,  and  lofty  barks  shall  ride 
where  now  the  canoe  is  fastened  to  the 
stake  ;  when  the  present  age  shall  have 
grown  into  venerable  antiquity,  and  the 
mists  of  fable  begin  to  gather  around 
its  history;  then  will  the  inhabitants 
of  the  mighty  West  look  back  to  this 
battle,  which  we  have  recorded,  as  one 
of  the  romantic  achievements  of  the 
days  of  yore.  It  will  stand  first  on  the 
page  of  their  local  legends,  and  in  the 
marvellous  tales  of  the  borders.  The 
fisherman,  as  he  loiters  along  the  beach, 
will  point  to  some  half-buried  cannon, 
half  corroded  with  the  rust  of  time, 
and  will  speak  of  ocean  warriors  who 
came  from  the  shores  of  the  Atlantic ; 
while  the  boatman,  as  he  trims  his  sail 
to  the  breeze,  will  chant,  in  rude  ditties, 
the  name  of  Perry,  the  early  hero  of 
Lake  Erie." 


DOCirME:^rTS 


I. 


COMMODORE    PERRY  S   DISPATCH    TO    THE    SECRE- 
TARY OF  THE  NAVY. 


i 


D.  S.  Schooner  Ariel,  Put-in-Bat, 
September  13,  1813. 

Sir  : — In  my  last  I  informed  you  that  we  had 

captured  the  enemy's  fleet  on  this  lake.     I  have 

now  the  honor  to  give  you  the  most  important 

particulars  of  the  action.    On  the  morning  of  the 

tenth  instant,  at  sunrise,  they  were  discovered 


from  Put-in-Bay,  where  I  lay  at  anchor  with  the 
squadron  under  my  command.  We  got  under 
weigh,  the  wind  light  at  southwest,  and  stood 
for  them.  At  ten  a.  m.  the  wind  hauled  to 
southeast,  and  brought  us  to  windward  ;  formed 
the  line  and  bore  up.  At  fifteen  minutes  be- 
fore twelve  the  enemy  commenced  firing;  at 
five  minutes  before  twelve  the  action  com- 
menced on  our  part.  Finding  their  fire  very 
destructive,  owing  to  their  long  guns,  and  it 
being  mostly  directed  at  the  Lawrence,  I  made 


288 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


sail  and  dii-ected  the  other  vessels  to  follow,  for 
the  purpose  of  closing  with  the  enemy.  Every 
brace  and  bowline  being  soon  shot  away, 
she  became  unmanageable,  notwithstanding  the 
great  exertions  of  the  sailing-master.  In  this 
situation  she  sustained  the  action  upwards  of 
two  hours  within  canister-distance,  until  every 
gun  was  rendered  useless,  and  the  greater  part 
of  her  crew  either  killed  or  wounded.  Finding 
she  could  no  longer  annoy  the  enemy,  I  left  her 
in  charge  of  Lieutenant  Yarnall,  who,  I  was 
convinced,  from  the  bravery  already  displayed 
by  him,  would  do  what  would  comport  with 
the  honor  of  the  flag.  At  half-past  two,  the 
wind  springing  up.  Captain  Elliott  was  enabled 
to  bi'ing  his  vessel,  the  Niagara,  gallantly  into 
close  action.  I  immediately  went  on  board  of 
her,  when  he  anticipated  my  wish  by  volunteer- 
ing to  bring  the  schooners,  which  had  been  kept 
astern  by  the  lightness  of  the  Avind,  into  close 
action.  It  was  with  unspeakable  pain  that  I 
saw,  soon  after  I  got  on  board  the  Niagara,  the 
flag  of  the  Lawrence  come  down,  although  I  was 
perfectly  sensible  she  had  been  defended  to  the 
last,  and  that  to  have  continued  to  make  a  show 
of  resistance  would  have  been  a  wanton  sacri- 
fice of  the  remains  of  her  brave  crew.  But  the 
enemy  was  not  able  to  take  possession  of  her, 
and  circumstances  soon  permitted  her  flag  again 
to  be  hoisted.  At  forty-five  minutes  past  two 
the  signal  was  made  for  close  action.  The 
Niagara  being  very  little  injured,  I  determined 
to  pass  through  the  enemy's  line ;  bore  up,  and 
passed  ahead  of  their  two  ships  and  a  brig,  giv- 
ing a  raking  fire  to  them  from  the  starboard 
guns,  and  to  a  large  schooner  and  sloop  from 
the  larboard  side,  at  half  pistol-shot  distance. 
The  smaller  vessels,  at  this  time  having  got 
within  grape  and  canister  distance,  under  the 
direction  of  Captain  Elliott,  and  keeping  up  a 
well-directed  fire,  the  two  ships,  a  brig,  and  a 
schooner  surrendered,  a  schooner  and  sloop 
making  a  vain  attempt  to  escape. 

Those  oflicers  and  men  who  were  immediate- 
ly under  my  observation  evinced  the  greatest 
gallantry,  and  I  have  no  doubt  tliat  all  others 
conducted  themselves  as  became  American  ofli- 
cers and  seamen.  Lieutenant  Yarnall,  first  of 
the  Lawrence,  although  several  times  wounded, 
refused  to  quit  the  deck.     Midshipman  Forrest 


(doing  duty  as  a  lieutenant)  and  Sailing-master 
Taylor  were  of  great  assistance  to  me.  I  have 
great  pain  in  stating  to  you  the  death  of  Lieu- 
tenant Brooks  of  the  marines,  and  Midshipman 
Laub,  both  of  the  Lawrence,  and  Midshipman 
John  Clark  of  the  Scorpion :  they  were  valua- 
ble and  promising  officers.  Mr.  Hambleton, 
purser,  who  volunteered  his  services  on  deck, 
was  severely  wounded  late  in  the  action.  Mid- 
shipmen Claxton  and  Swartwout  of  the  Law- 
rence^ were  severely  wounded.  On  board  the 
Niagara,  Lieutenants  Smith  and  Edwards,  and 
Midshipman  Webster  (doing  duty  as  sailing- 
master),  behaved  in  a  very  handsome  manner. 
Captain  Brevoort  of  the  army,  who  acted  as  a 
volunteer,  in  the  capacity  of  a  marine  officer,  on 
board  that  vessel,  is  an  excellent  and  brave  offi- 
cer, and  with  his  musketry  did  great  execution. 
Lieutenant  Turner,  commanding  the  Caledonia, 
brought  that  vessel  into  action  in  the  most  able 
manner,  and  is  an  officer  that  in  all  situations 
may  be  relied  on.  The  Ariel,  Lieutenant  Par- 
ker, and  Scorpion,  Sailing-master  Chami^lin, 
were  enabled  to  get  early  into  action,  and  were 
of  great  service.  Captain  Elliott  sj^eaks  in  the 
highest  terms  of  Mr.  Magrath,  purser,  who  had 
been  dispatched  in  a  boat  on  service,  previous 
to  ray  getting  on  board  the  Niagara  ,'  and  be- 
ing a  seaman,  since  the  action  has  rendered  es- 
sential service,  in  taking  charge  of  one  of  the 
prizes.  Of  Captain  Elliott,  already  so  well 
known  to  the  government,  it  would  be  almost 
superffuous  to  speak.  In  this  action  he  evinced 
his  characteristic  bravery  and  judgment;  and 
since  the  close  of  the  action  has  given  me  the 
most  able  and  essential  assistance. 

I  have  the  honor  to  inclose  you  a  return  of 
the  killed  and  wounded,  together  with  a  state- 
ment of  the  relative  force  of  the  squadrons. 
The  captain  and  first-lieutenant  of  the  Queen 
Charlotte,  and  first-lieutenant  of  the  Detroit, 
were  killed.  Captain  Barclay,  senior  oflScer, 
and  the  commander  of  the  Lady  Prevost,  se- 
verely wounded.  The  commanders  oi  the  Hun- 
ter and  Chippewa  slightly  wounded.  Their  loss 
in  killed  and  wounded  I  have  not  yet  been  able 
to  ascertain ;  it  must,  however,  have  been  very 
great.  Very  respectfully, 

O.  H.  Pekry. 

Hon.  Wm.  Jones,  Secretary  of  the  Navy. 


Chap.  LXIL] 


DOCUMENTS. 


289 


n. 


COMMANDEK   BARCLAY  TO    SIR  JAMES    L.  YEO. 

H.  M.  LATE  Ship  Detroit,  Put-in-Bay,  ) 
Lake  Erie,  Sept.  12,  1813.  j 

Sir: — The  last  letter  I  had  the  honor  of 
^i-iting  to  you,  dated  the  sixth  instant,  I  in- 
formed you,  that  unless  certain  intimation  was 
received  of  more  seamen  being  on  their  Avay  to 
Amherstburg,  I  should  be  obliged  to  sail  with 
tlie  squadron,  deplorably  manned  as  it  was,  to 
fight  the  enemy  (who  blockaded  the  poi-t),  to 
enable  us  to  get  supplies  of  provisions  and  stores 
of  every  description.  So  perfectly  destitute  of 
provisions  was  the  post,  that  there  was  not  a 
day's  flour  in  store,  and  the  crews  of  the  squad- 
ron under  my  command  were  on  half  allowance 
of  many  things,  and  when  that  was  done  there 
Mas  no  more.  Such  were  the  motives  which 
induced  Major-general  Proctor  (whom,  by  your 
instructions,  I  was  directed  to  consult,  and 
whose  wishes  I  was  enjoined  to  execute,  as  far 
as  related  to  the  good  of  the  country)  to  concui' 
in  the  necessity  of  a  battle  being  risked,  under 
the  many  disadvantages  which  I  labored ;  and 
it  now  remains  to  me,  the  most  melancholy 
task,  to  relate  to  you  the  unfortunate  issue  of 
the  battle,  as  well  as  the  many  untoward  cir- 
cumstances that  led  to  that  event. 

No  intelligence  of  seamen  having  arrived,  I 
sailed  on  the  ninth  instant,  fully  expecting  to 
meet  the  enemy  next  morning,  as  they  had 
been  seen  among  the  islands  ;  nor  was  I  mis- 
taken. Soon  after  daylight,  they  were  seen  in 
motion  in  Put-in-Bay,  the  wind  then  southwest, 
and  light,  giving  us  the  weather-gage.  I  bore 
up  for  them,  in  hopes  of  bringing  them  to  ac- 
tion among  the  islands ;  but  that  intention  was 
soon  frustrated  by  the  wind  suddenly  shifting  to 
the  southeast,  which  brought  the  enemy  di- 
rectly to  windward. 

The  line  was  formed  according  to  a  given 
plan,  so  that  each  ship  might  be  supported 
against  the  superior  force  of  the  two  brigs  op- 
posed to  them.  About  ten,  the  enemy  cleared 
the  islands,  and  immediately  bore  up,  under 
sail,  in  a  line  abreast,  each  brig  being  also  sup- 
ported by  the  small  vessels.  At  a  quarter-be- 
fore twelve,  I  commenced  the  action,  by  firing 
a  few  long  guns ;  about  quarter-past,  the  Ameri- 

Voi,.   II.- 37 


can  Commodore,  also  supported  by  two  schoon- 
ers, one  carrying  four  long  twelve-pounders, 
the  other  a  long  thirty-two  and  twenty-four 
pounder,  came  to  close  action  with  the  Detroit ; 
the  other  brig  of  the  enemy,  apparently  des- 
tined to  engage  the  Queen  Charlotte.,  supported 
in  Hke  manner  by  two  schooners,  kept  so  far 
to  windward  as  to  render  the  Queen  Charlotte's 
twenty-foui--pound  carronades  useless,  while  she 
was,  with  the  Lady  Prevost,  exposed  to  the 
heavy  and  destructive  fire  of  the  Caledonia, 
and  four  other  schoonei-s,  armed  with  long:  and 
heavy  guns  like  those  I  have  already  described. 

Too  soon,  alas !  was  I  deprived  of  the  service 
of  the  noble  and  intrepid  Captain  Finnis,  who, 
soon  after  the  commencement  of  the  action,  fell ; 
and  with  him  fell  my  greatest  support.  Soon 
after.  Lieutenant  Stokes,  of  the  Queen  Charlotte., 
was  struck  senseless  by  a  splinter,  which  deprived 
the  counti-y  of  his  services  at  this  very  critical  pe- 
riod. As  I  perceived  the  Detroit  had  enough  to 
contend  "snth,  without  the  prospect  of  a  fresh 
brig:  Provincial-lieutenant  Irvine,  who  then  had 
charge  of  the  Quee?i  Charlotte,  behaved  with 
great  courage  ;  but  his  experience  was  much 
too  hmited  to  supply  the  place  of  such  an  offi- 
cer as  Captain  Finnis,  hence  she  proved  of  far 
less  assistance  than  I  expected. 

The  action  continued  with  great  fury  until 
half-past  two,  when  I  perceived  my  opponent 
drop  astern,  and  a  boat  passing  from  him  to  the 
Niagara  (which  vessel,  at  this  time,  was  per- 
fectly fresh) ;  the  American  Commodore,  see- 
ing that  as  yet  that  the  day  was  against  him 
(his  vessel  having  struck  soon  after  he  left 
hei-),  and  also  the  very  defenceless  state  of  the 
Detroit,  which  ship  was  now  a  perfect  wreck, 
principally  from  the  raking  fire  of  the  gun- 
boats, and  also  that  the  Queen  Charlotte  was  in 
such  a  situation  that  I  could  receive  very  little 
assistance  from  her,  and  the  Lady  Prevost  be- 
ing at  this  time  too  far  to  leeward,  from  her 
rudder  being  injured,  made  a  noble,  and,  alas ! 
too  successful  an  eflTort  to  regain  it,  for  he  bore 
up,  and,  supported  by  his  small  vessels,  passed 
within  pistol-shot,  and  took  a  i-aking  position  on 
our  bow;  nor  could  I  prevent  it,  as  the  unfortu- 
nate situation  of  the  Queen  Charlotte  prevented 
us  from  wearing.  In  attempting,  we  fell  on 
board   her.      My  gallant  First-lieutenant  Gar- 


290 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


land  was  now  mortally  wounded,  and  myself 
severely,  that  I  was  obliged  to  quit  the  deck. 
Manned  as  the  squadron  was,  with  not  more 
than  fifty  British  seamen,  the  rest  a  mixed  crew 
of  Canadians  and  soldiers,  and  who  were  totally 
unacquainted  with  such  service,  rendered  the 
loss  of  officers  more  sensibly  felt,  and  never,  in 
any  action,  was  the  loss  more  severe,  every  offi- 
cer coTnmanding  vessels,  and  their  seconds,  were 
either  killed  or  wounded  so  severely  as  to  be 
unable  to  keep  the  deck. 

Lieutenant  Buchan,  in  the  Lady  Prevost,  be- 
haved most  nobly,  and  did  every  thing  that  a 
brave  and  experienced  officer  could  do,  in  a 
vessel  armed  with  twelve-pound  carronades, 
against  vessels  carrying  long  guns.  I  regret  to 
state  that  he  was  severely  wounded.  Lieutenant 
Bignall,  of  tlie  Dover^  commanding  the  Hunter^ 
displayed  the  greatest  intrepidity ;  but  his  guns 
being  small  (two,  four,  and  six  pounders),  he 
could  be  of  much  less  service  than  he  wished. 

Every  officer  in  the  Detroit  behaved  in  the 
most  exemplary  manner.  Lieutenant  Inglis 
showed  such  calm  intrepidity,  that  I  was  fully 
convinced  that,  on  leaving  deck,  I  left  the  ship 
in  excellent  hands ;  and  for  an  account  of  the 
battle  after  that,  I  refer  you  to  his  letter  which 
he  wrote  to  me  for  your  information. 

Mr.  Hoffmeister,  purser  of  the  Detroit,  nobly 
volunteered  his  services  on  deck,  and  behaved 
in  a  manner  that  reflects  the  highest  honor  on 
him.  I  regret  to  add,  that  he  is  very  severely 
woimded  in  the  knee. 

Provincial-lieutenant  Purvis,  and  the  military 
officers.  Lieutenants  Gordon  of  the  Royal  New- 
foundland Rangers,  and  O'Keefe  of  the  Forty- 
first  regiment,  behaved  in  a  manner  that  ex- 
cited my  warmest  admiration.  The  few  British 
seamen  I  had,  behaved  with  their  usual  intrepid- 
ity ;  and,  as  long  as  I  was  on  deck,  the  troops 
behaved  with  a  calmness  and  courage  worthy  of 
a  more  fortunate  issue  to  their  exertions. 

The  weather-gage  gave  the  enemy  a  prodi- 
gious advantage,  as  it  enabled  them  to  not  only 
choose  their  position,  but  their  distance  also, 
which  they  did  in  such  a  manner  as  to  prevent 
the  carronades  of  the  Queen  Charlotte  and  Lady 
Prevost  from  having  much  effect,  while  their 
long  guns  did  great  execution,  particularly 
against  the  Queen  Charlotte. 


Captain  Perry  has  'behaved  in  a  most  humane 
and  attentive  manner,  not  only  to  myself  and 
officers,  but  to  all  the  wounded. 

I  trust  that,  although  unsuccessful,  you  will 
approve  of  the  motives  that  induced  me  to  sail 
under  so  many  disadvantages,  and  that  it  may 
be  hereafter  proved  that,  under  such  circum- 
stances, the  honor  of  His  Majesty's  flag  has  not 
been  tarnished, 

I  inclose  the  list  of  killed  and  wounded. 
I  have  the  honor  to  be,  &c., 

R.  H.  Barclay, 
Commander  and  late  senior  officer. 
Sir  James  Lucas  Yeo,  &c.,  &c. 


HI. 


LIEUTENANT    INGLIS    TO    COMMANDER    BARCLAY. 

H.  M.  LATE  Ship  Detroit,  Sept.  10,  1813. 

Sir  : — I  have  the  honor  to  transmit  to  you  an 
account  of  the  termination  of  the  late  unfortu- 
nate battle  with  the  enemy's  squadron. 

On  coming  on  the  quarter-deck,  after  your 
being  wounded,  the  enemy's  second  brig,  at 
that  time  on  our  weather-beam,  shortly  after- 
wards took  a  position  on  our  weather-bow,  to 
rake  us ;  to  prevent  which,  in  attempting  to  wear, 
to  get  our  starboard  broadside  to  bear  upon 
her,  a  number  of  the  guns  of  the  larboard  broad- 
side being  at  this  time  disabled,  fell  on  board 
the  Queen  Charlotte,  at  this  time  running  up  to 
leeward  of  us.  In  this  situation  the  two  ships 
remained  for  some  time. 

As  soon  as  we  got  clear  of  her,  I  ordered  the 
Queen  Charlotte  to  shoot  ahead  of  us,  if  possi- 
ble, and  attempted  to  back  our  fore-topsail,  to 
get  astern,  but  the  ship  lying  completely  un- 
manageable, every  brace  cut  away,  the  mizzen- 
topmast  and  gaff  down,  all  the  other  masts  bad- 
ly wounded,  not  a  stay  left  forward,  hull  shat- 
tered very  much,  a  number  of  the  guns  disabled, 
and  the  enemy's  squadron  raking  both  ships, 
ahead  and  astern,  none  of  our  own  in  a  situation 
to  support  us,  I  was  under  the  painful  necessity 
of  hailing  the  enemy,  to  say  we  had  struck,  the 
Queen  Charlotte  having  previously  done  so. 
I  have  the  honor  to  be,  &c., 

George  Inglis. 
To  Captain  Bakclat. 


CHAPTER     LXIII. 


October  5,  1§13. 

THE      BATTLE      OF      THE      THAMES 


The  victory  on  Lake  Erie,  to  which 
reference  has  been  made/  had  secured 
to  the  Americans  the  command  of  that 
lake ;  and  the  occupation  of  Canada 
and  the  recovery  of  the  territory  of 
Michigan  were  the  next  steps  which 
were  proposed  by  the  commander  of 
the  Northwestern  army.  For  this  pur- 
pose the  most  ample  preparations  were 
made  by  General  Harrison. 

In  the  prosecution  of  this  design,  the 
small  vessels  of  the  squadron^ — the 
smaller  prizes  as  well  as  the  American 
vessels — were  employed  in  transporting 
the  troops,  under  General  Harrison,  to 
Put-in-Bay;^  thence,  on  the  twenty- 
first,  to  a  small  island, — known  as  the 
"  Eastern  Sister,"  distant  four  leagues 
from  Maiden, — on  the  Canadian  shore  ;* 
and  thence,  on  the  afternoon  of  the 
twenty-seventh  of  September,  to  the 
mainland,  at  a  point  about  three  miles 
below  Amherstburg,  where  it  landed 
at  three  o'clock ;  ^  from  which  place,  on 


'  Vide  Chap.  LXII. — =  The  Lawrence  had  been  sent  to 
Erie  with  tlie  wounded  ;  and  the  Detroit  and  Queen  Char- 
lotte, dismasted,  were  moored  in  Put-in-Bay. — Vide  Com. 
Ferry  to  Sec.  of  N'avy,  Sept.  13,  1813.—^  Com.  Perry  to 
Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept.  20,  1813.— *  Ibid.,  Sept.  2-4,  1813; 
James'  Military  Occurrences,  i.  p.  272. 

*  Gen.  Harrison  to  Sec.  of  War,  Sept.  27,  1813.  There 
appears  to  be  considerable  confusion  respecting  the  date 
of  this  movement — Christie,  Rogers,  and  seveial  others, 
supposing  it  occurred  on  the  twenty-third,  and  in  some 
instances  Gen.  Harrison's  dispatch  of  the  27th  has  been 
dated  ''Sept.  23,  1813." 


the  same  day,  it  marched  to  Maiden, 
and  occupied  it  without  opposition.^ 

General  Proctor,  with  the  troops  un- 
der his  command,  before  the  arrival  of 
the  Americans,  had  destroyed  the  fort, 
navy-yard,  barracks,  and  extensive  pub- 
lic store-houses,  and  had  fled  to  Sand- 
wich, taking  with  him  upward  of  one 
thousand  horses,  of  which  the  Ameri- 
cans were  entirely  destitute.^  The  force 
under  General  Proctor,  on  the  morning 
of  the  battle,  embraced  four  hundred 
and  eight  men  of  the  Forty-first  regi- 
ment ;  six  field-pieces,  with  thirty  men 
of  the  Royal  Artillery,  and  thirty-eight 
provincial  dragoons ;  besides  which,  an 
ofiicer  and  one  hundred  and  forty -three 
men  of  the  Forty-first,  and  thirty  men 
from  the  Royal  Veteran  Battalion,  were 
with  the  batteaux;  one  hundred  and  one 
invalids  in  the  hospital,  with  sixty-three 
attendants,  all  from  the  Forty-first  regi- 
ment, were  at  the  Moravian  village ; 
and  a  large  body  of  Indians,  under  the 
command  of  Tecumth^,  also  accompa- 
nied him  in  his  retreat.^ 

Leaving  Colonel  Smith  at  Amherst- 
burg to    occupy  that  position  with    a 


'  Com.  Perry  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept.  27,  1813  ;  James' 
Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  274. — ^  Gen.  Harrison  to  Sec.  of  War, 
Sept.  23  ;  Gen.  McArthur  to  Sec.  of  War,  Oct.  6  ;  Inger- 
soll,  i  p.  175. — '  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  278.  The 
number  of  these  Indians  is  variously  stated  at  from  800 
to  1500. 


292 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


regiment  of  riflemen,  on  tlie  twenty- 
eio-hth.  General  Harrison  moved  to 
Sandwich/  although  he  appears  to  have 
had  but  little  hope  of  overtaking  his 
adversary;'*  and,  after  leaving  General 
Cass's  brigade  and  Lieutenant-colonel 
Ball's  regiment  at  Sandwich,®  and  Gen- 
eral McArthur,  with  his  brigade, — sev- 
en hundred  effective  men, — to  occupy 
Detroit,*  on  the  second  of  October  he 
continued  the  pursuit  in  the  direction 
of  the  River  Thames,^  where  it  was 
supposed  General  Proctor  intended  to 
establish  himself.®  From  various  causes, 
after  the  delay  at  Sandwich,  General 
Harrison  was  able  to  take  with  him 
"  only  about  one  hundred  and  forty  of 
the  regular  troops.  Colonel  Richard  M. 
Johnson's  mounted  regiment,  and  such 
of  Governor  Shelby's  volunteers  {Ken- 
tiickians)  as  were  fit  for  a  rapid  march, 
the  whole  amounting  to  about  three 
thousand  five  hundred  men."^ 

While  General  Harrison  was  thus 
detained  at  Sandwich,  General  Proc- 
tor halted  at  Dalston's,  on  the  right 
bank  of  the  Thames,  fifty-six  miles 
from  Detroit;^  and,  notwithstanding 
the  small  force  which  he  commanded, 
he  appears  to  have  taken  no  steps  to 
retard  the  progress  of  the  x\merican 
army,    either   by   breaking    down   the 


'  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  i  p.  274;  Thomson's  Sketches,  p. 
170  ;  McAfee,  pp.  373,  374. — *  Gen.  Harrison  to  Sec.  of 
War,  Sept.  27,  1813.  Mr.  Smith  (Life  and  Times  of  Gen. 
Cass,  p.  74)  strangely  maintains  that  Gen.  Harrison  enter- 
tained "  no  such  opinion  or  fear." — '  Gen.  Harrison  to 
Sec.  of  War,  Oct.  9 ;  James,  i.  p.  275  ;  McAfee,  p.  382. 

■*  Gen.  McArthur  to  Sec.  of  War,  Oct.  6  ;  James,  i.  p. 
275;  McAfee,  p.  381.— ^  Gen.  Harrison  to  Sec.  of  War, 
Oct,  9 ;  Sl^etches  of  War,  p.  172  ;  James,  i.  p.  275. 

'  Gen.  Harrison  to  Secretary  of  War,  Sept.  27,  1813. 

'  Ibid.,  Oct.  9.—*  Ibid.  ;  Perkins'  History  of  War,  p. 
236  ;  James,  i.  p.  275. 


bridges,  obstructing  the  roads,  or  skir- 
mishing with  his  Indians  and  light 
troops.  On  the  contrary,  as  will  be 
seen  hereafter,  the  destruction  of  the 
bridges  over  impassable  streams  does 
not  appear  to  have  been  thought  of 
until  after  General  Harrison  had  moved 
from  Sandwich ;  and  even  at  that  late 
day  the  work  was  either  unaccomplished 
or  but  imperfectly  performed. 

As  before  stated,  on  the  second  of 
October,  General  Harrison  renewed  the 
pursuit, — General  Lewis  Cass  and  Com- 
mander Perry  accompanying  him  as 
volunteer  aids, — and  marched  twenty- 
five  miles,  halting  at  the  JRiscum^  one 
of  the  four  streams  which  crossed  his 
I'oute,  and  emptied  into  the  Thames. 
The  bridge  over  this  stream  had  not 
been  broken;  and  as  all  these  "rivers" 
were  deep,  muddy,  and  unfordable  for 
a  considerable  distance  up  the  country, 
it  appears  very  remarkable  that  this 
fine  opportunity  to  harass  the  progress 
of  General  Harrison  should  have  been 
overlooked.^ 

On  the  morning  of  the  third,  fearing 
that  General  Proctor  might  perceive 
the  singular  neglect  of  duty,  to  which, 
reference  has  been  made.  General  Har- 
rison pushed  forward  with  Colonel 
Johnson's  regiment  of  mounted  Ken- 
tuckians,  —  a  thousand  strong,^  —  "to 
save,  if  possible,  the  other  bridges." 
When  the  detachment  reached  the 
second  bridge,  a  lieutenant  and  eleven 
dragoons  were  found  there,  and  cap- 
tured. They  had  been  sent  to  destroy 
that  pass ;    but   had   not   fully   accom- 

'  Gen.  Harri.son  to  Sec.  of  War,  Oct.  9  ;    Thomson's 
Sketches,  p.  170  ;  McAfee,  pp.  382,  383. 

2  Col.  K.  M.  Johnson  to  Gen.  Armstrong,  Dec.  22, 1834. 


Chap.  LXIII.] 


THE  BATTLE  OF  THE  THAMES. 


293 


plislied  it  when  they  fell  into  the  hands 
of  the  Kentuckians.  The  bridge,  how- 
ever, had  been  partially  destroyed ;  but 
when  the  army  came  to  it,  it  was  speed- 
ily repaired,  and  after  crossing  the 
stream  the  array  continued  the  pursuit, 
and  encamped  at  Drake's  farm,  four 
miles  from  Dalston's,  where  Proctor 
had  taken  a  position.^ 

The  American  army,  in  its  pursuit, 
had  been  accompanied  as  far  as  Dal- 
ston's  by  a  flotilla  of  batteaux  and  the 
snxall  vessels  of  the  squadron, — the  line 
of  march  having  been  along  the  banks 
of  the  Thames,  a  fine  stream,  which  was 
navigable  for  vessels  of  considerable 
burden, — but  the  character  of  the  coun- 
try on  its  banks  having  changed,  above 
Dalston's,  the  vessels  were  left  at  that 
place,  under  a  guard  of  one  hundred 
and  fifty  men ;  and  thenceforth  the 
General  "  determined  to  trust  to  for- 
tune and  the  bravery  of  his  troops  to 
effect  the  passage  of  the  river."  ^ 

On  the  mornino^  of  the  fourth  the 
pursuit  was  continued ;  and  General 
Proctor  retired  as  rapidly  as  possible. 
When  the  American  army  had  marched 
four  miles, — having  reached  Chatham, 
— it  came  to  the  third  of  the  impassa- 
ble streams  which  have  been  referred 
to,  over  which  was  a  partially-destroyed 
bridge,  protected  by  a  strong  body  of 
Indians,  which  had  been  stationed  not 
only  on  the  opposite  bank  of  the 
stream,  but  also  on  that  of  the  Thames. 
Supposing  that  these  were  but  the  ad- 


'  Gen.  Harrison  to  Sec.  of  War,  Oct.  9  ;  Thomson's 
Sketches,  pp.  170,  171  ;  McAfee,  pp.  383,  384;  James,  i. 
p.  276  ;  Sketches  of  the  War,  p.  173. — '  Gen.  Harrison  to 
Sec.  of  War,  Oct.  9 ;  James,  i.  p.  276  ;  Sketches  of  the 
War,  p.  173. 


vance-guard  of  the  enemy,  and  that 
his  main  body  was  close  at  hand,  the 
American  army  was  halted  and  formed 
in  order  of  battle;  while  Major  Wood, 
with  the  two  six-pounders,  with  which 
the  army  had  been  accompanied,  were 
moved  forward  to  cover  the  operations 
of  the  party  who  had  been  ordered  to 
repair  the  bridge,  A  few  shot  from 
these  field-pieces  drove  off  the  Indians, 
and  two  hours  afterwards,  the  bridge 
having,  meanwhile,  been  repaired,  the 
pursuit  was  renewed.^ 

At  McGregor's  Mills,  a  mile  beyond 
the  last,  was  another  bridge,  which,  like 
the  former,  had  been  removed  and 
guarded  by  a  strong  force  of  Indians, 
To  secure  this  pass  before  it  could  be 
wholly  destroyed.  Colonel  Johnson  and 
the  mounted  Kentuckians  pushed  for- 
ward ;  and,  under  a  galling  fire  from 
the  savages,  they  occupied  and  repaired 
it,  with  the  loss  of  two  men  killed  and 
three  or  four  wounded.  The  army  im- 
mediately crossed  the  stream  and  seized 
a  house,  near  by,  in  which  had  been 
stored  a  considerable  number  of  mus- 
kets. The  enemy,  when  it  became  im- 
possible to  prevent  the  progress  of  the 
army,  had  set  fire  to  this  house,  as  well 
as  to  three  vessels  laden  with  arms  and 
military  stores,  and  to  a  distillery  which 
had  been  filled  with  similar  property. 
The  house  was  preserved,  but  the  ves- 
sels and  the  distillery,  with  a  consid- 
erable portion  of  their  contents,  were 
destroyed.^ 

At  an  early  hour  on  the  fifth,  the 


'  Gen.  Harrison  to  Sec.  of  AVar,  Oct.  9  ;  Thomson's 
Sketches,  p.  171  ;  Breckenridge,  p.  182 ;  McAfee,  pp. 
384-386.—'  Gen.  Harrison  to  Sec.  of  War,  Oct.  9  ;  Mc- 
Afee, pp.  385,  386  ;  Sketches  of  War,  p.  173. 


294 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


pursuit  was  renewed ;  in  the  course  of 
whicli  two  gunboats  and  several  bat- 
teaux,  laden  with  provisions  and  ammu- 
nition, fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Amer- 
icans. At  an  early  hour  in  the  after- 
noon the  site  of  the  encampment  of  the 
enemy's  rear-guard,  on  the  preceding 
night,  was  reached ;  when  a  detachment 
from  Colonel  Johnson's  regiment  was 
sent  forward  to  obtain  intelligence. 
The  officer  in  command  quickly  sent 
information  to  the  General  that  the 
enemy  had  formed  across  the  line  of 
march,  a  short  distance  in  advance ; 
and  a  wagoner,  who  was  captured 
about  the  same  time,  not  only  con- 
firmed the  intelligence,  but  gave  such 
farther  information  as  enabled  the  Gen- 
eral to  form  his  order  of  battle  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  requirements  of  the 
enemy's  position.-^ 

The  route  which  the  two  armies  had 
taken  was  on  the  banks  of  the  Thames 
River  {Riviere  La  Tranclie) ;  and  at 
about  two  and  a  half  miles  from  the 
Moravian  Town,  in  the  township  of 
Orford,  Canada  West,  General  Pi'octor 
had  formed  his  troops,  and  awaited  the 
approach  of  the  Americans  who  were  pur- 
suing him.^  About  two  miles  along  the 
right  bank  of  the  Thames,  parallel  with 
it,  and  not  more  than  two  or  three  hun- 
dred yards  distant  from  it,  is  a  narrow 
swamp,  the  road,  at  the  period  in  ques- 
tion, passing  over  this  intervening  strip 
of  ground,  through  a  beech-wood,  which 
was  incumbered  with  but  little  under- 
brush. Across  this  sti-ip  of  high  ground, 
at  right  angles  with  the  road,  with  its 

'  Gen.  Hanison  to  Sec.  of  War,  Oct.  9 ;  McAfee,  pp. 
886-388.—=  Gen.  Hanison  to  Sec.  of  War,  Oct.  9  ;  Smith's 
Canada,  i.  p.  29.  _ 


right  near  the  swamp,  and  its  left  on  the 
river,  the  British  line  had  been  drawn 
up,^     The  detachment  from  the  Forty- 
first  regiment  was  on  the  left  of  the 
line,   flanked   by   the   river,  while   its 
right  was  in  air,  unless  the  Indians  can 
be  said  to  have  formed  the  right  wing. 
The    Indians,    under    Tecumth^,   were 
posted  on  the   right   of  the   regulars, 
forming  an  obtuse  angle  with  the  line, 
by  which  means  they  hoped  to  be  bet- 
ter able  to  turn  the  flank  of  the  assail- 
ants.    A  six-pounder  enfiladed  the  road 
by  which  the  Americans  were  advan- 
cing; and,  as  a  reserve,  the  provincial 
dragoons  were  posted   a   little  in  the 
rear   of    the    regulars.^      Against    this 
force  the  American   army,  numbering 
"  something    above    three    thousand " 
men,  moved,  in  order  of  battle.^     The 
front   line   embraced   General  Calmes' 
brigade   of  five   hundred   men,   under 
Colonel    Trotter,    and    extended    from 
the  road,  on  the  .right,  to  the  swamp, 
on  the   left.      One  hundred   and  fifty 
yards  in  the  rear  of  the  first  line,  and 
flanked,    also,    by    the    road    and    the 
swamp,  was   General  King's    brigade ; 
while  still  farther  in  the  rear,  flanked 
in   the   same   manner,  General  Chiles' 
brigade  formed  a  reserve.     These  three 
brigades  w^ere  under  the  command  of 
General  Henry ;    while  two  other  bri- 
gades,   under    General    Deshaw,    were 
formed,  en  potence^  upon  the  left  of  the 
front  line,  to  hold  the  Indians  in  check, 

'  Gen.  Harrison  to  Sec.  of  War,  Oct.  9 ;  McAfee,  p.  388  ; 
Sketches  of  War,  p.  174  ;  James,  i.  p.  279  ;  Perkins,  p. 
238  ;  Col.  R.  M.  Johnson  to  Gen.  Armstrong,  Dec.  22, 1834. 

"  McAfee,  p.  388  ;  James,  i.  p.  279  ;  Armstrong's  No- 
tices, i.  pp.  171,  172  ;  Rogers'  Rise  of  Canada,  i.  p.  232  ; 
Col.  R.  M.  Johnson  to  Gen.  Armstrong,  Dec.  22,  1834. 

'  Gen.  Harrison  to  Sec.  of  War,  Oct.  9. 


Chap.  LXIIL] 


THE  BATTLE  OF  THE  THAMES. 


295 


and  to  prevent  them  from  falling  on 
the  left  of  the  line.      lu  front  of  all 
these,  the  mounted  riflemen  under  Col- 
onel Richard  M.  Johnson,  who  had  been 
in  the  advance,  were  formed  in  two  col- 
umns, with  its  right  at  the  distance  of 
fifty  yards  from  the  road,  and  its  left 
on  the  swamp ;   while  on  the  right  of 
the  column,  between  the  road  and  the 
river,   were    about    one   hundred    and 
twenty  men  from  the  Twenty-seventh 
regiment,  who,  under  Colonel  Paul,  had 
been  formed  into  column  of  sections  of 
four,  with  its  right  on  the  river.^     At 
the  head  of  the  columns  of  mounted 
men   were   their  Colonel,  Richard  M. 
Johnson,  and   his   brother  James,  the 
Lieutenant-colonel  of  the  regiment ;  at 
the  crotchet  formed  by  General  Desha's 
command  and  the  front  column,  at  the 
head  of  his  troops,  the  venerable  Gov- 
ernor of  Kentucky  (^Shelby),  then  sixty- 
six  years  of  age,  took  his  position ;  while 
at  the  head  of  the  regulai's,  between  the 
road  and  the  river,  surrounded  by  his 
aids,   the    Acting-assistant-adjutant-gen- 
eral Butlei",  Commander  Perry,  the  hero 
of  Lake  Erie,  and  General  Lewis  Cass, 
sat  General  Harrison.^     In  this  order 
the   armies  were   formed — the  British 
and  their  dusky  allies  awaiting  the  at- 
tack;   the  Americans  moving  forward 
to   the   assault  with  coolness   and  de- 
cision. 

When  the  head  of  the  right  column 
of  Colonel  Johnson's  regiment  came 
within  musket-shot  of  the  enemy's  line, 
a  heavy  fire  was  thrown  into  it,  and 
the  horses  in  the   front  line  recoiled. 

'  Gen.  Harrison  to  Sec.  of  War,  Oct.  9 ;   McAfee,  pp. 
389,  390 ;  Armstrong,  i.  p.  172 ;  James,  i.  p.  280. 
"  Gen.  Harrison  to  Sec.  of  War,  Oct.  9  ;  McAfee,  p.  390. 


A  second  fire  soon  followed,  but  the 
gallant  Kentuckians  having  got  in  mo- 
tion, the  column  immediately  dashed 
through  the  line,  and  within  a  minute 
the  action,  in  front^  was  ended.  The 
first  line  of  the  enemy,  unacquainted 
with  the  novel  mode  of  conducting  an 
engagement  which  had  been  brought 
against  them,  was  thrown  into  the 
greatest  disorder.  The  second  line, 
about  thirty  yards  in  the  rear  of  the 
former,  after  giving  a  scattering  fire, 
also  gave  way,  and  on  every  part  of 
the  line  the  utmost  confusion  prevailed. 
In  the  mean  time,  while  this  disorder 
prevailed,  the  column  of  horsemen  had 
gained  the  rear  of  the  line,  when  it 
wheeled  to  the  right  and  left,  threw  a 
destructive  fire  into  the  rear  of  the  bro- 
ken ranks  of  the  enemy,  and  produced 
that  perfect  terror  which  no  authority 
could  overcome.  The  entire  force,  para- 
lyzed with  fear,  threw  down  its  arms, 
and,  on  the  right,  the  battle  was  ended 
before  Colonel  Trotter's  troops,  in  the 
first  line,  could  join  in  the  conflict.-^ 

While  this  great  measure  of  success 
attended  the  first  battalion  of  Kentuck- 
ians, under  Lieutenant-colonel  James 
Johnson  and  Major  Payne,  in  its  oppo- 
sition to  the  British  line,  the  second 
battalion,  led  by  Colonel  Richard  M. 
Johnson  and  Major  Thompson,  which 
had  been  opposed  to  the  Indians^  in 
front  of  Governor  Shelby's  division, 
was  opposed  with  greater  vigor  and  de- 
termination.    Under  the   command  of 


1  Gen.  Harrison  to  Sec.  of  War,  Oct.  9  ;  McAfee,  p.  391 ; 
Rogers'  Canada,  i.  p.  232  ;  Armstrong,  i.  pp.  173,  174 ; 
Col.  K.  M.  Johnson  to  Gen.  Armstrong,  Dec.  22,  1834 ; 
Christie,  p.  135 ;  Perkins'  Annals  of  the  West,  p.  636  ; 
James,  i.  pp.  281,  282 ;  Sketches  of  the  War,  p.  175. 


29fi 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  ,11. 


Tecumtlia,  the  Indians  coolly  reserved 
their  fire  until  the  head  of  the  column 
had  come  within  a  few  paces  of  their 
position,  when  it  was  opened  with 
very  great  effect.  Nearly  the  entire 
advanced  guard  was  cut  down  by 
it,  and  Colonel  Johnson,  the  com- 
mander of  the  regiment,  was  very  se- 
verely wounded.  The  ground  which 
the  Kentuckians  occupied  being  unfa- 
vorable for  operations  on  horseback, 
the  Colonel  immediately  ordered  his 
men  to  dismount ;  and,  for  a  period  of 
seven  or  eight  minutes,  the  rifles  of 
Kentucky  and  those  of  the  savages 
were  tested  with  equal  skill.  Governor 
Shelby,  perceiving  the  severity  of  the 
contest,  was  not  an  inactive  or  disin- 
terested spectator  of  the  scene.  Having 
ordered  Lieutenant-colonel  John  Don- 
aldson's regiment  of  the  Kentucky  vol- 
unteers to  advance  to  support  Colonel 
Johnson,  he  next  moved  General  King's 
brigade  to  the  front  line ;  but,  before 
the  latter  could  occupy  the  new  posi- 
tion which  it  had  been  assigned,  the 
enemy  had  begun  to  retire,  and  Major 
Thompson  was  pushing  after  them  with 
great  spirit.^ 

The  action  was  continue^  no  longer — 
the  British  troops,  on  the  left  of  the 
enemy's  line,  having  yielded  almost 
without  a  blow ;  the  Indians,  on  the 
right,  as  has  been  seen,  continuing  the 
engagement,  with  the  utmost  gallantry, 
long  after  General  Proctor,  in  his  pre- 


'  Gen.  Harrison  to  Sec.  of  War,  Oct.  9;  McAfee,  pp. 
391-393  ;  Rogers'  Canada,  i.  p.  232 ;  Armstrong,  i.  p. 
174;  Col.  R.  M.  Johnson  to  Gen.  Armstrong,  Dec.  22, 
1834;  Christie,  pp.  135,  136;  Perkins'  Hist,  of  AVar,  p. 
240  ;  Sketches  of  the  War,  pp.  175,  176  ;  Auchinleck, 
pp.  217-220. 


cipitate  flight,  had  passed  beyond  the 
sound  of  the  strife. 

The  strength  of  both  parties  has  been 
noticed  in  another  part  of  this  chapter. 
The  loss  of  the  Americans  was  seven 
hilled  and  twenty-two  ivounded j'^  that 
of  the  British  was  twelve  hilled^  twenty- 
two  wounded^  and  six  hundred  and  one 
prisoners  j"^  that  of  the  Indians  was 
thirty-three  hilled  on  the  field,  besides 
those  who  fell  in  the  retreat.^  Among 
these  was  Tecumth^,  the  chief  of  the 
Indians,  whose  powerful  intellect  had 
made  him  one  of  those  whom  the 
United  States  most  dreaded ;  whose 
place  neither  Britain  or  his  own  people 
have  ever  been  able  to  fill.* 

Genei'al  Proctor,  with  a  small  escort 
of  horsemen,  hurried  away  from  the 
field  of  action,  and  so  severely  was  he 
pressed  that  his  sword  and  his  private 
papers  fell  into  the  hands  of  his  pur- 


'  Gen.  Harrison  to  Sec.  of  War,  Oct.  9  ;  Christie,  p.  136  ; 
Perkins,  p.  240.  Mr.  McAfee  (p.  394)  says  the  loss  was 
greater  ;  and  the  author  of  Sketches  (p.  176)  concurs  with 
him. — '  Gen.  Harrison  to  Sec.  of  War,  Oct.  9  ;  Christie, 
p.  136 ;  James,  i.  p.  282.  Mr.  McAfee  (p.  394)  says  the 
enemy  had  18  killed  and  26  wounded. 

'  Gen.  Harrison  to  Sec.  of  War,  Oct.  9  ;  McAfee,  p. 
394  ;  Christie,  p.  136. 

*  Letter  from  Maj.  Rowland,  Oct.  9  ;  McAfee,  p.  394 ; 
Rogers'  Canada,  i.  pp.  232,  233  ;  Armstrong,  i.  p.  174 ; 
James,  i.  p.  287.  The  question  whether  or  not  Col.  R. 
M.  Johnson  or  some  other  person  killed  the  chief,  has 
heen  discussed  with  great  bitterness  of  feeling,  from  that 
day  to  the  present.  Capt.  McAfee  (  War  in  West,  p.  394), 
Mr.  Rogers  {Rise  of  Canada,  1.  p.  232),  Mr.  Perkins  (Hisl. 
of  War,  p.  240),  Mr.  James  {Mil.  Occur.,  i.  p.  287),  the 
author  of  the  Sketches  of  the  War  (pp.  175,  176),  Maj.  Rich- 
ardson, who  was  with  Tecumtha  {Auchinleck' s  Hist,  of  the 
War,  p.  220),  Mr.  Breckenridge  {Hist,  of  War,  p.  184),  Mr. 
Thomson  {Sketches,  p.  174),  Mr.  Hall  {3Iem.  of  Gen.  Harri- 
son, p.  279),  Mr.  O'Connor  {Hist,  of  War,  p.  128),  all  main- 
tain that  Tecumtha  was  killed  by  Col.  Johnson;  while  Mr. 
Drake  {Book  of  the  Indians,  Bk.  v.,  p.  124)  says,  "  that  story 
must  no  longer  be  believed."  Col.  Johnson,  in  my  hear- 
ing, related  the  circumstances,  without  either  claiming  or  dis- 
claiming the  honor  which  has  attached  to  this  act. 


Chap.  LXIV.] 


THE  ACTION  AT  CHETEAUGUA. 


297 


suers,^  He  found  safety  from  the  pur- 
suit of  his  enemies ;  but  he  did  not 
escape  from  the  indignation  of  his 
country.  He  was  arrested,  and  tried 
by  a  general  court-martial,  and  sen- 
tenced to  be  publicly  reprimanded  and 
suspended  from  duty  and  emoluments 
during  the  space  of  six  months,  for  his 
criminal  neglect  of  duty  in  this  retreat — 
a  sentence  which,  in  its  confirmation  by 


the  Prince  Regent,  in  a  "  Genei-al  Or- 
der," received  additional  force  in  the 
severity  of  the  language  employed,  and 
in  the  means  employed  for  its  dissemi- 
nation.^ 


[Note. — The  Dispatch  of  Gen.  Harrison  to  the  Sec.  of 
the  Army,  and  General  Orders,  signed  "  E.  Bayne,  Adj.- 
Gen.,"  which  had  been  provided  for  the  illustration  of 
this  chapter,  have  been  omitted  by  the  Publishers  for 
want  of  room.] 


CHAPTER     LXIY. 

October  26,  1§13. 

THE      ACTION      AT      CHETEAUGUA. 


The  command  of  the  Northern  army 
havino:  been  vested  in  General  Wilkin- 
sou,**  that  officer  reached  Sackett's  Har- 
bor on  the  twentieth  of  August,  and 
proceeded  to  complete  the  arrange- 
ments for  a  descent  on  Canada.^  The 
force  under  his  command  was  scattered 
along  the  entire  northern  frontier  of 
New  York — the  right  being  at  Platts- 
burg,  under  General  Hampton ;  the 
centre  at  Sackett's  Harbor,  under  the 
commander-in-chief;  and  the  left,  at 
Fort  George,  under  General  Boyd.*  It 
numbered,  in  the  aggregate,  fourteen 
thousand  three  hundred  and  fifty-six 
men  ;  ^  and  was  opposed  to  about  eight 
thousand  British  troops,  the  left  of 
whose  line  was  at  Montreal,  the  centre 
at  Kingston,  and  the  right  on  the  Ni- 
agara frontier.® 


1  Gen.  Harrison  to  Sec.  of  War,  Oct.  9 ;   McAfee,  p. 
393  ;  James,  i.  p.  284.—'  IngersoU,  i.  p.  288. 

"  Gen.  Wilkinson  to  Sec.  of  War,  Aug.  21.—*  The  entire 
correspondence  between  the  War  Department  and  Gen. 
Wilkinson.—'  IngersoU,  i.  p.  293.—'  Perkins,  p.  255. 
VoT,.   IT.  — 88 


The  most  elaborate  preparations  were 
made,  and  in  the  most  showy  style,  for 
the  service  in  which  these  troops  were 
to  be  engaged ;  council  succeeded  coun- 
cil, and  orders  reiterated  former  orders ; 
while,  as  if  to  add  especial  dignity  to 
the  army  and  its  purposes,  the  govern- 
ment itself  left  Washington  and  estah- 
lished  the  Department  of  War  at  Sach- 
etfs  Harbor?'  The  Secretary  of  War 
had  been  an  officer  in  the  army  of  the 
Revolutionary  War ;  and  the  command- 
er-in-chief and  General  Hampton  had 
seen  service  in  the  same  war ;  and, 
after  due  consultation,  it  was  determined 
to  make  a  descent  on  Kingston,  and, 
afterwards,  on  Montreal,  the  great  cen- 
tres of  the  enemy's  power.^  For  this 
purpose  the  troops  from  the  left  and 


'  General  Orders,  ''Horse  Guards,  Sept.  9,  1815,"  signed 
"H.  Calvert,  Adj.-Gen;"  Auchinleck,  pp.  223-241. 

'  Gen.  Armstrong  to  Gen.  Wilkinson,  ' '  War  Depart- 
ment, Sept.  6,  1813,  Sackett's  Harbor." 

'  Plan  of  Operations,  approved  July  23  ;  Gen.  Wilkinson 
to  Sec.  of  War,  Aug.  6. 


298 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


centre  of  the  array  were  concentrated 
on  Grenadier  Island  and  at  French 
Creek, — the  former  in  Lake  Ontario, 
eisrhteen  miles  below  Sackett's  Harbor ; 
the  latter  on  the  bank  of  the  St,  Law- 
rence, about  eighteen  miles  still  farther 
down, — with  a  design  of  moving  against 
Kingston;^  and,  about  the  same  time, 
the  right  wing  was  ordered  to  hold 
itself  in  readiness,  in  case  of  a  descent 
of  the  St.  Lawrence,  to  move  towards 
"  the  mouth  of  the  Cheteaugua,  or  other 
point  which  would  favor  the  junction 
of  the  forces,  and  hold  the  enemy  in 
check."^ 

A  division  in  the  councils  of  the 
army,  amounting  almost  to  open  rup- 
ture, and  the  positive  orders  of  the  Sec- 
retary of  War,  in  opposition  to  the  re- 
monstrances of  the  commander-in-chief, 
soon  after  led  to  an  abandonment  of 
the  intended  movement  against  Kings- 
ton ;  ^  and,  in  accordance  with  his  in- 
structions. General  Hampton  prepared 
to  join  the  main  body  of  the  army,  on 
its  way  down  the  St.  Lawrence.  With 
this  design,  on  the  nineteenth  of  Sep- 
tember, the  army  moved  fi-om  Cumber- 
land Head  towards  Canada — the  infan- 
try in  batteaux,  and  the  artillery  and 
dragoons  by  land.*  At  an  early  hour 
on  the  twentieth,  with  the  intention  of 
moving  by  way  of  Champlain  and 
Caughnewaga,  the  advance  under  Ma- 
joi-s  Wool,  Snelling,  and  McNeil  had 
crossed  into  Canada  and  reached  Odle- 


'  James,  i.  p.  301  ;  Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  179. 

'  Sea  of  War  to  Gen.  Hampton,  Oct.  16.—'  Sec.  of  War 
to  Gen.  Wilkinson,  Oct.  19  and  20 ;  Gen.  Wilkinson  to 
Sec.  of  War,  Oct.  19.—''  Gen.  Hampton  to  Sec.  of  War, 
Sept.  22;  Eeport,  signed  "  W.  King,  Adj. -Gen.;"  Arm- 
strong, ii.  p.  2 ;  Palmer's  Lake  Champlain,  p.  170. 


town,  when,  in  consequence  of  the 
drought,  the  entire  body  countermarch- 
ed and  proceeded  towards  the  St.  Law- 
rence by  way  of  Cheteaugua.^  On  the 
twenty-sixth  of  September  it  had  pro- 
ceeded as  far  as  Cheteaugua  Four  Cor- 
ners,— about  thirty  miles  from  Platts- 
burg,  and  about  forty-five  from  the 
point  of  junction  on  the  St.  Lawrence, — 
where,  by  direction  of  the  Secretary  of 
War,^  it  remained  in  camp  until  the 
main  body  was  ready  to  move  down 
the  St.  Lawrence,  when  it  was  ordered 
to  "  approach  the  mouth  of  the  Che- 
teaugua or  other  point  which  shall  bet- 
ter favor  the  junction  with  the  grand 
army,  and  hold  the  enemy  in  check  ;"^ 
and,  on  the  twenty-first  of  October,  it 
commenced  its  movement,  as  directed.* 
In  front,  the  proposed  line  of  march 
passed  through  an  extensive  wood,  in 
which  the  enemy  had  posted  bodies  of 
Indians  and  light  troops,  and  by  cutting 
down  trees  and  forming  abatis,  the  pas- 
sage was  seriously  obstructed.  To  over- 
come these.  General  Izard  w^as  detached 
with  the  light  troops  and  a  regiment  of 
the  line  to  turn  the  enemy's  flank  and 
seize  the  open  country  in  the  rear  of 
the  impediments ;  while,  by  a  detour  in 
the  opposite  direction,  the  army,  pre- 
ceded by  strong  working  parties,  ad- 
vanced by  a  more  circuitous  but  practi- 
cable route  for  a  road.  This  manoeuvre 
was  entirely  successful ;  and,  on  the  fol- 
lowing day  {Oct.  22),  the  main  body 


'  Gen.  Hampton  to  Secretary  of  War,  Sept.  22  ;  Eeport, 
signed  "W.KwG,Adj.-Gen;"  Col.  Purdy's  Eeport  to 
Gen.  Wilkinson. — '  Sec.  of  War  to  Gen.  Hampton,  Sept. 
19  and  25.—'  Ibid.,  Oct.  16.—*  Gen.  Hampton  to  Sec.  of 
War,  Nov.  1  ;  Letter  from  Plattsburg,  Nov.  13,  1813  ; 
Sir  Geo.  Prevost  to  Earl  Bathurst,  Oct.  30. 


Chap.  LXIV.] 


THE  ACTION  AT  CHETEAUGUA. 


299 


occupied  the  advanced  position,  at 
Spears',  and  two  days  afterwards  the 
stores  and  artillery  came  up.^ 

Seven  miles  of  open  country,  which 
was  immediately  in  front  of  the  army, 
afforded  no  defensible  point  for  the 
enemy ;  but,  beyond  it,  another  wood, 
which  was  completely  defended  with 
abatis,  and  breastworks  of  timber  de- 
fended with  artillery,  obstructed  the 
progress  of  the  array.  The  guides  as- 
sured the  General  that  the  stream  along 
which  was  the  line  of  march  was  forda- 
ble,  opposite  the  lower  flank  of  the  ene- 
my's defences,  and  he  determined  to  at- 
tempt to  force  a  passage.  Accordingly, 
at  an  early  hour  in  the  evening  of  the 
twenty-fifth,  he  detached  Colonel  Rob- 
ert Purdy,  of  the  Fourth  infantry,  with 
the  light  troops  and  the  First  brigade 
of  infantry  of  the  line,  ordering  him  to 
gain  the  ford  and  fall  on  the  rear  of 
the  enemy's  works,  at  an  early  hour  in 
the  following  morning ;  at  which  time, 
on  hearing  the  fire  in  the  rear,  the  Gen- 
eral, with  the  main  body,  would  attack 
the  enemy  in  front;  and  it  was  confi- 
dently expected  that  the  pass  would  be 
carried  before  the  distant  troops  of  the 
enemy  could  be  moved  forward  for  his 
support.^ 

The  detachment  under  Colonel  Purdy 
crossed  the  stream,  as  it  was  ordered, 
and  took  up  its  line  of  march ;  but, 
from  the  darkness  of  the  night,  or  the 
ignorance  of  the  guides,  it  wandered  in 


'  Gen.  Hampton  to  Sec.  of  War,  Nov.  1 ;  Sir  Geo.  Pre- 
vost  to  Earl  Bathurst,  Oct.  30 ;  James,  i.  p.  306  ;  Arm- 
strong, ii.  p.  3. — '  Gen.  Hampton  to  Sec.  of  War,  Nov.  1 ; 
Auchinleck,  p.  247  ;  Letter  from  Plattsburg,  Nov.  13  ; 
Christie,  pp.  144,  145 ;  Col.  Purdy's  Report ;  Report, 
signed  "  W.  Kiag,  Adj. -Gen." 


the  woods,  and  failed  in  its  attempts  to 
find  the  ford,  as  it  also  did,  soon  after- 
wards, in  finding  the  main  body  from 
which  it  had  been  detached.  In  fact, 
the  story  of  the  adventures  of  this  par- 
ty, in  its  eccentric  wandering  through 
the  hemlock  swamp, — the  head  of  the 
column  sometimes  coming  in  contact 
with  its  rear,  and  filling  both  with 
alarm, — as  narrated  by  a  veteran,  who 
was  an  eye-witness  of  the  scene,  has 
furnished  amusement  to  the  listenei"s, 
and  conveyed  a  lesson  which  cannot, 
very  soon,  be  forgotten.^ 

The  position  against  which  these 
movements  were  made  was  near  the 
confluence  of  the  Cheteaugua  and  Ou- 
tarde  rivers ;  and  it  had  been  very  care- 
fully strengthened  with  breastworks  and 
abatis,  and  a  garrison  of  about  a  thou- 
sand men,  including  Indians,  under  the 
command  of  Lieutenant-colonel  De  Sa- 
laberry.*^ 

At  about  two  in  the  afternoon  of 
the  twenty-sixth,  General  Izard,  with 
the  Second  brigade,  moved  against  the 

'  Gen.  Hampton  to  Sec.  of  War,  Nov.  1  ;  Letter  from 
Plattsburg,  Nov.  13  ;  Auchinleck,  p.  247  ;  Col.  Purdy's 
Report.  Col.  Purdy  says  the  detachment  was  intrusted 
by  Gen.  Hampton  "to  the  guidance  of  men,  each  of 
whom  repeatedly  assured  him  that  ihey  were  not  acquainted 
■with  the  country,  and  were  not  competent  to  direct  such  an 
expedition;"  while,  "at  the  same  time  he  had  a  man 
who  had  a  perfect  knowledge  of  the  country,  whom  he 
promised  to  send,  but  which  he  neglected  to  do.  The 
defeat  of  the  expedition,"  he  adds,  "was  the  conse- 
quence of  this  neglect." 

'  Gen.  Hampton  to  Sec.  of  War,  Oct.  12  ;  James,  i.  p. 
307;  Auchinleck,  p.  247;  General  Orders,  signed  "E. 
Baynb,  Adj. -Gen.;"  Christie,  pp.  142,  143.  Mr.  James 
(Mil.  Occur.,  i.  pp.  306,  307)  says  it  embraced  two  flank 
companies  of  fencibles,  four  of  voltigeurs,  six  of  em- 
bodied militia  and  chasseurs,  and  172  Indians,  forming 
an  aggregate  of  about  1000  men.  The  Report  to  the 
Sec.  of  War,  by  "W.  King,  Adj. -Gen."  says,  "the  ene- 
my's entire  force  on  this  line  three  hundred  and  jifty  combat- 
ants altogether,  Canadian  and  Indian." 


300 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


front  of  the  works,  driving  in  the  ene- 
my's pickets  as  lie  advanced.  Lieuten- 
ant-colonel De  Salaberry  promptly  ad- 
vanced to  meet  him,  with  Captain  Fer- 
guson's light  company  of  Canadian 
fencibles,  and  two  companies  of  volti- 
geurs,  under  Captains  Chevalier  and  L. 
J.  Duchesuay.  The  first  of  these  he 
posted,  in  open  order,  in  front  of  the 
abatis,  with  its  right  on  the  woods  in 
which  he  had  posted  a  body  of  Abena- 
qui  Indians ;  on  the  left  of  this  he  post- 
ed Captain  Chevalier  Duchesnay's  com- 
pany of  voltigeurs,  with  its  left  extend- 
ing to  the  Cheteaugua ;  and  Captain  L. 
J.  Duchesnay's  company,  with  thirty- 
five  militia,  were  thrown,  en  potence^ 
along  the  margin  of  the  river,  to  pro- 
tect the  flank  of  his  line.  A  most  gal- 
lant defence  was  here  presented,  but 
the  Americans  gradually  gained  ground, 
and  finally  compelled  the  enemy  to  fall 
back  on  his  main  body.^  At  the  same 
time  the  detachment  under  Colonel 
Purdy  encountered  a  company  of  Che- 
teaugua chasseurs,  under  Captain  Bruy- 
ers,  supported  by  the  light  company  of 
the  Third  battalion  of  embodied  mi- 
litia, under  Captain  Daly;  and,  here, 
also,  a  spirited,  but  profitless,  engage- 
ment took  place  ;^  and  the  report  of  the 
musketry  in  this  part  of  the  action,  added 
to  the  sound  of  a  few  bugles,  which  the 
enemy  had  scattered,  for  that  purpose, 
through  the  swamp,^  appears  to  have 
terrified  Gen.  Hampton  and  he  with- 


'  Christie,  pp.  145,  146  ;  Gen.  Hampton  to  Sec.  of  War, 
Nov.  1 ;  General  Orders,  &c.;  Letter  from  Plattsburg,  Nov. 
13 ;  "  The  War,"  ii.  p.  92  ;  Sir  G.  Prevost  to  Earl  Bat.b- 
urst,  Oct.  30.—'  Col.  Purdy's  Report ;  Christie,  pp.  146, 
147  ;  James,  i.  p.  310.—'  Christie,  p.  146  ;  Ingersoll,  i. 
p.  299  ;  James,  i.  p.  310  ;  Armstrong,  i.  p.  4. 


drew  from  the  field  of  action  Mdthout 
success  and  without  honor.^ 

While  it  is  probal>ly  true  that  only 
the  advance  of  both  armies  were  ac- 
tually engaged,  it  is  equally  true  that 
the  entire  affair  reflected  no  credit  on 
General  Hampton ;  while  the  enemy, 
with  the  plausible  pretence  of  having 
repulsed  four  thousand  effective  troops 
with  less  than  a  quarter  the  number, — 
of  which  less  than  one  half  was  in  ac- 
tion,—  could  faiily  boast  of  having 
gained  a  decided  victory. 

Nor  was  this  claim  diminished  by 
subsequent  events,  which  principally 
resulted  from  this  action.  Immediately 
afterwards  the  entire  array  fell  back  on 
Cheteaugua  Four  Corners;^  and  when 
it  was  ordered,  some  weeks  afterwards, 
to  join  General  Wilkinson  on  the  St. 
Lawrence,  and  move  against  Montreal, 
it  was  found  impossible  to  do  so,^  and 
the  latter  ofiicer,  in  consequence  of  that 
failure,  it  is  said,  was  compelled  to 
abandon  the  enterprise,  which  was 
never  renewed.* 

The  loss  of  the  Americans  was  about 
fifteen  killed,  and  twenty  to  twenty-five 
wounded  /  that  of  the  enemy  was  five 
men  hilled,  two  officers  and  fourteen 
men  wounded,  and  four  men  missing. 


[Note. — The  Dispatches  of  Gen.  Hampton  to  Sec.  of 
War,  Gen.  Sir  Geo.  Prevost  to  Earl  Bathurst,  and  Col. 
Purdy's  Report  to  the  Commander-in-chief,  which  had 
been  provided  for  the  illustration  of  this  chapter,  have 
been  omitted  by  the  Publishers  for  want  of  room.] 

1  Col.  Purdy's  Report ;  Gen.  Hampton  to  Sec.  of  War, 
Nov.  1 ;  Christie,  p.  146.— «  Christie,  p.  148  ;  Col.  Purdy's 
Report;  Gen.  Hampton  to  Sec.  of  War,  Nov.  1. — 'Gen. 
Wilkinson  to  Gen.  Hampton,  Nov.  6,  and  Gen.  Hampton's 
reply,  Nov.  8  ;  Gen.  Hampton  to  Sec.  of  War,  Nov.  12 
and  15  ;  Gen.  Wilkinson  to  Sec.  of  War,  Nov.  16. — *  Gen. 
Wilkinson  to  Gen.  Hampton,  Nov.  12  ;  Same  to  Sec.  of 
War,  Nov.  16,  17. 


CHAPTER    LXy. 


November  3,  1§13. 

THE    BATTLE     AT    T  A  L  L  U  S  H  A  T  C  H  E  S. 


The  rising  animosities  of  the  Creeks, 
and  their  massacre  of  the  garrison  of 
Fort  Mimms,  to  which  reference  has 
been  made  in  a  former  chapter  of  this 
work,  aroused  the  entire  communities 
of  the  Southern  and  Southwestern 
States,  and  nothino'  was  thouo^ht  or 
spoken  of  but  retaliatory  vengeance.^ 
In  Tennessee,  especially,  this  feeling 
prevailed ;  and  the  Legislature  of  that 
State,  which  convened  a  short  time 
after  the  reception  of  the  intelligence, 
authorized  the  Governor  to  send  a 
body  of  troops  against  the  savages,  and 
voted  three  hundred  thousand  dollars 
to  defray  the  necessary  expenses.  Ac- 
cordingly Generals  Jackson  and  Coffee 
were  ordered  to  assemble  a  force  of 
two  thousand  five  hundred  men  for  the 
protection  of  the  frontiers ;  and  early 
in  October  they  took  the  field.*^ 

In  the  mean  time  the  war-party  of 
the  Creeks — for  there  were  two  parties 
among  them,  one  who  had  yielded  to, 
and  the  other  who  had  resisted,  the 
arguments  of  Tecumth^  —  had  been 
equally  active ;  and  a  large  body  of 
them  had  taken  post  at  Tallushatches, 
on  the  south  side  of  the  Coosa,  a  north- 
ern branch  of  the  Alabama.^ 

On  the  second  of  November  General 

'  Eaton's  Jackson,  p.  33  ;  Perkins'  Hist,  of  War,  p.  200. 
"  Eaton's  Jackson,  pp.  33-40  ;  Davis's  Jackson,  p.  67. 
*  Drake's  Book  of  Indians,  Book  iv.,  p.  55. 


Jackson  issued  orders  to  General  John 
CoflFee,  directing  him  to  detail  a  part  of 
his  brigade  of  cavalry  and  mounted 
riflemen,  and  to  destroy  the  settle- 
ment ;  and,  in  accordance  with  that  or- 
der, at  an  early  hour  on  the  morning  of 
the  third,  he  marched  in  person,  at 
the  head  of  nine  hundred  men,  crossed 
the  Coosa  at  Fish-dam  Ford,  and  ap- 
proached the  village.  When  he  had 
come  within  a  mile  and  a  half  of  the 
enemy,  the  General  formed  his  troops 
into  two  columns — the  cavalry,  under 
Colonel  AUcorn,  on  the  right,  with  or- 
ders to  cross  a  large  creek  which  laid 
in  front,  and  to  encircle  one-half  of  the 
village ;  the  mounted  riflemen,  under 
Colonel  Cannon,  on  the  left,  with  or- 
ders to  encircle  the  left  side  of  the  vil- 
lage, and  to  unite  with  the  head  of  the 
right  column  beyond  it.^ 

The  General  marched  with  Colonel 
Cannon ;  and  when  the  heads  of  the 
diverging  columns  had  come  within  half 
a  mile  of  the  village,  "  the  drums  of  the 
enemy  began  to  beat,  mingled  with 
their  savage  yells,  preparing  for  action." 
It  was,  at  that  time,  an  hour  after  sun- 
rise ;  and,  as  an  assault  on  the  village 
was  not  considered  expedient,  the  com- 
panies  under   Captain   Hammond  and 

'  Gen.  Coffee  to  Gen.  Jackson,  Nov.  4 ;   Gen.  Jackson 
to  Gov.  Blount,  Nov.  4. 


302 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


Lieutenant  Patterson  were  ordered  to 
move  against  it,  in  front,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  drawing  the  enemy  from  the 
buildings.  The  detachment  moved  ac- 
cording to  orders,  and  formed  in  front 
of  the  village,  throwing  in  a  few  shots, 
which  the  enemy  returned ;  when,  with 
singular  fatality,  he  made  a  vigorous 
charge  and  attempted  to  overpower  the 
two  companies  who  had  assailed  him, 
before  they  could  reach  the  main  body. 
Without  awaiting  to  receive  the  shock, 
the  detachment  retreated,  leading  its 
pursuers  towards  the  right  wing;  and 
as  soon  as  the  fugitives  had  led  the  ex- 
cited savages  within  gunshot  of  the 
main  body  a  general  fire  was  opened 
on  them,  and  they  retreated,  falling 
back  on  the  village,  and  firing  as  they 
retreated.^ 

At  this  moment  the  two  columns 
which  encircled  the  settlement  closed 
their  ranks,  and  gradually  strengthened 
their  grasp  by  reducing  the  extent  of 
the  fatal  circle ;  during  which  time  the 
enemy  defended  himself  with  the  most 
terrible  determination.  Taking  their 
places  at  the  doors  of  their  dwellings, 
in  the  midst  of  their  families,  surround- 
ed by  their  little  ones,  and  assisted  by 
their  squaws,^  the  warriors  fought  "  for 
their  altars  and  their  fires "  with  a  de- 
votion and  a  bravery  which  in  any  other 
people,  and  in  any  other  age,  would 
have  been  considered  the  very  sum  of 
patriotic  virtue;^  and  which,  even  in 
this  case,  entitles  the  devoted  Creeks, 


'  Gen.  Coifee  to  Gen.  Jackson,  Nov.  4  ;  Goodwin's  Jack- 
son, p.  48  ;  Drake's  Book  of  Indians,  Book  iv.,  p.  56. 

«  Drake's  Book  of  Indians,  Book  iv,,  p.  56;  Eaton's 
Jackson,  p.  55. — '  Gen.  Coffee  to  Gen.  Jackson,  Nov.  4  ; 
Perkins,  pp.  200,  201 ;  Eaton's  Jackson,  pp.  53-55. 


who  thus  sacrificed  themselves  on  the 
altar  of  tlieii'  country,  to  a  place  beside 
the  greatest  and  most  patriotic  of  any 
age  or  nation.  It  is  indeed  true,  that 
the  cruelties  which  these  people  had 
practised  at  Fort  Mimms  had  ostracized 
them  from  the  sympathies  of  the  whites; 
but  it  is  not  less  true  that  they  were 
tlius  contending,  m  their  own  estab- 
lislied  manner^  for  their  homes  and 
their  rights ;  and  their  stern  devotion 
in  that  cause  entitles  them  to  our  sym- 
pathy and  respect. 

As  has  been  said,  these  warriors 
fought  desperately.  Even  General  Cof- 
fee, in  the  excitement  of  the  moment, 
has  been  compelled  to  bear  testimony 
to  their  bravery  in  terms  such  as  have 
not  been  exceeded  in  any  narrative  of 
a  similar  character  since  the  time  when 
Herodotus  recited  the  deeds  of  Leonidas. 
"The  enemy  fought,"  he  says,^  "with 
savage  fury,  and  met  death,  with  all  its 
horrors,  wiiliout  shriiiking  or  complain- 
ing. ISToT  ONE  ashed  to  he  spared^  hut 
fouglit  so  long  as  they  could  stand  or 
sit;"  and,  as  if  to  impress  the  great 
truth  still  more  indelibly  on  the  minds 
of  their  enemies,  they  fought  with  bows 
and  arrows  as  well  as  rifles ;  and  the 
bodies  of  two  Tennesseans,  killed  with 
the  primitive  weapons  of  the  aborigines,^ 
conveyed  to  the  firesides  of  Tennessee, 
the  solemn  truth  that  the  homes  and 
the  rights  of  the  aborigines  had  been 
faithfully  defended  by  aboriginal  in- 
strumentalities. 

The  Tennesseans  carried  the  conflict 


'  Gen.  Coffee  to  Gen.  Jackson,  Nov.  4.  See  also  Inger- 
soll,  i.  p.  335,  and  Eaton's  Jackson,  p.  54. — '  Gen.  Coffee 
to  Gen.  Jackson,  Nov.  4 ;  Ingersoll,  i.  p.  335. 


Chap.  LXVI.] 


THE  BATTLE  OF  TALLADEGA. 


303 


even  "to  the  doors  of  the  houses"  in 
which  the  wives,  and  the  children,  and 
the  aged  relatives  of  these  savages 
had  sought  shelter ;  yet  even  then  the 
undaunted  fathers,  and  brothers,  and 
sons,  neither  faltered,  or  complained,  or 
sought  mercy.  "  They  fought  as  long 
AS  OWE  EXISTED,"  General  Coffee  says; 
and  when  the  last  of  the  devoted  hand^ 
still  struggling  for  the  mastery,  had 
fallen  beneath  the  hatchets  and  hunt- 
ing-knives of  his  enemies,  one  hundred 


and  eighty-six  warriors  were  stretched, 
lifeless,  in  the  fine  open  woodland  in 
which  their  village  was  situated.^ 

Of  the  Americans,  five  men  were 
Mlledi  and  eight  officers,  and  thirty- 
three  non-commissioned  officers  and  pri- 
vates were  wounded'  and  eighty-four 
prisoners,  squaws  and  children,  many  of 
them  wounded,  were  the  trophies  of  the 
victory.^ 

pToTE. — The  Eeport  of  Gen.  CoflFee  to  Gen.  Jackson,  which  had 
been  provided  for  the  illustration  of  this  chapter,  has  heen  omitted  by 
the  Publishers  for  want  of  room.] 


CHAPTER    LXYI. 

November  9,  1813. 

THE      BATTLE      OF      TALLADEGA, 


While  General  Jackson  remained  at 
the  Ten  Islands,  on  the  evening  of  the 
seventh  of  November,  a  runner  came 
into  his  camp  from  Fort  Talladega, — a 
fortified  post  occupied  by*  the  friendly 
Indians,  about  thirty  miles  distant  from 
the  camp, — with  information  that  the 
enemy,  in  great  numbers,  had  encamped 
in  front  of  it,  and  that  it  would  be  in- 
evitably destroyed,  unless  immediate  re- 
lief could  be  afforded.  Urged  by  the 
danger  of  these  friendly  Indians,  as  well 
as  by  a  strong  desire,  on  his  own  part, 
to  meet  the  main  body  of  the  enemy, 
as  soon  as  possible,  he  prepared  to  move 
forward  without  delay;  and,  on  the 
same  night,  with  twelve  hundred  in- 
fantry and  eight  hundred  cavalry  and 
mounted  riflemen,  he  crossed  the  Coosa, 
encamping  on  the  following  afternoon 
within  six  miles  of  the  enemy.^ 

•  Gen.  Jackson  to  Gov.  Blount,  Nov.  11 ;  Letter  from 
Nashville,  Nov.  17  ;  Eaton's  Jackson,  pp.  56-58  ;  Clai- 
borne's Notes,  p.  30. 


Between  three  and  four  o'clock  the 
army  took  up  the  line  of  march  again  ; 
and  at  sunrise  it  had  come  within  half 
a  mile  of  the  enemy,  when  the  line  of 
battle  was  formed,  and  preparations 
made  for  action.  The  infantry  was 
formed  in  three  lines, — the  militia  on 
the  left  and  the  volunteers  on  the 
right,  —  while  the  cavalry,  on  either 
flank,  were  thrown  forward,  en  potence^ 
with  their  lines  formed  in  a  curve^  for 
the  purpose  of  inclosing  the  enemy,  as 
had  been  done  at  Tallushatches.^  At 
the  same  time  an  advance  party,  com- 
posed of  the  companies  commanded  by 
Captains  Dederick,  Caperton,  and  Bled- 
soe, under  the  command  of  Colonel 
William  Carroll,  was  sent  forward  to 
open   the    engagement    and    draw   the 


1  Gen.  Coffee  to  Gen.  Jackson,  Nov.  4 ;  Eaton's  Jack- 
son, pp.  54,  55  ;  Claiborne's  Notes  on  the  War  in  the 
South,  p.  29. — '  Gen.  Coffee  to  Gen.  Jackson,  Nov.  4  ; 
Gen.  Jackson  to  Gov.  Blount,  Nov.  4. — '  Gen.  Jackson  to 
Gov.  Blount,  Nov.  11 ;  Eaton,  pp.  69,  60. 


304 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


Indians  from  their  encampment  ;^  while 
a  body  of  cavahy,  composed  of  troops 
under  Captams  Smith,  Morton,  Axune, 
Edwards,  and  Hammond,  under  Lieu- 
tenant-colonel Dyer,  was  held  in  re- 
serve.^ 

With  great  gallantry  the  advance 
moved  within  I'ifle-shot,  and  threw  in 
four  or  five  destructive  rounds ;  when, 
in  accordance  with  its  orders,  it  fell 
back  on  the  main  body,  for  the  purpose 
of  decoying  the  enemy  within  reach  of 
the  rifles  of  that  body,  and  to  facilitate 
the  operations  of  the  cavalry  in  uniting 
their  columns  in  the  rear.  As  the  ene- 
my, in  the  eagerness  of  his  pursuit,  ap- 
proached the  main  body,  the  first  line 
of  infantry  was  ordered  to  advance 
and  meet  him ;  but,  either  from  the  se- 
verity of  the  shock,  or  from  some  other 
cause, — concerning  which  the  General 
has  not  seen  fit  to  give  us  any  informa- 
tion,— the  militia,  which  formed  the 
left  of  this  line,  "commenced  a  retreat; 
and  the  army  was  thrown  into  tempo- 
rary disorder."  The  quick  eye  and 
prompt  determination  of  the  General, 
however,  saw  and  remedied  this  mis- 
fortune at  the  same  moment;  and  the 
reserve,  dismounted^  immediately  occu- 
pied the  position  which  the  militia  had 
deserted,  and  the  battle  went  on.* 

The  fire  immediately  became  general, 
and  after  a  close  and  very  severe  action 
of  half  an  hour,  the  enemy  fell  back  and 
retreated.     Notwithstanding  the  obsti- 

'  Col.  Wm.  Carroll  to  his  brother  in  Nashville  ;  Gen. 
Jackson  to  Gov.  Blount,  Nov.  11  and  15 ;  Letter  from 
Nashville,  Nov  17. — '  Gen.  Jackson  to  Gov.  Blount,  Nov. 
11  and  15  ;  Eaton,  p.  60. 

°  Gen.  Jackson  to  Gov.  Blount,  Nov.  11.  Mr.  Eaton 
{Life  of  Gen  Jackson,  p.  60)  says  they  "were  alarmed  by 
the  number  and  yells"  of  the  enemy. 


nacy  of  the  engagement,  the  enemy  did 
not,  in  this  instance,  exhibit  the  same 
devotion  which  was  shown  by  the  war- 
riors at  Tallushatches,  but  turned  and 
fled  to  the  mountains,  closely  pursued 
by  the  right  wing,  in  which  he  suffered 
severely.'^  The  enemy  was  enabled  to 
secure  his  retreat  from  the  disafi'ection 
of  the  militia,  the  disobedience  of  Col- 
onel Bradley,  of  the  Volunteers — M'ho 
refused  to  bring  his  regiment  into  the 
line,  and  the  too  extended  detour  of 
Colonel  Allcorn,  all  of  which,  combined, 
produced  a  vacancy  in  the  line,  through 
which  the  enemy  escaped.'^ 

The  loss  of  the  enemy  in  this  action 
was  very  severe  —  two  hundred  and 
ninety-nine  braves  having  been  left  dead 
on  the  field,  besides  those  who  were  car- 
ried off,  in  accordance  with  the  custom 
of  the  Indians;*  while  that  of  the 
Americans,  of  whom  fifteen  were  killed 
and  eighty  wounded,  proved  the  spirit 
with  which  the  savages  sustained  the 
contest.*  A  stand  of  colors,  bearing 
the  Spanish  arms,  was  taken  from  the 
enemy  ^  —  a  circumstance  which  indi- 
cated, very  clearly,  the  part  which  the 
Spanish  authorities  of  Florida  had  taken 
in  the  troubles ;  and,  to  some  extent, 
justified  the  decisive  steps  which  were 
subsequently  taken  by  General  Jackson 
against  that  colony.® 

[Note  — The  Dispatch  of  Gen.  Jackson  to  Gov.  Blonnt,  which  had 
been  providefl  for  the  illustration  of  this  chapter,  has  been  omitted  by 
the  Publisiiers  for  want  uf  room.] 


'  Gen.  Jackson  to  Gov.  Blount,  Nov.  11  ;  Letter  from 
Nashville,  Nov.  17. — '  Eaton's  Jackson,  p.  61. — ^  Gen.  Jack- 
son to  Gov.  Blount,  Nov.  15  ;  Col.  Carroll  to  his  brother. 

*  Report  appended  to  Gen.  Jackson's  Dispatch,  Nov.  15, 
signed  "J.  W.  Sittler,  Adj. -Gen." — '  "Mr.  Thomas  H. 
Fletcher,  of  this  town,  has  just  arrived  from  Gen.  Jack- 
son's army.  .  .  .  He  was  the  bearer  of  a  stand  of  colors, 
taken  from  the  enemy,  bearing  the  Spanish  cross." — Letter 
from  Nashville,  Nov.  11.—*  Eaton,  pp.  238-257. 


CHAPTER     LXYII. 


IVoveinber  11,  1§13. 
THE     BATTLE     AT     CHRYSTLER'S     FARM, 


The  projected  expedition  against 
Montreal  by  the  American  "  Army  of 
the  North,"  under  General  Wilkinson, 
has  heretofore  received  a  passing  notice 
in  this  volume ;  and  the  defeat  of  its 
right  wing,  at  Cheteaugua,  has  been 
made  the  subject  of  a  chapter.-^ 

By  a  singular  freak  of  judgment,  the 
American  squadron  had  attempted  to 
block  the  British,  for  the  purpose  of  en- 
abling the  flotilla  to  proceed  from  Gren- 
adier Island  and  French  Creek  without 
obstruction,  and  to  prevent  the  concen- 
tration of  the  scattered  forces  of  the 
enemy  at  Kingston ;  but  General  De 
Rottouburg,  who  commanded  in  the 
upper  province,  and  Commodore  Sir 
James  Yeo,  who  commanded  the  squad- 
ron, taking  advantage  of  a  fair  wind, 
eluded  the  blockade,  and  strengthened 
Kingston  so  much  that  the  commanders 
considered  it  imprudent  to  attack  that 
place,  and  Montreal  was  determined  as 
the  point  against  which  the  expedition 
should  move.^ 

Accordingly,  the  right  wing  was  or- 
dered to  move  from  Lake  Champlain 
to  the  St.  Lawrence,  for  the  purpose  of 
effecting  a  union  with  the  main  body  ;^ 
General  Brown  was  placed  in  command 

»  Vide  Chap.  LXIV.— '^  Gen.  Wilkinson  to  Sec.  of  War, 
Sept.  27,  6  A.  M.,  Oct.  2  and  19  ;  Christie,  p.  149 ;  Sec.  of 
War's  Diary,  Oct.  4,  1813.—'  Sec.  of  War  to  Gen.  Hamp- 
ton, Oct.  16. 
Vol..  II  —39 


of  the  advance  of  the  main  army  at 
French  Creek,  which,  on  the  first  and 
second  of  November,  was  attacked  by 
the  British  squadron  without  success  ;  ^ 
and,  all  preparations  having  been  made, 
on  the  fifth  the  entire  body  of  the  left 
and  centre  moved  down  the  river  in  a 
grand  flotilla  of  three  hundred  boats, 
extending  a  distance  of  five  miles.^  For 
the  purpose  of  avoiding  the  works  at 
Prescott,  which  commanded  the  passage 
of  the  river,  on  the  sixth  the  military 
stores  and  the  greater  part  of  the  troops 
were  debarked  and  conveyed  by  laud ; 
w^hile  the  boats  passed  the  works  by 
night  without  material  injury,  and  re- 
ceived the  men  and  ammunition  on 
board  again,  when  they  had  come  to 
the  Red  Mill,  a  safe  distance  below  the 
foi-t.« 

But  although  Pi-escott  had  been  pass- 
ed, other  points  on  the  river  had  been 
strengthened  in  order  to  obstruct  the 
progress  of  the  flotilla ;  and  on  the 
seventh.  Colonel  Alexander  Macomb, 
"with  the  elite''''  of  the  army — twelve 
hundred   in   number — was   ordered  to 


1  Gen.  Wilkinson  to  Sec.  of  War,  Nov.  1  ;  Gen.  Wilkin- 
son's Diary,  Oct.  25  to  Nov.  2. 

^  Gen.  Wilkinson's  Diary,  Nov.  5;  James'  Mil.  Occur., 
i.  p.  317.  Mr.  Christie  (Mil.  and  Nav.  Operations,  p.  149) 
says  it  entered  the  river  on  the  third. 

'  Gen.  Wilkinson's  Diary,  Nov.  6  ;  Richards'  Macomb, 
pp.  64,  65 ;  James,  i.  pp.  317,  318  ;  Eogers'  Canada,  i.  p. 
239  ;  Auchinleck,  p.  243. 


306 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  IL 


cross  the  river  and  "remove"  them.^ 
On  the  same  day  he  was  followed  by 
Lieutenant-colonel  Forsyth  and  his  rifle- 
men'^— whose  gallant  exploits  on  the 
JSTorthern  frontier  have  been  noticed  in 
other  chapters  of  this  work — and  on 
the  eighth  the  cavalry  and  General 
Brown's  brigade  also  passed  over  the 
river,*  From  that  time  the  progress  of 
the  flotilla  was  considerably  retarded 
by  the  opposition  which  the  enemy  pre- 
sented, both  to  the  troops  on  shore  and 
to  the  flotilla ;  while  the  strong  parties 
which  hovered  around  the  rear  of  the 
columns,  constantly  threatening  them, 
called  foi'th  the  constant  care  of  the 
genei-al  officers.* 

In  the  mean  time  General  De  Rotton- 
bui'g,  who  had  arrived  from  Queens- 
town,  and  strengthened  the  garrison  at 
Kingston,  with  eight  companies  of  the 
Forty-ninth  regiment  of  the  line,  on  the 
morning  of  the  seventh,  detached  them, 
with  nine  companies  of  the  Eighty- 
ninth,  two  six-pounders,  and  a  small 
body  of  artillerists,  the  whole  under 
Lieutenant-colonel  Morrison,  with  the 
schooners  Beresford  and  Sir  Sidney 
Smithy  seven  gunboats,  and  a  number 
of  batteaux,  under  Captain  Mulcaster  of 
the  Royal  navy,  to  follow  the  American 
forces  and  to  harass  their  rear.  With 
strange  and  unaccountable  neglect  this 
detachment  was  allowed  to  pass  from 
the  harbor,  without  injury  from  the 
American  squadron  under  Commodore 


■  Gen.  Wilkinson's  Diary,  Nov.  7  ;  Richards'  Macomb, 

p.  65  ;  Chiistie,  p.  150  ;  Rogers,  i.  p.  240  ;  Perkins,  p.  257. 

'^  Gen.  Williinson's  Diary,  Kov.  7  ;  Ingersoll,  i.  p.  304. 

*  Gen.  Wilkinson's  Diary,  Nov.  8;   Richards'  Macomb, 
p.  06;  Christie,  p.  150;  James,  i.  p.  320. 

*  Gen.  Wilkinson's  Diary,  Nov.  9  ;  Rogers,  i.  p.  240. 


Chauncey,— notwithstanding  the  assur- 
ances which  the  latter  had  given,  that 
no  such  interruption  should  be  allowed 
to  leave  Kingston, — and  it  proceeded 
down  the  St.  Lawrence  in  pursuit  of 
the  American  expedition.  On  the  next 
day  {Nov.  ^tJi)  it  reached  Prescott,  and 
Avas  strengthened  with  the  two  flank 
companies  of  the  Forty-ninth,  and  with 
detachments  from  the  Canadian  Fenci- 
bles,  the  Voltigeurs,  and  the  Provincial 
dragoons,  with  another  six-pounder  and 
its  company,  the  whole  under  Lieuten- 
ant-colonel Pearson.^  It  is  very  evident 
that  a  body  of  Indians  also  accompa- 
nied this  "corps  of  observation,"  yet 
the  authorities  studiously  keep  them 
out  of  sight. 

On  the  ninth,  after  passing  down  the 
river  as  far  as  Point  Iroquois,  this 
"corps  of  observation"  debarked;  and 
thenceforth  the  enemy's  land  and  naval 
forces  acted  in  concert,  but  each  on  its 
proper  element.  The  rear  and  flanks 
of  the  American  army  were  harassed 
with  great  spirit ;  and,  not  only  in  rear 
but  in  front  also,  the  flotilla  under  Gen- 
eral Wilkinson  was  energetically  op- 
posed.^ 

On  the  morning  of  the  eleventh  of 
November,  while  the  flotilla  was  pre- 
paring to  enter  the  Longue  Sault,  for 
which  orders  had  been  given,  the  ene- 
my appeared  in  force,  and  the  gunboats 
which  covered  the  rear  opened  a  fire  on 
him.  Orders  wei'e  given  to  General 
Boyd,  who  commanded  in  the  rear,  to 
attack  the  assailants;^  while  the  flotilla 

'  Chri.stie,  p.  150  ;  James,  i.  pp.  323,  324 ;  Rogers,  i.  p. 
239.—'  James,  i.  pp.  324,  325. 

'  Gen.  Wilkinson's  Diary,  Nov.  11.  In  confirmation  of 
this.  Gen.  Boyd  "-ordered  Gen.  Swariwoul  to  dislodge  the  ene- 


Chap.  LXVII.] 


THE  BATTLE  AT  CHRYSTLER'S  FARM. 


307 


was  ordered  to  remain  where  it  then 
laid.  Accordingly  General  Swartwout, 
with  the  Fourth  brigade,  was  detached 
with  orders  to  dislodge  them  ;  and  Gen- 
eral Covington,  with  the  Third  bri- 
gade, was  ordered  to  move  back  within 
supporting  distance  of  General  Swart- 
wout.  The  latter  officer  "  dashed  into 
the  woods,"  and  the  Twenty-first  regi- 
ment of  infantry,  under  Colonel  E.  W, 
Ripley,  which  he  led,  drove  the  assail- 
ants who  had  first  shown  themselves 
back  upon  the  enemy's  main  body, 
which  was  in  the  rear.^ 

At  this  time  the  enemy  had  formed 
in  order  of  battle  on  the  open  fields  of 
"  Chrystler's  Farm,"  near  the  village  of 
Williamsburg — three  companies  of  the 
Eighty-ninth,  on  the  extreme  right,  rest- 
ing on  the  river,  formed  en  eclielon^  with 
a  six-pounder,  were  commanded  by  Cap- 
tain Barnes ;  on  their  left,  and  some- 
what in  the  rear,  were  the  flank  com- 
panies of  the  Forty-ninth  and  the  de- 
tachment of  Fencibles,  with  another 
six-pounder,  under  Lieutenant-colonel 
Pearson ;  still  farther  to  the  left  and 
rear  were  the  battalion  companies  of 
the  Forty-ninth  and  Eighty-ninth  regi- 
ments, with  the  third  six-pounder,  under 
Lieutenant-colonel  Morrison,  their  left 
resting  on  a  pine  wood ;  while  in  front  of 
all,  as  tirailleurs,  covering  the  left  flank, 
were  the  Voltigeurs,  under  Major  Her- 
riot,  and  the  Indians  under  Lieutenant 
Anderson.'^     The    position  was  favora- 

my"  yet  on  Gen.  Wilkinson's  trial  lie  testified  that  his 
orders  were — "Should  the  enemy  advance  upon  us,  heat 
them  hack" — a  purely  defensive  policy.  The  cause  of  this 
contradiction  has  not  been  explained. 

'  Gen.  Boyd  to  Gen.  Willvinson.  Nov.  12. 

^  Lieut.-Col.  Morrison  to  Gen.  De  Rottonburg,  Nov.  12 ; 
James,  i.  pp.  328,  329 ;  Rogers,  i.  p.  240, 


ble  for  defence,  in  consequence  of  sev- 
eral deep  ravines  by  which  the  ground 
was  intersected  ;  and  which  rendered  it 
difficult  of  access,  and  to  some  extent 
unapproachable  with  artillery;^  while 
a  heavy  rail-fence,  behind  which  the 
enemy  took  shelter,  effectually  protect- 
ed him  from  the  effects  of  the  American 
fire.2 

As  before  stated,  the  enemy's  light 
troops  fell  back  on  this  position,  as  Col- 
onel Ripley  and  the  Twenty-first  regi- 
ment pressed  forward  in  their  charge ; 
and  soon  afterwards  the  entire  Fourth 
brigade  {General Swanixoouf -s)  attacked 
the  left  of  the  British  line,  in  w^hich  he 
was  supported  by  Colonel  Coles,  with 
part  of  the  First  brigade ;  while  the 
right  was,  simultaneously,  attacked  by 
the  Third  brigade,  under  General  Cov- 
ington.® Under  the  most  promising 
circumstances  the  action  was  conducted 
for  some  time, — although  the  enemy's 
artillery  gave  him  great  advantages, 
while  the  American  field-pieces  were 
unable  to  pass  the  ravines  and  come  on 
the  field, — and  it  was  only  after  the 
failure  of  the  supply  of  ammunition,  on 
the  rifjht,  and  the  fall  of  General  Cov- 
ino'ton,  who  received  a  mortal  wound 
while  at  the  head  of  his  brigade,  on  the 
left,  that  the  fortunes  of  the  day  were 
changed,*  Having  exhausted  its  sup- 
ply of  ammunition,  the  Fourth  brigade 
was  compelled  to  fall  back  ;  and  Col- 
onel Coles,  with  his  command,  was,  in 
consequence,  compelled  also  to  retire ; 


J  Gen.  Boyd  to  Gen.  Wilkinson,  Nov.  12;   Perkins,  p. 
258.—'  Richards'  Macomb,  p.  67.—'  Gen.  Boyd  to  Gen. 
Wilkinson,  Nov.  12;    James.  1.  p.  830;  Lieut.-Col.  Mor- 
rison to  Gen.  De  Rottonburg.  Nov.  12.—'  Gen.  Wilkin- 
i  son  to  Sec.  of  War,  Nov.  16  ;    Breckenridge,  p.  196. 


808 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


and,  soon  afterwards,  discouraged  by  the 
fall  of  General  Covington, — or  rather, 
failino^  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  an  officer 
of  equal  spirit  and  ability, — the  Third 
brigade  also  fell  back  in  some  disorder.^ 

Thus  relieved  of  their  assailants,  on 
the  left,  the  Forty-ninth  and  Eighty- 
ninth  British  regiments,  on  that  part  of 
the  enemy's  line,  advanced,  —  "firing 
occasionally  by  platoons," — and  took  a 
position,  en  echelon^  in  support  of  the 
companies  on  the  right,  which  were 
still  engaged  with  the  Third  {^General 
Covington^s)  brigade ;  and  this,  from 
the  cause  already  referred  to,  and  from 
the  effect  of  this  increase  in  the  op- 
posing force,  was,  soon  afterwards,  also 
compelled  to  retire.^ 

An  attempt  was  then  made,  by  the 
enemy's  right,  to  seize  the  Amei'ican 
artillery,  which  was  gallantly  frustrated 
by  a  charge  of  American  cavalry  under 
Adjutant-general  Walbach.^  Soon  af- 
tei'wards,  however,  in  consequence  of 
the  confusion  resulting  from  the  death 
of  Lieutenant  Smith,  who  commanded 
it,  and  the  greater  part  of  his  men,  one 
piece  was  lost.* 

During  about  two  hours,  with  great 
skill  on  both  sides,  the  advantage  thus 
fluctuated ;  and  victory  rested,  alter- 
nately, on  the  banners  of  both  armies.^ 
At  length,  considering  that  "  the  con- 
test had  become  somewhat  dubious," 
General  Wilkinson    ordered    up    a   re- 

'  Gen.  Boyd  to  Gen.  Wilkinson,  Nov.  12  ;  James,  1.  p. 
330;  Bieckenridge,  p.  196.— "  Lieut, -Col.  Morrison  to 
Gen.  De  Kottonburg,  Nov.  12  ;  James,  i.  p.  330. 

*  Lieut. -Col.  Morrison  to  Gen.  De  Eottonburg,  Nov.  12  ; 
James,  li.  pp.  330,  331. — ••  Gen.  Boyd  to  Gen.  Wilkinson, 
Nov.  12;  Lieut. -Col.  Morrison  to  Gen.  De  Kottonburg, 
Nov.  12  ;  Gen.  Wilkinson  to  Sec.  of  War,  Nov.  16. 

*  Gen.  Wilkinson  to  Sec.  of  War,  Nov.  16  ;  Gen.  Wil- 
kinson's Diary,  Nov.  11 ;  Christie,  p.  153. 


serve  of  six  hundred  men,  under  Lieu- 
tenant-colonel Upham ;  by  whom  they 
were  led  into  the  field,  and  checked 
the  disorder  into  which  some  portions 
of  the  line  had  fallen.^  Falling  back  to 
the  edge  of  the  wood  from  which  the 
enemy's  light  troops  had  been  driven  in 
the  early  part  of  the  day,  the  American 
army  formed  there,  and  awaited  the 
enemy  ;^  but,  having  not  only  retained 
the  ground  which  he  first  occupied,  but 
driven  the  assailants,  in  confusion,  fi'om 
it,  with  the  loss  of  one  of  their  field- 
pieces,  he  appears  to  have  been  con- 
tent, and  did  not  pursue.  Both  parties 
claim  that  the  approach  of  night,  alone 
prevented  them  from  continuing  the 
engagement ;  and  while  the  enemy  oc- 
cupied the  field  of  battle  during  the 
night,  the  Americans  retired  to  their 
boats  without  interruption.^ 

The  relative  numbers  of  the  contest- 
ants has,  as  is  usual,  been  the  subject 
of  grave  dispute.  The  enemy,  from 
the  best  evidence,  appears  to  have 
numbered  not  exceeding  eight  hundred 
men,  exclusive  of  Indians;*  while  the 
Americans,  from  like  reliable  testimony, 
appear  to  have  numbered  not  less  than 
seventeen  hundred.^  The  superior  dis- 
cipline of  the  enemy,®  added  to  the 
fatigue  of  the  Americans, — who  "  had 

1  Gen.  Wilkinson  to  Sec.  of  War,  Nov.  18. 

=  Gen.  Boyd  to  Gen.  Wilkinson,  Nov.  12. 

'  Gen  Wilkinson  to  Sec.  of  War,  Nov.  16  ;  Gen.  Wil- 
kinson's Diary,  Nov.  11  ;  James,  1.  p.  331. 

*  Lieut. -Col.  Morrison  to  Gen.  De  Kottonburg,  Nov.  12  ; 
James,  i.  pp.  325,  326  ;  Christie,  p.  150  ;  Rogers'  Canada, 
i.  p.  240.  other  writers  disagree  respecting  the  number 
of  this  detachment,  rating  it  at  from  1.500  (Did.  of  the 
Anny,  p.  568)  to  2170  {Gen.  Wilkinson  to  Sec.  of  War,  Nov.  18). 

'  Gen  Wilkinson  to  Sec.  of  War,  Nov.  16  ;  Thomson's 
Sketches,  p.  185.  Other  authors  give  various  numbers, 
from  1600  {Gardner,  p.  568)  to  4000  {Rogers'  Canada,  p.  240). 

°  James,  i.  p.  332. 


Chap.  LXVIIL]        THE  MASSACRE  AT  THE  HILLIBEE  TOWNS. 


309 


been  in  arms  all  the  pi'eceding  night, 
duiino'  an  incessant  rain,  and  who  had 
to  march  to  the  attack  over  ploughed 
ground,  almost  knee-deep  in  mud,"' — 
and  the  advantages  of  a  position  in 
which,  among  othei'S,  the  advance  of 
the  American  artilleiy  was  prevented,^ 
while  his  own  were  very  effectively 
employed,^  more  than  made  up  the  de- 
ficiency of  his  force  ;  and  there  is  hut 
little  doubt,  notwithstanding  he  pur- 
sued the  expedition  no  farther,  that  the 
advantage  remained,  legitimately,  with 
the  enemy. 

Among  those  who  especially  distin- 
guished themselves  in  this  engagement, 
besides  those  already  mentioned,  were 
Colonel  Edmund  P.  Gaines,  Lieutenant- 
colonel  Aspinwall,  and  Lieutenant  (since 
well  known  to  his  country  as  Major-gen- 
eral) William  J.  Worth/ 

The   loss   of  the  Americans  in  this 


well-fought  field  was  Lieutenants  Smith, 
Hunter,  and  Olmstead,  and  ninety-nine 
non-commissioned  officers  and  privates, 
Mlled ;  and  General  Covington,  Colonel 
Preston,  Majors  Chambers,  Cummings, 
and  Noon,  Captains  Foster,  Townsend, 
Myers,  Campbell,  and  Murdoch,  Lieu- 
tenants Heaton,  Williams,  Lynch,  Pel- 
ham,  Brown,  and  Crary,  and  two  hun- 
dred and  twenty-one  non-commissioned 
oflScers  and  privates,  'tvoimded}  That 
of  the  enemy  was  Captain  Nairne  and 
twenty-one  men,  hilled  '  Captain  Brown, 
Lieutenants  Jones,  Bartley,  Claus,  Mor- 
ton, Richmond,  Holland,  and  De  Lori- 
miere,  Ensigns  Leaden  and  Armstrong, 
one  hundred  and  forty  men  and  one 
warrior,  wounded'  and  twelve  men  and 
three  waniors,  missing? 


[Note. — The  Dispatch  of  Gen  Boyd  to  Gen.  "Wilkinson,  and  that  of 
Lieut.-Col.  Morrison  to  Gen  De  EtittonI)urg.  which  had  heeri  provi(]e(l 
for  the  illustration  of  this  chapter,  have  heen  omitted  by  the  Publish- 
ers for  want  of  room.] 


CHAPTER     L  XVIII. 

]\oveinb«r  1§,  1813. 

THE    MASSACRE     AT    THE    HILLIBEE    TOWNS, 


While  the  West  Tennessean  troops, 
under  Generals  Jackson  and  Coffee, 
wei-e  actively  engaged  in  the  midst  of 
the  enemy's  countiy,  as  has  been  al- 
ready ]-elated  in  other  parts  of  this 
volume,^  those  from  Eastern  Tennessee, 
under  Generals  Cocke  and  White,  were 
not  idle.  It  is  true  that  these  officers 
objected  to  a  consolidation  of  the  two 


James,  i.  p    332. — '  Richards'  Macomb,  p.  67. 
'  Rogers'  Canada,  i.  p.  241.—*  Gen.  Boyd  to  Gen.  Wil- 
kinson, Nov.  12.—'  Vide  Chapters  LXV.,  LXVI. 


bodies  of  troops,  and  that  General  Jack- 
son was  by  no  means  satisfied  with  their 
conduct ;  yet  it  did  not  follow  that 
the  former  were  inactive,  or  desired  to 
avoid  the  responsibilities  which  de- 
volved upon  their  oflScial  station. 

Among  the  principal  sufferers  at  Tal- 
ladega had  been  the  Indians  from  the 
Hillibee  Towns,  on  the  Tallapoosa,  and 


'  Returns  appended  to  Gen.  Williinson's  Report.  Nov.  16. 
''  Returns  appended  to  Lieut. -Col.  Morrison's  Report, 
Nov.  12. 


310 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


they  liad  determined  to  ask  for  peace 
at  the  hands  of  the  victors.  Accord- 
ingly they  had  dispatched  messengers 
to  General  Jackson's  camp,  declaring 
their  willino-ness  to  receive  his  friend- 
ship  on  sucli  terms  as  he  might  be 
pleased  to  dictate ;  and,  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  eighteenth  of  November, 
his  answer  had  been  returned,  ex- 
tending to  them  the  terms  on  which 
they  could  be  reconciled  to  the  United 
States.^  Unfortunately,  while  these  ne- 
gotiations were  pending,  General  Cocke, 
in  his  independent  capacity,  detached 
General  White  with  a  large  body  of 
cavalry,  mounted  infantry,  and  three 
hundred  friendly  Cherokees,  —  about 
fourteen  hundred  in  all, — against  the 
enemy ;  and,  after  destroying  several 
villages,  on  the  evening  of  the  seven- 
teenth of  November  he  approached  the 
Hillibees,^ 

The  plan  of  operations  which  General 
White  had  adopted,  was  similar  to  those 
which  had  been  employed  by  Generals 
Coffee  and  Jackson  ;  and  the  unsuspect- 
inof  and  terror-stricken  villagers  were 
surrounded  and  attacked  before  they 
knew  of  the  existence  of  an  enemy  in 
the  vicinit}'^  of  their  position.  Relying 
on  the  sincerity  of  their  own  profes- 
sions, and  on  the  faith  of  all  nations — 
even  the  savao'es — during  a  truce,  and 
especially  while  negotiations  are  pend- 

'  Eaton,  pp.  63,  64  ;  Perkins'  War  of  1812,  pp.  202,  203  ; 
Drake's  Book  of  Indians,  Boole  iv.,  p.  57. 

'  Gen.  Wliite  to  Gen.  Cocke,  Nov.  24 ;  Letter  from 
Knoxville,  Nov.  29. 


ing,  the  warriors  had  not  only  taken 
no  means  for  their  defence,  but  the  or- 
dinary precautionary  measures  to  pre- 
vent surprise  had  not  been  employed  ;^ 
and  "the  dangers  and  the  glories  of  the 
field,"  about  which  General  Cocke  had 
been  so  sensitive  a  short  time  before,*^ 
were  alike  empty  and  valueless. 

The  village  was  surrounded,  and  the 
warriors  and  their  families — glorious  in 
their  integrity  to  their  own  honor, 
plighted  through  their  messengers  to 
General  Jackson — received  the  blows 
of  their  assailants  without  complaint 
and  without  resistance^  until  the  arm 
of  the  spoiler  became  weary  of  the 
slaughter.  The  bodies  of  sixty  war- 
riors killed  on  the  spot,  and  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty-six  prisoners,  of  all  class- 
es, in  the  hands  of  the  victors,  bore 
testimony  to  the  vigor  of  the  assault 
and  the  animus  of  the  assailants ;  the 
General's  report — "  We  lost  not  one 
drop  of  blood  in  accomplishing  this 
enterprise '^  ^ — bears  testimony,  equally 
stronof  of  the  unwavering  honor  of  the 
savages,  in  declining  to  engage  in  hos- 
tilities, even  in  self-defence,  while  their 
application  for  reconciliation  was  still 
pending. 


[KoTE.— The  Dispatoli  of  Gen.  White  to  Gen.  Cocke,  which  had 
been  provided  for  tlie  illustration  of  this  chapter,  has  been  omitted  by 
the  Publisliers  for  want  of  room.] 


'  Gen.  WViite  to  Gen.  Cocke,  Nov.  24. 

"  Tliis  had  been  the  principal  cause  which  Gen.  Cocke 
had  assigned  for  declining  to  recognize  the  authority  of 
Gen.  Jackson  over  the  Eastern  Tennessee  troops. 

'  Gen.  White  to  Gen.  Cocke,  Nov.  14  ;  Letter  from 
Knoxville,  Nov.  29. 


CHAPTER     LXIX 


November  29,  1§13. 

THE      BATTLE      OF      AUTOSSEE. 


While  the  Tennesseans  were  engaged 
on  the  northern  sections  of  the  Creek 
country,  a  large  body  of  troops  from 
Georgia,  under  General  John  Floyd,  en- 
tered it  from  the  east,  and  commenced 
active  operations  against  the  common 
enemy.^ 

In  the  course  of  his  operations,  the 
General  received  information  that  a 
large  number  of  Indians  had  assembled 
at  Autossee,  on  the  southern  bank  of 
the  Talapoosa,  about  twenty  miles  above 
its  junction  with  the  Coosa.  This  town, 
which  occupied  a  portion  of  their  "holy 
ground,"  on  which  they  supposed  that 
no  pale  face  could  set  his  foot  and  live, 
appeared  to  have  been  regarded  with 
gi'eat  veneration  by  the  Indians ;  and  a 
strong  body  of  warriors,  from  all  the 
neighboring  villages,  appears  to  have 
cono^reo-ated  for  its  defence.^ 

On  the  evening  of  the  twenty-eighth 
of  November  General  Floyd  encamped, 
within  a  few  miles  of  the  town,  with 
nine  hundred  and  fifty  Georgia  militia ; 
while  between  three  hundred  and  four 
hundred  friendly  Indians,  under  Wil- 
liam Mcintosh  and  the  Mad-dog's  son, 
accomjDanied  the  expedition ;  and  about 
one  o'clock  in  the  morninof  of  the 
twenty-ninth  he   advanced  against  the 


'  Perkins'  Late  War,  p.  203.—'  Gen.  Floyd  to  Gen. 
Pinckney,  Dec.  4 ;  Breckenridge,  p.  219  ;  Ingersoll,  i.  p.  336. 


village.  At  half-past  six,  having  ap- 
proached within  a  short  distance  of  the 
town,  the  General  formed  his  troops  in 
order  of  battle — Colonel  Booth's  com- 
mand forming  the  right  column.  Col- 
onel Watson's  the  left,  Captains  Adams' 
and  Meriweather's  rifle  companies  on 
either  flank,  and  Captain  Thomas's  ar- 
tillery in  front  of  the  right  column.^ 

When  daylight  revealed  the  true  po- 
sition of  the  enemy,  it  was  discovered 
that  two  villages,  a  short  distance  apart, 
instead  of  one,  were  before  the  columns; 
and  that  new  and  entirely  different  ar- 
rangements were  necessary.  Instead  of 
the  favorite  expedient  of  surrounding 
the  village,  which  had  been  first  in- 
tended, it  became  necessary,  therefore, 
under  the  real  state  of  affairs,  to  detach 
three  companies  of  infantry.  Captain 
Meriweather's  riflemen,  and  two  troops 
of  light  dragoons,  by  the  left,  against 
the  lower  town ;  while  the  residue  of 
the  force,  apparently  in  line,  approached 
the  upper  one  ;  and  within  a  few  min- 
utes the  action  became  general — "the 
Indians  presenting  themselves  at  every 
point,"  as  General  Floyd  says,  "  and 
fighting  with  the  desperate  bravery  of 
real  fanatics."^ 


1  Gen.  Floyd  to  Gen.  Pinckney,  Dec.  4;  Drake's  Book 
of  Indians,  Book  iv.,  pp.  51,  56. — '  Gen.  Floyd  to  G«n. 
Pinckney,  Dec.  4;  Claiborne's  Notes,  p.  36. 


312 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II, 


The  overpowering  numbers  of  the 
Georgian  troops,  however,  and  the  field- 
pieces  with  which  they  were  provided, 
accomplished  more  than  the  most  ac- 
tive and  determined  "fanaticism"  of 
the  savages  could  overcome ;  and,  after 
a  few  minutes'  contest,  the  Indians  were 
compelled  to  abandon  their  homes  and 
"  take  refuge  in  the  out-houses,  thickets, 
and  copses  in  the  rear  of  the  town."^ 
The  "fanaticism"  which  induced  these 
Indians  to  fight  for  their  humble  homes, 
— some  of  which  were  "  of  a  superior 
order  for  the  dwellings  of  savages, 
and  filled  with  valuable  articles,"— 
appeared  despicable  to  those  against 
whom  they  defended  their  firesides; 
yet,  at  this  distance  of  time,  it  appears 
somewhat  excusable,  in  the  fact,  which 
is  evident  in  every  line  of  General 
Floyd's  report,  that  not  one  of  the 
assailants  would  have  done  otherwise 


had  the  situation   of  the  parties  been 
reversed. 

After  the  Indians  had  ceased  to  re- 
sist, it  appears  they  were  hunted  by 
the  Georgians  and  their  Indian  allies, 
and  butchered  without  mercy,  until  the 
bodies  of  the  victims  of  their  worse 
than  Indian  barbarity,  were  piled  up  in 
heaps  on  the  banks  of  the  Talapoosa, 
"by  their  surviving  friends;"^  while  of 
their  houses,  the  number  which  were 
burned  was  "supposed  to  be  four  hun- 
dred." The  loss  which  the  Georgians 
sustained  from  these  "  fanatics,"  in  their 
gallant  defence  of  their  village,  was 
eleven  hilled  and  fifty-four  wounded  j 
that  which  fell  on  the  fi'iendly  Indians 
has  not  been  recorded  f  while  that 
which  the  savages  sustained  was  esti- 
mated at  two  hundred.^ 


[Note. — The  Dispatch  of  Gen.  Floyrt  to  Gen.  Pinckney,  which  had 
been  provided  for  the  ilhistration  of  this  chapter,  has  been  omitted  by 
the  Publishers  for  want  of  room.] 


CHAPTER     LXX. 

December  IS  to  30,  1§13. 

THE      INVASION      OF      NEW     YORK. 


The  peparture  of  General  Wilkinson 
and  the  regular  troops  from  the  Niag- 
ara frontier,  imposed  upon  General  Mc- 
Clure  and  the  New  York  militia,  whom 
he  commanded,  the  responsibility  of 
defending  that  portion  of  the  lines 
against  the  strong  force  of  the  enemy 
who  still  remained  in  that  vicinity ; 
and  when,  on  the  sixteenth  of  Novem- 
ber, General  Harrison  left  Fort  George 
for  Sackett's    Harbor,   nearly  the  last 

>  Gen.  Floyd  to  Gen.  Pinckney,  Dec.  4  ;  Perkins,  p.  203. 


American  regular  left  that  important 
frontier.*  The  indiscretion  of  this  aban- 
donment of  the  frontier  posts,  while  the 
terms  of  service  for  which  the  militia 
had  been  ordered  out  expired  on  the 
ninth  of  December,  was  soon  apparent ; 
and  on  the  tenth  of  December  General 


1  Gen.  Floyd  to  Gen.  Pinckney,  Dec.  4  ;  Drake's  Book 
of  Indians,  Book  iv.,  pp.  51,  58. 

"  Gen.  Floyd  to  Gen.  Pinckney,  Dec.  4 ;  Perkins,  p.  204. 

'  Gen.  Flo3'd  to  Gen.  Pinckney,  Dec.  4. 

*  Gen.  McCliire's  Address  "To  the  Public;"  James' 
Military  Occurrences,  ii.  p.  6  ;  Perkins,  pp.  265-267. 


Chap.  LXX.] 


THE  INVASIOX  OF  NEW  YORK. 


313 


McClure  found  himself  at  Fort  George 
with  no  more  than  sixty  effective  men, 
belonging  to  the  Twenty-fourth  United 
States  infantry,  with  a  much  more  pow- 
erful enemy  in  front,  and  with  no  pros- 
pect of  the  arrival  of  reinforcements.^ 

About  the  same  time,  in  consequence 
of  the  unsuccessful  termination  of  Gen- 
eral Wilkinson's  projected  attack  on 
Montreal,  the  enemy's  forces  on  the 
Niagara  had  been  strengthened  by  the 
arrival  of  reinforcements  from  belovr, 
under  Lieutenant-general  Drumraond;^ 
and  when  that  officer  pushed  forward 
his  elite^ — about  four  hundred  effective 
troops,  besides  seventy  Indians, — under 
Colonel  Murray,  General  McClure  called 
a  council,  and,  with  its  advice,  deter- 
mined to  evacuate  the  post.^  Accord- 
ingly, on  the  same  day,  after  removing 
the  greater  part  of  the  public  stores  to 
Fort  Niao^ara,  the  fort  was  evacuated ; 
and,  at  the  same  time,  with  a  laudable 
desire  to  deprive  the  enemy  of  shelter, 
—yet  with  an  inexcusable  and  teriible 
severity  on  the  defenceless  inhabitants, 
— the  entire  village  of  Newark,  except 
one  house,  was  committed  to  the  flames ;'' 
and  orders  were  soon  after  given  to 
open  a  fire,  with  hot-shot,  on  Queens- 
town,  for  the  same  purpose.^ 

The  extreme  severity  of  this  visita- 
tion of  the  miseries  of  war  on  the  non- 


I  Gen.  McCluie's  Address. — "  Rogers'  Rise  of  Canada, 
i.  p.  243.  These  reinforcements  consisted  of  the  Royal 
Scots,  the  49th  and  100th  regiments  of  the  line,  with  a 
small  provincial  corps,  and  200  Indians. — Armstrong's 
Nolices,  ii.  p.  19.--^  Gen.  McClure  to  Sec.  of  War,  Dec. 
10,  1813  ;  Gen.  McClure's  Address;  Col.  Murra)'  to  Gen. 
Vincent,  Dec.  12  ;  James,  ii.  pp.  7,  8. 

'  Gen.  McClure   to  Sec.   of  War,  Dec.  10,  1813;   ''The 
War,"  ii.  p.  116  ;    Gen.  McClure's  Address  ;   Col.  Murray 
to  Gen.  Vincent,  Dec.  12. — '  Gen.  McClure  to  Sec.  of  War, 
Dec.  2-5,  1813  ;  Armstrong's  Notices,  ii.  p.  20 
Vol.  II.— 40 


combatants  residing  in  Newark  and 
Queeustown,  was  productive  of  the 
most  disastrous  results,  both  in  Canada 
and  New  York.  In  the  midst  of  an 
unusually  severe  Canadian  winter,  the 
inhabitants  were  summoned  to  abandon 
their  homes,  at  very  short  notice ;  and 
then,  without  shelter  or  provisions,  even 
for  their  sick,  to  Avitness  the  entire  de- 
struction of  all  their  property.^  There 
is  no  evidence  that  any  personal  out- 
rage was  offered  to  any  of  the  sufferers  ; 
but  the  indiscriminate  desolation  of  a 
flourishing  village,  and  the  expulsion  of 
its  inhabitants,  without  shelter  and  with- 
out supplies,  into  the  depths  of  a  Cana- 
dian forest,  in  a  Canadian  winter,  was 
an  instance  of  barbarity,  compared  with 
which  the  horrors  of  legitimate  warfare 
are  tender  mercies. 

As  has  been  stated.  General  McClure 
did  not  wholly  succeed  in  his  intended 
removal  of  his  stores — tents  for  fifteen 
hundred  men,  several  pieces  of  artillery, 
and  a  large  quantity  of  shot,  with  ten 
of  his  men,  falling  into  the  hands  of 
Colonel  Murray  and  his  detachment  ;'^ 
and  the  enemy  once  more  occupied  his 
own  territory,  without  opposition. 

The  feelings  of  resentment,  which 
the  destruction  of  Newark  had  aroused, 
speedily  directed  the  attention  of  the 
enemy  to  the  opposite  shore  of  the  Ni- 
agara ;  and  preparations  were  made  for 
a  retaliatory  descent  on  the  American 
posts  and  the  neighboring  villages  in 
the  State  of  New  York.^  Accordingly, 
on   the   evening   of  the    eighteenth   of 


'  Gen.  McClure  to  Sec.  of  War,  Dec.  25,  1813  ;  James, 
ii.  pp.  8,  9. — ^  James,  ii.  p.  11. — '  Ibid.,  p.  13  ;  Thom- 
son's Sketches,  p.  189. 


314 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


December,  Colonel  Murray,  with  a  de- 
tachment of  Hojal  Artilleiy,  the  grena- 
diers of  the  Royal  Scots,  the  flank  com- 
panies of  the  Forty-first  regiment,  and 
the  One  hundredth  regiment,^  in  all, 
about  five  hundred  and  fifty  men,^ 
crossed  the  river,  and  landed  at  Five- 
mile  Meadows,  about  three  miles  above 
Foi't  Niagara;^  and,  at  four  the  next 
morning,  he  commenced  his  march  for 
the  fort.*      . 

His  advance  succeeded  in  capturing 
two  of  the  pickets  which  had  been 
thrown  out  from  the  fort ;  and  the  in- 
telligence of  his  approach  having  thus 
been  withheld,  the  garrison  slept  sound- 
ly. The  sentries  on  the  glacis  and  at 
the  oj)en  gate  of  the  fort,  by  sudden 
and  expert  movements  of  the  enemy's 
advance,  were  also  seized  and  silenced ; 
and  from  them  the  countersign  was  ob- 
tained.^ The  enemy's  forces  had  been 
arranged  for  a  systematic  assault,  on 
the  several  bastions  of  the  fort ;  and  a 
supply  of  scaling-ladders,  &c.,  were  car- 
ried to  facilitate  his  operations.  The 
main  gate  of  the  fort,  standing  wide 
open.^  however,  without  a  soul  to  pre- 
sent any  opposition  to  his  entrance, 
rendered  all  these  preparations  un- 
necessary ;  and,  with  his  entire  party, 
Colonel  Murray  entered  the  fort.  The 
guard,  who  occupied  the  southeast 
block-house,  when  the  enemy  presented 

'  "General  Orders,"  signed  "J.  Harvey,  Lieut. -Col.,  D. 
A.  (?.,"  Dec.  19,  1813  ;  Col.  Murray  to  Gen.  Drummond, 
Dec.  19  ;  Rogers,  i.  p.  213. — '  James,  ii.  p.  13  ;  Arm- 
strong, il.  p.  22.  Robert  Lee's  Narrative,  in  the  Buffalo 
Gazelle,  says  about  four  hundred ;  Mr.  Perkins  {Hisl.,  p. 
269),  twelve  hundred. — '  Gen.  McClure  to  Sec.  of  War,  Dec. 
22,  1813  ;  Col.  Murray  to  Gen.  Drummond,  Dec.  19. 

*  Robert  Lee's  Narrative  ;  James,  ii.  p.  14. 

^  Col.  Murray  to  Gen.  Drummond,  Dec.  19  ;  James,  ii. 
p.  14  ;  Armstrong,  ii.  p.  22  ;  Rogers,  i.  p.  244. 


himself,  rushed  out  of  its  quarters  and 
fired  a  volley ;  and  the  invalids,  who 
occupied  the  "  red  barracks,"  also  of- 
fered a  slight  resistance ;  but  the  greater 
part  of  the  garrison—without  an  ofiicer 
to  command  it^ — was  too  fast  asleep  to 
realize  its  danger  until  it  was  too  late 
to  offer  any  opposition.^ 

Smarting  under  the  grievances  which 
the  destruction  of  Newark  had  im- 
posed, and  closing  his  eyes  and  ears  to 
every  plea  of  humanity.  Colonel  Mur- 
ray's bayonets  not  only  "  overpowered 
all  resistance,"^  but,  at  the  same  time, 
destroyed  his  character,  both  as  a  man 
and  a  soldier.*  Sixty-five  men — two- 
thirds  of  whom  were  hospital  patients^ 
— were  bayoneted  as  they  laid  in  their 
beds,  besides  fifteen  others  who  were 
bayoneted  in  the  cellars  of  the  houses ; 
foui'teen  others  were  wounded ;  and  a 
captain,  nine  lieutenants,  two  ensigns, 
two  staff-officers,  and  three  hundred 
and  thirty  men  were  taken  prisoners. 
Twenty,  only,  of  the  entire  garrison, 
escaped;"  and  twenty-seven  pieces  of 
artillery,  three  thousand  stands  of  arms, 
with  immense  quantities  of  ordnance 
and  commissariat  stores,  clothing  and 
camp-equipage,  were  also  among  the 
trophies  of  the  victory.^  Of  the  enemy. 
Lieutenant  Nowlan  and  five  men  were 

>  It  is  said  that  Capt.  Leonard,  the  commander  of  the 
fort,  was  with  his  family,  on  that  night ;  while  Gen. 
McClure  was  at  Buffalo. — '  Gov.  D.  D.  Tompkins  to  Sec. 
of  War,  Dec.  24;  Gen.  McClure  to  Sec.  of  War,  Dec.  22, 
1813;  Robert  Lee's  Narrative;  James,  ii.  p.  14  ;  Perkins, 
p.  269  ;  Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  189  ;  Rogers,  i.  p.  243. 

'  "General  Orders,"  signed  "J.  Harvey,  Lieut. -Col.,  D. 
A.  G.,"  Dec.  19  ;  James,  ii.  p.  14. — *  Armstrong,  ii.  p.  22. 

'^  Ibid.—'  Gen.  McClure  to  Sec.  of  War,  Dec.  22,  1813  ; 
"  General  Orders,"  signed  "J.  Harvey,  Lieut. -Col.,  D.  A.  (?.," 
Dec.  19  ;  Robert  Lee's  Narrative. 

'  "General  Orders,"  signed  "Edw.  Bayne,  Adj. -Gen.," 
Dec.  27,  1813  ;  Col.  Murray  to  Gen.  Drummond,  Dec.  19. 


Chap.  LXX.] 


THE  IXVASIOX  OF  XEW  YORK. 


315 


hilled^  and  Colonel  Murray,  a  surgeon, 
and  three  men  were  wounded} 

On  the  same  mornins:  on  wbicli  the 
fort  was  captured,  General  Rial,  at  the 
head  of-  detachments  from  the  Royal 
Scots,  under  Lieutenant-Colonel  Gor- 
don, and  from  the  Forty-first  regiment, 
with  upwards  of  five  hundred  Indians,^ 
crossed  the  river  from  Queenstown  to 
Lewiston,^  and  after  a  slight  opposi- 
tion from  a  small  party  of  Americans, 
under  Major  Bennett,  took  possession 
of  the  village,  and  two  guns  which  had 
been  abandoned  by  the  Americans.* 
The  village  was  no  sooner  occupied 
than  it  was  given  up  to  plunder  and 
destruction  ;  and  the  Indians  pillaged 
and  burned  it  with  the  most  aggravated 
enormities.^  The  villages  of  Youngs- 
town,  Manchester,  Fort  Schlosser,  and 
tlie  Indian  village  at  Tuscarora,  and  the 
neighboring  farms,  immediately  after- 
wards shared  the  same  fate ;  ®  and  the 
entire  frontiei*,  for  several  miles  back 
from  the  river,  presented  one  scene  of 
universal  desolation,  while  the  inhabit- 
ants were  either  butchered,  in  cold 
blood,  by  the  savages,  or  were  flying 
before  their  pursuers,  terror-stricken 
and  without  hope.'^ 

After  desolating  the  country  as  far 
as  Tonewanta   Creek,   and  leaving   no 

'  "General  Orders,"  signed  "J.  Haevet,  Lieut.-Col.,  D. 
A.  (?.,"  Dec.  19  ;  Returns  appended  to  Col.  Murray's  Dis- 
patch, Dec.  19. — '  "General  Orders,"  signed  "J.  Harvey, 
Lieut. -Col.,  D.  A.  (?.,"  Dec.  19  ;  James,  ii.  p.  18. 

'  Gen.  Hopkins  to  Gov.  Tompkins,  Dec.  20  ;  James,  ii. 
p.  18. — *  Gen.  McClure's  Address  ;  Gen.  McClure  to  Sec. 
of  War,  Dec.  22,  1813  ;  James,  ii.  p.  19.—°  Gen.  Hopkins 
to  Gov.  Tompkins,  Dec.  20  ;  Gen.  McClure  to  Sec.  of 
War,  Dec.  22,  1813  ;  James,  ii.  p.  19.—°  Gen.  Hopkins  to 
Gov.  Tompkins,  Dec.  20  ;  Gen.  McClure  to  Sec.  of  War, 
Dec.  22,  1813.—'  Letter  from  Le  II03'.  Jan.  6  ;  Appeal  to 
the  Benevolent,  Canandaigua,  Jan.  8,  1814  ;  Rogers,  i. 
p.  245. 


signs  of  civilization,  the  enemy's  prog- 
ress was  checked,  by  the  destruction  of 
the  bridge  which  crossed  that  stream, 
and  he  returned  to  the  site  of  Lewiston 
and  recrossed  to  Queenstown. 

Meanwhile  the  frontier  above  the 
falls  had  not  been  visited,  and  General 
Hall,  of  the  ISTew  York  militia,  on  the 
twenty-sixth  of  December,  reached  Buf- 
falo, at  which  place  he  found  "  a  con- 
siderable body  of  irregular  troops,  of 
various  descriptions,"  who  had  pre- 
viously assembled  there  for  the  pui'- 
pose  of  checking  the  progress  of  the  en- 
emy. The  troops,  however,  were  "  dis- 
organized and  confused ;  every  thing 
wore  the  appearance  of  consternation 
and  dismay;"  and  the  entire  force 
numbered  only  seventeen  hundred  and 
eleven  men.  Another  regiment,  num- 
bering three  hundred  men,  joined  him 
on  the  twenty-ninth ;  but  the  entire 
force  was  poorly  supplied  with  arms  or 
ammunition,  and  the  cartridges  of  one 
regiment  were  made  and  distributed 
after  it  was  paraded  on  the  morning  of 
the  battle.^ 

While  these  troops  were  thus  col- 
lecting at  Buffalo,  Lieutenant-general 
Drummond  moved  to  Chippewa ;  and, 
on  the  twenty-eighth  of  December,  hav- 
ing reconnoitred  the  American  camp, 
he  determined  to  attack  it.^  Accord- 
ingly, in  the  evening  of  the  next  day 
{December  ^^th)^  General  Rial  Avas  dis- 
patched with  a  detachment  from  the 
Royal  Scots,  four  companies  of  the 
Eighth  regiment,  two  hundred  and  fifty 
men  from  the  Forty-first,  the  flank  com- 


■  Gen.  Hall  to  Gov.  Tompkins,  Jan.  6,  1814. 
"  James,  ii.  p.  20  ;  Rogers,  i.  p.  245. 


S16 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


panies  of  the  Eiglity-nintli  and  the  One 
hundredth,  a  body  of  Canadian  militia, 
and  one  of  Indians;^  and  having  crossed 
tlie  river,  landed  about  two  miles  below 
Black  Rock,^  without  opj)osition,  and, 
apparently,  without  the  knowledge  of 
the  Americans.  The  light  comj^any  of 
the  Eighty-ninth,  as  an  advance-guard, 
having  pushed  forward  to  Canjokaties 
Creek,  after  a  slight  resistance  from  a 
horse  patrol  under  Lieutenant  Bough- 
ton,  took  possession  of  the  "Sailor's  Bat- 
tery" and  the  bridge  at  that  place  ;^ 
and  having  secured  the  pass,  and  moved 
the  grenadiers  and  the  detachment  from 
the  Forty-first  to  sustain  the  light- 
troops,  the  enemy  halted  there  until 
morning.* 

Supposing  this  movement  to  have 
been  intended  as  a  feint.  General  Hall 
continued  to  occupy  the  village  of  Buf- 
falo with  his  main  body,  while  Colonels 
Wari'en  and  Churchill  were  ordered  to 
drive  the  enemy  from  the  Canjokaties 
back  to  his  boats ;  which,  although  at- 
tempted, was,  of  course,  entirely  unsuc- 
cessful— the  men  not  only  dispersing 
before  the  enemy's  fire,  but  they  also 
deserted.  A  larger  body, — some  four 
hundred  and  fifty  strong, — under  Lieu- 
tenant-colonel Chapin  and  Major  Ad- 
ams, were  equally  unsuccessful  and  un- 
faithful.5 

At  daybreak  the  Royal  Scots,  eight 
hundred  strong,  also  crossed  the  river. 


'  "General  Orders,"  signed  "  Edw.  Batne,  Adj,-Gen.," 
Jan.  8, 1814  ;  Gen.  Eial  to  Gen.  Drummond,  Jan.  1,  1814 ; 
James,  ii.  p.  20. — '  Gen.  Eial  to  Gen.  Drummond,  Jan.  1, 
1814;  "The  War,"  ii.  p.  123  ;  James,  ii.  p.  20. 

'  Gen.  Hall  to  Gov.  Tompkins,  Jan.  6,  1814  ;  Gen. 
Rial  to  Gen.  Drummond,  Jan.  1 ;  James,  ii.  pp.  20,  21. 

*  Gen.  Eial  to  Gen.  Drummond,  Jan.  1 ;  James,  ii.  p.  21. 

^  Gen.  Hall  to  Gov.  Tompkins,  Jan.  6  ;  Perkins,  p.  270. 


and  landed  between  Black  Kock  and 
Buffalo,  under  cover  of  a  five-gun 
battery  on  the  Canadian  shore,  yet 
not  without  meetins;  some  considerable 
loss.-^  Having  landed  and  displaj^ed 
his  force,  enabling  General  Hall  to  un- 
derstand his  intended  order  of  battle, 
the  latter  ordered  Lieutenant-colonel 
Granger,  with  eighty-three  Indians,  and 
Major  Mallory,  with  ninety -seven,  "  Ca- 
nadian Volunteers,"  to  attack  the  ene- 
my's left  wing,  while  Lieutenant-colonel 
Blakeslie,  with  four  hundred  and  thirty- 
three  Ontario  county  militia  and  ex- 
empts, was  opposed  to  his  fight,  and 
Colonel  McMahan,  with  three  hundred 
Chatauque  militia,  was  posted  at  the 
Battery  as  a  reserve,  "  to  act  as  emer- 
gencies should  require."^ 

The  action  was  commenced  soon  af- 
terwards, by  the  artillery  of  both  par- 
ties, and  by  the  regiment  under  Lieu- 
tenant-colonel Blakeslie ;  and,  with  the 
coolness  of  veterans,  the  latter  disputed 
every  inch  of  ground.  As  the  enemy 
advanced,  however,  the  Indians  and 
Canadians  fell  back,  apparently  with- 
out a  struggle,  and  the  right  flank  of 
the  left  wing  of  the  American  line  was 
exposed  to  the  overpowering  numbers 
of  the  enemy's  left  wing.  To  prevent 
such  a  catastrophe.  General  Hall  imme- 
diately ordered  the  reserve,  under  Col- 
onel McMahan,  to  move  forward  and 
take  the  right  of  the  line ;  but,  as  in 
the  case  of  its  predecessors,  "  terror  had 
dissipated  the  corps,  and  but  few  of  the 
men.  could  be  rallied  by  their  officers 
and  brought  to  the  attack,"^ 

'  Gen.  Hall  to  Gov.  Tompkins,  Jan.  6  ;  Gen.  Rial  to  Gen. 
Drummond,  Jan.  1. — '  Gen.  Hall  to  Gov.  Tompkins, 
Jan.  6. — '  Ibid. ;  James,  ii.  p.  22. 


Chap.  LXXI.] 


THE  BATTLE  AT  ECCANACHACA. 


317 


Thus  deserted  by  tlie  greater  part  of 
his  force,  and  with  the  Ontario  militia 
alone  to  oppose  the  progress  of  the 
enemy,  General  Hall  was  compelled  to 
fall  back,  and  every  subsequent  at- 
tempt to  rally  the  troops  was  ineffec- 
tual ;  ^  while  to  the  enemy  were  aban- 
doned the  villages  of  Black  Rock  and 
Buffalo,  which  shared  the  fate  of  Lewis- 
ton,  Youngstown,  and  that  portion  of 
the  frontier  which  were  first  visited.^ 
In  fact,  so  completely  was  the  work  of 
desolation  carried  on,  that  in  Buffalo 
the  only  buildings  which  remained 
standing  were  the  jail  (a  stone  build- 
ing), and  a  frame  dwelling,  owned  by  a 
widow  St.  John,  "  who  had  the  address 
to  appease  the  ferocity  of  the  enemy  so 
far  as  to  remain  in  her  house  unin- 
jured;" while  in  Black  Rock,  all  ex- 
cept one — a  log-house,  in  which  some 
women  and  children  had  taken  refus^e — 
were  either  burned  or  blown  up.^  At 
the  same  time,  the  Ariel^  Little  Belt^ 


Chippewa^  and  Trippe^ — the  prizes  and 
their  victors, — also  fell  into  the  enemy's 
hands,  and  shared  the  common  fate.^ 

During  this  invasion  the  most  re- 
fined barbarities  were  practised  on 
the  inhabitants,  both  by  the  soldiery 
and  the  Indians ;  ^  and  no  mercy,  ex- 
cept to  the  widow  St.  John,  and  the 
occupants  of  the  log-house  at  Black 
Rock,  appears  to  have  been  shown  to 
any  one.^  The  loss  of  the  Americans, 
in  the  defence  of  Buffalo  and  Black 
Rock,  is  not  known,  but  over  fifty  dead 
were  afterwards  picked  up  and  buried  ;* 
that  of  the  enemy  was  reported  to  have 
been  thirty-one  men  Mlled  '  Lieutenant- 
colonel  Ogilvie,  Captains  Fawcett  and 
Scroos,   Lieutenant  Young,   and    sixty- 

and    nine    men 

5 


eight    men    wounded  ' 


'missing: 


[Note.— Gen.  McClure"s  Report  to  the  Sec.  of  War,  and  Lieut.-CoI. 
Murray's  to  Gen.  Drummond.  concerning  Forts  George  and  Niagara, 
and  the  destruction  of  tlie  lower  villages;  and  Gen.  llall's  Eepurt  to 
Gov.  Tomplvins,  and  Gen.  EiaPs  to  Gen.  Drntnmond,  concerning  the 
action  at  Black  Roeli  and  the  destruction  of  the  npper  villages,  have 
been  omitted  by  the  Publishers  for  want  of  room.] 


CHAPTER     LXXI 


December  23,  1§13. 

THE      BATTLE      AT      ECCANACHACA, 


While  the  Creeks  of  the  Coosa  and 
Tallapoosa  were  encountering  the  arms 
of  Tennessee  and  Georgia,  under  Gen- 
erals Jackson  and  Floyd,  those  of  the 


•  "  TAe  War,"  ii.  p.  130;  "General  Orders,"  signed 
"Edw.  Batne,  AdJ.-Gen.,"  Jan.  8,  1814  ;  Gen.  Hall  to 
Gov.  Tompkins,  Jan.  6  ;  Gen.  Kial  to  Gen.  Drummond, 
Jan.  1.—^  G'en.  Hall  to  Gov.  Tompkins,  Jan.  6;  Gen. 
Rial  to  Gen.  Drummond,  Jan.  1  ;  ''The  War,"  ii.  p.  130 ; 
James,  ii.  p.  22.—'  "The  War,"  ii.- p.  130;  "General  Or- 
ders," signed  "Edw.  Batne,  AdJ.-Gen.,"  Jtm.  8,  1814; 
Anthony  Lamb  to  Gov.  Tompkins,  Jan.  20. 


Southwest,  under  General  Ferdinand 
L.  Claiborne,  approached  the  enemy's 
country  which  laid  in  the  vicinity  of 

'  "The  War,"  ii.  p.  130;  "General  Orders,"  signed 
"Edw.  Bayne,  Adj.-Gen.,"  Jan.  8,  1814  ;  Anthony  Lamb 
to  Gov.  Tompkins,  Jan.  20.  Mr.  James  {Mil.  Occur.,  ii. 
p.  22)  alludes  oidy  to  the  three  vessels  last  named. 

'  "The  War,"  ii.  p.  123  ;  The  Argus,  Albany,  Jan.  21, 
1814;  Anthony  Lamb  to  Gov.  Tompkins,  Jan.  20. 

'  Gen.  McClure  to  Sec.  of  War,  Dec.  22,  1813  ;  Letter 
from  Le  Roy,  Jan.  6 ;  Appeal  to  the  Benevolent,  Jan.  8, 
1814.—*  Gen.  Hall  to  Gov.  Tompkins,  Jan.  13. 

'  Returns  appended  to  Gen.  Rial's  Dispatch, 


318 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  H. 


the  Alabama,  where  Weatherford — the 
commander  of  those  who  carried  Fort 
Mimms  and  massacred  its  garrison — 
had  taken  up  a  position  at  Eccanachaca, 
or  the  Holy  Ground,  on  the  bank  of 
that  river.^ 

After  a  perilous  march  through  an 
almost  unbroken  forest  of  upwards  of  a 
hundred  miles  in  extent,  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  twenty-third  of  December 
the  expedition  approached  the  town, 
and  a  disposition  was  made  for  the  at- 
tack. The  troops  were  disposed  in 
three  columns,  with  Lester's  guards  and 
Wells'  troop  of  dragoons  to  act  as  a 
reserve.  The  right  column  was  com- 
posed of  twelve-months'  volunteers,  un- 
der Colonel  Joseph  Carson  ;  the  centre, 
of  a  detachment  from  the  Third  regi- 
ment of  United  States  infantry  and  of 
mounted  militia  riflemen,  under  Lieu- 
tenant-colonel Russell;  and  the  left,  of 
militia  and  a  party  of  Choctaws,  under 
Major  Smoot.^ 

The  position  which  the  enemy  occu- 
pied was  nearly  surrounded  by  swamps 
and  deep  ravines,  w^hich  rendered  the 
approach  of  the  troops  very  difficult ; 
and  at  the  same  time  they  facilitated 
the  escape  of  those  by  whom  the  posi- 
tion was  occupied.  Large  quantities  of 
provisions,  and  property  of  great  value 

>  Claiborne's  Notes,  p.  36  ;  Goodwin's  Jackson,  p.  68. 
"  Gen.  Claiborne  to  Sec.  of  War,  Jan.  1,  1814. 


had  been  collected  there  ;  and  the  idea 
of  the  sacred  character  of  the  ground, 
with  which  this  spot,  like  Autossee,  was 
supposed  to  have  been  invested,  and 
the  consequent  inability  of  the  pale- 
faces to  take  possession  of  it,  caused  its 
defenders  to  resist  the  assailants  with 
great  energy  and  determination.^ 

With  the  utmost  coolness  the  three 
columns  took  up  their  line  of  march ; 
and  at  about  noon  that  on  the  riofht 
came  within  sight  of  the  enemy,  by 
whom  it  was  attacked  with  great  reso- 
lution. The  volunteers  sustained  the 
attack  with  so  much  spirit,  that  before 
the  centre  and  left  could,  generally, 
unite  in  the  charge,  the  power  of  the 
enemy  had  been  broken,  and  he  had 
sought  refuge  in  a  precipitate  flight.*^ 

The  town,  embracing  two  hundred 
houses,  and  the  property  which  it  con- 
tained, were  committed  to  the  flames; 
and  on  the  following  day  another  vil- 
lage, not  far  distant,  shared  the  same 
fate.« 

In  this  engagement  thirty  Indians 
were  hilled  i  while  of  the  assailants  one 
was  hilled^  and  six  were  wounded.^ 


[Note. — The  Dispatch  of  Gen.  Claiborne  to  the  Secretary  of  War 
has  been  omitted  by  the  Publishers  for  want  of  room.] 


'  Gen.  Claiborne  to  Sec.  of  War,  Jan.  1,  1814  ;  Good- 
win's Jackson,  p.  68  ;  Perkins,  p.  206. — '  Gen.  Claiborne 
to  Sec.  of  War,  Jan.  1. — -'  Ibid.;  Goodwin's  Jackson,  p. 
68. — *  Gen.  Claiborne  to  Sec.  of  War,  Jan.  1 ;  Brecken- 
ridge,  p.  220. 


CHAPTEK    LXXII 


January  22,  1§14. 

THE      BATTLES      OF      EMUCKFAU. 


The  Tennessean  volunteers  command- 
ed hj  General  Jackson,  having  claimed 
their  discharge  and  abandoned  the  ser- 
vice ;^  and  another  body,  to  take  the 
places  of  the  former,  having  gradually 
assembled  at  head-quarters,  prepara- 
tions were  made  to  renew  the  opera- 
tions against  the  eneray,^ 

Accordingly,  on  the  fifteenth  of  Jan- 
uary, 1814,  the  mounted  troops  com- 
menced their  march  from  Fort  Strother 
into  the  enemy's  country;  and  on  the 
following  day  the  remainder  of  the 
force  followed — the  whole  numberinof 
nine  hundred  and  thirty  effective  men.^ 
The  bad  effects  of  keeping  the  troops 
without  employment,  added  to  a  threat- 
ened attack  on  Fort  Armstrong,  by  the 
Indians,  led  the  General  to  delay  his 
march  as  little  as  possible ;  and  on  the 
eighteenth  he  encamped  at  Talladega, 
where  he  was  joined  by  a  party  of 
friendly  Indians — two  or  three  hundred 
in  number — under  Jim  Fife.*  Pressing 
forward  as  rapidly  as  possible  towards 
the  Tallapoosa — on  which,  near  the 
mouth  of  the  Emuckfau  Creek,  the 
enemy  had  assembled  in  great  numbers 


'  Perkins'  Hist,  of  War,  pp.  206-208  ;  Eaton's  Jackson, 
pp.  78-124.— 2  Eaton,  pp.  124-132  ;  McAfee,  p.  473. 

'  Gen.  Jackson's  Dispatch  to  Gen.  Pinckne}',  Jan.  29, 
1814  ;  McAfee,  p.  473. — *  Gen.  Jackson  to  Gen  Pinckney, 
Jan.  29 ;  Eaton,  p.  132 ;  Drake's  Book  of  Indians,  Bk. 
iv.,  p.  58. 


— on  the  evenino;  of  the  twentieth  he 
encamped  at  Enotochopco,  about  twelve 
miles  from  Emuckfau;  marching  from 
thence,  on  the  following  morning,  to- 
wards the  latter  place ;  and  towards 
evenins:,  havinsr  struck  a  larofe  trail,  he 
encamped  for  the  night  and  proceeded 
to  reconnoitre.^  Posting  his  troops  in 
a  hollow  square,  he  sent  out  his  pickets 
and  spies,  doubled  his  sentinels,  and 
made  every  preparation  for  a  proper 
reception  of  the  enemy  in  case  of  an 
attack,  which,  from  the  reports  of  his 
spies,  appeared  to  be  intended;  and  in 
this  order  he  awaited  the  attack  and 
the  approach  of  day.*^ 

At  six  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the 
twenty-second,  the  enemy  suddenlj^,  and 
with  great  fury,  fell  on  the  left  flank 
of  the  encampment,  where  Colonel  Hig- 
gins  was  posted ;  and,  as  the  troops 
who  were  stationed  there,  maintained 
their  position  with  great  resolution,  un- 
der the  direction  of  General  Coffee,  and 
Colonels  Sittler  and  Carroll,  the  assail- 
ants made  but  little  progress.  For  half 
an  hour  they  were  amused  and  held  in 
check  by  the  Tennesseans,  but  when 
daylight  afforded  an  opportunity  to 
pursue   them   advantageously,  the  left 


'  Gen.  Jackson  to  Gen.  Pinckney,  Jan.  29  ;  Perkins,  p. 
208  ;  McAfee,  pp.  473,  474.—"  Gen.  Jackson  to  Gen. 
Pinckney,  Jan.  29;  Eaton,  p.  134;  Drake,  Bk.  iv.,  p.  59 


320 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  .  II. 


wino"  was  streugthened  with  Captain 
Ferrill's  company  of  infantry,  and,  un- 
der the  direction  of  General  Coffee,  it 
charged  and  repulsed  them  on  every 
side ;  and  the  friendly  Indians  joining 
in  the  pursuit,  they  were  chased  about 
two  miles,  suffering  severely  as  they  fled.^ 

Immediately  afterwards  General  Cof- 
fee, with  the  friendly  Indians  and  four 
hundred  men,  was  sent  to  destroy  the 
enemy's  encampment  on  the  Emuckfau  ;• 
but  it  was  found  to  be  too  strong,  and 
he  returned  to  the  camp  for  the  purpose 
of  guarding  the  artillery  on  its  march  to 
his  assistance.  While  he  was  still  there, 
however,  a  strong  body  of  savages  fell 
on  the  right  of  the  encampment;  and 
he  solicited  and  obtained  permission  to 
move  to  the  support  of  that  portion 
of  the  lines  with  two  hundred  men, 
and  with  them  to  fall  on  the  enemy's 
left  flank,  while  the  friendly  Indians 
should,  simultaneously,  fall  on  his  right. 
In  consequence  of  some  mistake,  how- 
ever, he  took  with  him  only  fifty-four 
men ;  and  with  these  he  gallantly  at- 
tacked the  enemy,  and  kept  him  in 
check,  while  General  Jackson,  whose 
good  judgment  led  him  to  suppose  this 
attack  was  but  a  feint  to  divert  his 
attention  from  another  and  heavier  as- 
sault, wisely  oi'dered  the  remainder  of 
his  troops  to  remain  at  their  respective 
posts  ready  for  instantaneous  action.*^ 

The  prudence  of  this  step  was  soon 
apparent ;  as,  simultaneously  with  Gen- 
eral Coffee's  attack  on  the  savages  on 
the  right  of  the  encampment,  the  main 


'  Gen.  Jackson  to  Gen.  Pinckney,  Jan.  29,  1814  ;  Eaton, 
pp.  134,  135  ;  Claiborne's  Notes,  p.  38. — '  Gen.  Jackson 
to  Gen.  Pinckney,  Jan.  29,  1814 ;  Eaton,  pp.  185,  136  ; 
Perkins,  p.  209  ;  McAfee,  p.  474. 


body  of  the  enemy,  with  great  vigor, 
renewed  its  attack  on  the  left  flank, 
from  whence,  a  short  time  before,  he 
had  been  driven.  With  the  discharge 
of  the  first  gun  in  that  quarter,  how- 
ever, General  Jackson  led  in  person,  to 
the  support  of  the  troops — who  were 
already  fatigued  by  their  participation 
in  the  action  in  the  morning — the  same 
company  {Cajptain  FerriWb')  which  had 
before  supported  them,  and  participated 
with  them  in  their  first  triumph ;  and 
thus  united  with  their  former  associates 
and  under  the  eye  ortheir  commanding 
general,  they  again  moved  to  meet  their 
enemy.  After  two  or  three  volleys, 
they  resorted  again  to  the  bayonet; 
and  dashed  forward  against  their  assail- 
ants with  spirit  and  success.  In  the 
language  of  the  General,  "  the  effect 
was  immediate  and  inevitable."  The 
assailants  fled  with  precipitation,  and 
was  pursued  to  a  considerable  distance 
by  the  left  flank ;  while  the  friendly 
Indians,  forsaking  their  post  on  the 
right  flank,  fell  in  the  pursuit  and  har- 
assed the  fugitives  with  a  galling  and 
destructive  fire.'^ 

In  the  mean  time  General  Coffee  was 
gallantly  struggling,  with  the  fifty-four 
men  of  his  command,  against  the  assail- 
ants on  the  right  of  the  encampment ; 
and  since  the  fi-iendly  Indians,  who  had 
been  ordered  to  co-operate  with  him, 
had  preferred  the  more  exciting  scenes 
of  the  chase,  on  the  opposite  flank,  and 
had  forsaken  him,  his  situation  was  at 
once  critical  and  important.  Accord- 
ingly Jim  Fife,  with   one  hundred  of 


'  Gen.  Jackson  to  Gen.  Pinckney,  Jan.  29, 1814  ;  Eaton, 
pp.  136, 137 ;  Perkins,  pp.  209,  210  ;  Drake,  Bk.  iv.,  p.  59. 


Chap.  LXXIII.] 


THE  BATITLE  OF  ENOTOCHOPCO. 


321 


his  warriors,  wlieii  lie  had  returned 
fi'om  the  pursuit,  was  ordered  a  second 
time  to  fall  on  the  enemy's  right  flank, 
which  was  promptly  and  gallantly  exe- 
cuted ;  and  at  the  same  time  General 
Coifee,  with  his  little  party,  charged  on 
the  left  flank  with  equal  spirit  and 
efi*ect.  Dispirited  by  the  retreat  of  his 
main  body,  and  unable  to  continue  the 
contest  against  the  simultaneous  attacks 
on  both  his  flanks,  the  enemy  at  length 
gave  way,  and  retreated  precipitately 
in  every  direction,  suffering,  from  the 
same  hands    as  before,  another  heavy 


loss.  It  was  not,  however,  without  cost 
that  this  victory  was  gained,  as  General 
Coffee  was  severely  wounded,  and  Col- 
onel A.  Donaldson,  his  aid,  was  killed.^ 
Without  renewing  his  attempt  to 
destroy  the  enemy's  encampment  at 
Emuckfau,  General  Jackson  found  it 
"  necessary "  to  fall  back  on  Fort  Stro- 
ther  on  the  following  day;^  and  the 
enemy,  with  good  reason,  considered 
this  a  victory  for  liis  cause,  hanging  on 
his  rear,  and  harassing  his  retreat.^ 


[Note. — An  extract  from  the  Dispatch  of  Gen.  Jackson  to  Gen. 
Pinckney  has  been  ouiitteil  by  the  Publishers  for  want  of  room.] 


CHAPTER    LXXIII. 

January  21,  I §11. 

THE      BATTLE      OF      ENOTOCHOPCO 


The  repulse  of  the  Indians  at  Emuck- 
fau, and  the  subsequent  retrograde 
movement  of  the  troops  under  General 
Jackson,  have  been  referred  to  in  the 
last  chapter  of  this  work ;  and  the  be- 
lief that  he  had  been  defeated,  which 
the  enemy  reasonably  entertained,  has 
also  been  noticed. 

At  half-past  ten  in  the  morning  of 
the  twenty-third,  the  expedition  com- 
menced its  "return  march"  from  the 
scene  of  its  engagement  on  the  pre- 
ceding day  ;  and  the  General  congratu- 
lated his  superior  officer  that  he  was 
allowed  to  reach  Enotochopco  before 
night,  without  interruption  from  the 
enemy.  Having  fortified  his  camp,  he 
passed  the  night  in  safety ;  and  fearing 
an  attack  at  a  defile,  near  which  he 
crossed  a  large  creek,  while  advancing 
into  the  country,  he  resolved  to  seek 
some    other  and  less   dangerous    cross- 


ing-place   for   his    passage    on    his    re- 
turn.* 

Accordingly,  in  the  morning  of  the 
twenty-fourth,  he  broke  up  his  encamp- 
ment and  moved  off  in  regular  order, 
leading  down  a  handsome  ridge  to  the 
Enotochopco  Creek,  at  a  point  where  it 
was  clear  of  reed,  except  immediately 
on  its  margin.  A  general  order  had 
been  issued,  in  which  the  order  of 
battle  was  designated ;  the  oflacers  had 
been  particularly  cautioned  to  halt  and 
form,  the  instant  the  word  should  be 
given ;  and  every  possible  preparation 
had  been  made  to  guard  not  only  against 
a  surprise,  but  against  any  hostile  move- 
ment which  the  enemy  might  undertake.^ 

1  Gen.  Jackson  to  Gen.  Pinckney,  Jan.  29  ;  Eaton,  pp. 
1.S7,  138 ;  Drake,  Bk.  iv.,  p.  59.—'  Gen.  Jackson  to  Gen. 
Pinckney,  Jan.  29  ;  McAfee,  p.  476.—^  Perkins,  pp.  2]0, 
211  ;  Dvalie,  Bk.  iv.,  p.  59. — ■•  Gen.  Jackson  to  Gen.  Pinck- 
ney, Jan.  29  ;  Drake,  Bk.  iv.,  p.  59. — '  Gen.  Jackson  to  Gen. 
Pinckney,  Jan.  29  ;  Claiborne,  p.  38  ;  Eaton,  pp,  140,  141. 


Vn, .   TT.     41 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


In  tliis  order  the  expedition  ap- 
proached the  creek  and  commenced  its 
passage ;  but  the  advance-guard  and 
part  of  the  flank  columns,  with  the 
wounded,  had  only  crossed,  and  the  ar- 
tillery was  entering  the  stream,  when  an 
alarm-gun  was  heard  in  the  rear,  and  the 
approach  of  the  enemy  was  made  known. 
Having  the  most  perfect  confidence  in 
his  troops.  General  Jackson  heard  the 
signal  without  any  surprise  or  uneasi- 
ness ;  and  he  turned  back  to  direct  the 
operations.  Colonel  Carroll  command- 
ed the  centre  column  of  the  rear-guard. 
Colonel  Perkins  that  on  the  right,  and 
Colonel  Stump  that  on  the  left ;  and 
the  design  was  to  wheel  the  flanking 
columns,  which  had  passed  the  creek,  on 
their  pivots ;  to  recross  the  creek  above 
and  below  the  enemy ;  and  to  fall  on 
his  flanks  and  rear,  while  the  rear-guard 
would  engage  him  in  front.  The  plan 
thus  formed  appeared  to  guarantee  suc- 
cess, and  Colonel  Carroll  ordered  the 
centre  to  halt  and  form  in  order  of 
battle,  in  accordance  with  this  order. 
But  to  the  surprise  of  every  one,  and 
so  far  as  is  now  known,  without  any 
cause,  the  right  and  left  columns  of  the 
rear-guard  suddenly  broke  and  fled  in 
the  greatest  confusion.  Thus  deprived 
of  all  support,  with  its  flanks  exposed 
to  the  assaults  of  the  enemy,  the  greater 
]->art  of  the  centre,  also,  gave  way,  and 
not  more  than  twenty-five  men  rallied 
around  Colonel  Carroll  to  oppose  the 
enemy.  The  company  of  ai'tillery,  un- 
der Lieutenant  Robert  Armstrong,^  and 
the  company  of  spies,  under  Captain 
William  Russell,  soon  afterwards  moved 

'  Since  the  well-known  Consul  of  the  United  States  at 
Liverpool. 


to  their  support ;  and,  with  great  labor, 
and  under  a  heavy  fire,  having  dragged 
a  six-pounder  up  the  slope  from  the 
creek,  they  opened  a  well-directed  and 
destructive  fire  on  the  enemy,  which 
threw  him  into  confusion ;  when  they 
charged  and  repulsed  him.^ 

It  was  during  this  part  of  the  en- 
gagement that  the  gallant  conduct  of 
Coustantine  Perkins  and  Craven  Jack- 
son, two  privates  in  the  artillery,  acting 
as  gunners,  was  signally  displayed,  and 
secured  the  victory.  "  In  the  hurry  of 
the  moment,  in  separating  the  gun  from 
the  limber,  the  rammer  and  picker  of 
the  cannon  were  left  tied  to  the  limber. 
No  sooner  was  this  discovered,  than 
Jackson,  amidst  the  galling  fire  of  the 
enemy,  pulled  out  the  ramrod  of  his 
musket,  and  used  it  as  a  picker ;  primed 
with  a  cartridge,  and  fired  the  cannon. 
Perkins  having  pulled  off  his  bayonet, 
using  his  musket  as  a  rammer,  drove 
down  the  carti-idge ;  and  Jackson,  using 
his  former  plan,  again  discharged  her,"^ 

The  loss  of  the  enemy  in  this  engage- 
ment was  very  heavy,  twenty-six  of  his 
warriors  having  been  picked  up — a  frac- 
tion only  of  those  who  fell.^  The  loss 
of  the  Americans  has  not  been  recorded. 

The  expedition  then  continued  on  its 
march,  and  reached  Fort  Strother  with- 
out farther  interruption.* 


[Note, — An  extract  from  the  Dispatch  of  Gen.  Jacl^son  to  Gen. 
Pinckney  has  been  omitted  by  the  Publishers  for  want  of  room.] 


>  Gen.  Jackson  to  Gen.  Pinckney,  Jan.  29 ;  Claiborne, 
pp.  38,  39  ;  Drake,  Bk.  iv.,  p.  59  ;  Eaton,  pp.  141-144. 

'  Gen.  Jackson  to  Gen.  Pinckney,  Jan.  29  ;  Claiborne, 
p.  39. — 5  Gen.  Jackson  to  Gen.  Pinckney,  Jan.  29.  Mr. 
Drake  (Book  of  Indians,  Bk.  iv. ,  p.  60)  has  erroneously 
stated  that  the  Indians  lost,  "  w  this  battle,"  189  warriors. 
This  was  the  number  which  fell  "in  these  several  engage- 
ments,"— those  at  Emuckfau  as  well  as  this, — and  not 
in  this  alone. — *  Claiborne,  p.  39. 


i 


CHAPTER     LXXIV. 


January  27,  l§t4.' 

THE      BATTLE      AT      CHALIBBEE.^ 


While  General  Jackson,  with  tlie 
Tennesseans,  was  actively  engaged  with, 
the  Indians  in  one  part  of  the  enemy's 
country,  General  Floyd,  with  the  Geor- 
gians, continued  to  harass  him  on  the 
Chatahoochie. 

In  the  prosecution  of  his  designs,  in 
the  latter  part  of  January,  1814,  he  en- 
camped about  fifty  miles  west  from  the 
Chatahoochie  ;  where  the  enemy  made 
all  necessary  preparations  to  attack 
him.  Accordingly  at  twenty  minutes 
past  five,  in  the  morning  of  the  twenty- 
seventh  of  January,  1814,  a  very  large 
body  of  Indians  stole  upon  the  camp, 
shot  the  sentinels,  and  with  great  fury 
rushed  upon  the  lines — attacking,  simul- 
taneously, the  front  and  both  flanks, 
and  pressing  on  them  with  the  most 
resolute  determination.  In  front,  the 
artillery  under  Captain  Jett  Thomas, 
the  riflemen  under  Captain  William  E. 
Adams,  and  a  picket  under  Captain 
Robert  Broadnax,  with  great  gallantry 
and  severe  loss,  stemmed  the  current  of 
the  enemy,  notwithstanding  he  rushed 
within  thirty  yards  of  the  artillery;  and, 
on  either  flank,  the  battle  also  raged 
furiously,    while    the    darkness    of  the 


I  Mr.  Perkins  {Hist,  of  War.  p.  204)  supposes  this  action 
was  fought  on  the  second  of  January. 

'This  is  sometimes  known  as  "  The  Attack  on  Camp 
Defiance."  I  have  adopted  the  name  given  in  the 
official  documents. 


morning,  rendered  still  more  dark  by 
the  forest  of  heavy  pines  in  which  the 
camp  was  situated,^  added  terror  to  the 
hideous  yells  with  which  the  assailants 
filled  the  air.^ 

When  daylight  relieved  the  scene  of 
the  greater  part  of  its  terrors,  by  re- 
vealing the  situation  and  movements  of 
the  enemy,  the  right  wing  of  the  forces, 
embracing  the  battalions  commanded 
by  Majors  Booth  and  Cleveland,  sup- 
ported by  those  commanded  by  Mnjors 
Watson  and  Freeman,  and  a  troop  of 
cavalry  under  Captain  Duke  Hamilton, 
was  ordered  to  charge  on  the  enemy. 
This  order  was  promptly  obeyed  ;  and, 
with  but  very  little  resistance,  the  ene- 
my fled  in  every  direction  before  the 
bayonets  of  the  infantry.  At  this  mo- 
ment the  cavalry  was  directed  to  join 
in  the  pursuit ;  and  the  friendly  In- 
dians, with  Meriweather's  and  Ford's 
companies  of  riflemen,  accompanying 
the  troopers,  a  heavy  loss  was  inflicted 
on  the  fugitives,  thirty-seven  of  whom 
were  left  dead  on  the  field,  besides 
those  who  were  carried  away.^ 

The  loss  of  the  Georgians  was  seven- 


'  White's  Historical  Collections  of  Georgia,  p.  291. 

»  Gen.  Floyd  to  Gen.  Pinckney,  Jan.  27,  1814  ;  Clai- 
horne's  Notes,  pp.  36,  37  ;  Perkins'  History  of  War,  pp. 
204,  205. 

*  Gen.  Floyd  to  Gen.  Pinckney,  Jan.  27  ;  Claihorne's 
Notes,  pp.  36,  37. 


324 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


teen  hilled  and  one  hundred  and  thirty- 
two  vmunded  j  that  of  the  fj-iendly 
Indians  was  five  Tcilled  and  fifteen 
%DOunded} 

Within  a  few  days  after  this  action, 
the  term  for  which  the  troops  had  been 


raised  expired,  and  the  several  compa- 
nies were  honorably  discharged;^  and 
no  expedition  was  afterwards  organized 
in  Georgia  against  the  Creeks.^ 


[Note.— The  Dispatch  of  Gen.  Floyd  to  Gen.  Pinckney  has  been 
omitted  by  the  Publishers  for  want  of  room.] 


CHAPTER     LXXV. 

March  4,  l§lfl. 

THE      ACTION      AT     L  O  N  G  W  0  O  D,  U.  C. 


During  the  winter  of  1813-14,  no 
movement  of  importance  was  organized 
in  tlie  Northwest ;  and  each  of  the 
great  contending  parties  contented  it- 
self with  an  occasional  minor  operation 
against  some  outpost  of  its  opponent.^ 

One  of  these  was  planned  in  February, 
1814,  by  Lieutenant-colonel  Butler,  who 
commanded  at  Detroit,  in  the  absence  of 
General  Lewis  Cass ;  and  he  intrusted 
its  execution  to  Captain  Holmes  of  the 
Twenty-fourth  regiment.  Its  object  was 
to  attack  Fort  Talbot,  a  British  outpost 
about  one  hundred  miles  down  Lake 
Erie ;  and  for  this  purpose  a  small 
party  of  artillerists,  with  two  six-pound- 
ers, small  detachments  from  the  Twen- 
ty-fourth and  Twenty-eighth  regiments 
of  infantry,  a  company  of  Rangers  un- 
der Captain  McCormick,  and  a  troop  of 
militia  dragoons,  in  all  about  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  men,  were  detached,  and 
left  Detroit  on  the  twenty-first  of  Feb- 
I'uary.^ 


1  Retuins  appended  to  Gen.  Floyd's  Report,  signed 
"Charles  Williamson,  Hospital-surgeon." — '  McAfee,  pp. 
410,  411;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  ii.  p.  75.—'  Lieut.-Col. 
Butler  to  Gen.  Harrison,  March  7  ;  James,  ii.  p.  76  ;  Breck- 
enridge,  p.  235 ;  Armstrong's  Notices,  ii.  p.  67. 


Unexpected  difiiculties  on  his  line  of 
march  preventing  the  passage  of  his 
field-pieces.  Captain  Holmes  determined 
to  change  his  coui'se,  for  the  purpose  of 
breaking  up  a  British  outpost  which 
had  been  erected  at  Delaware  on  the 
River  Thames ;  and,  on  the  3d  of  March, 
while  still  approaching  that  place,  he 
learned  that  its  garrison  was  ascending 
the  river  and  would,  probably,  meet 
him  within  an  hour.  His  force  being 
much  smaller  than  that  which  his  op- 
ponent was  reported  to  have  under  his 
command,  Captain  Llolines  resolved  to 
leave  Captain  Gill,  with  twenty  Ran- 
gers, to  cover  his  rear,  and,  with  his 
main  body,  to  fall  back  to  Twenty-mile 
Creek,  five  miles  in  his  rear,  on  the 
western  bank  of  which  was  a  good  po- 
sition for  defence.  Accordingly  he  ret- 
rograded ;  and,  as  the  enemy  pursued 
him,  the  night  of  the  third  was  spent, 
by  both  parties,  on  the  banks  of  that 
stream — the  Americans  on  the  westei-n 
and  the  British  on  its  eastern  mai-gin.^ 

'  White's  Hist.  Coll.  of  Georgia,  p.  292.—'  Claiborne's 
Notes,  p.  37.—'  Capt.  Holmes  to  Lieut.-Col.  Butler,  March 
10,  1814;  James,  ii.  p.  76;  Breckenridge,  p.  235;  Mc- 
Afee, p.  412. 


Chap.  LXXV.] 


THE  ACTION  AT  LONGWOOD,  U.  C. 


325 


At  this  place  the  Twenty-mile  Creek 
nms  a  southerly  course,  through  a 
deep  and  wide  ravine ;  and,  of  course, 
it  became  necessary,  before  the  enemy 
could  attack  the  position  which  Captain 
Holmes  occupied,  that  he  should  de- 
scend into  the  ravine  and  then  ascend 
the  western  bank — an  operation  which 
would  involve  much  dano-er  in  the  ex- 
periment.-^ 

After  passing  the  night  without  any 
interruption,  at  sunrise  on  the  fourth. 
Captain  Holmes  discovered  a  very  small 
party  of  the  enemy,  on  the  opposite 
bank ;  and,  soon  afterwards,  after  firing 
several  times,  it  disappeared.  After 
waiting  some  time  for  its  reappearance. 
Lieutenant  Knox,  of  the  Rangers,  was 
sent  to  reconnoitre ;  and,  on  his  return, 
reported  that  the  enemy  had  retreated, 
apparently,  with  the  utmost  precipita- 
tion ;  that  his  baggage,  &c.,  were  scat- 
tered along  his  route,  where  it  had  been 
thrown  in  his  haste  to  escape  ;  and  that, 
from  his  fires  and  his  trail,  he  did  not 
appear  to  have  had  more  than  seventy 
men.  Mortified  with  the  reflection  that 
he  had  retreated  before  so  weak  an 
enemy,  and  without  even  thinking  that 
this  might  be  a  stratagem,  by  means  of 
which  he  could  be  drawn  from  his  posi- 
tion, and  be  placed  on  ground  which 
was  more  assailable.  Captain  Holmes 
"  instantly  commenced  the  pursuit,  with 
the  design  of  attacking  Delaware  before 
the  opening  of  another  day."  He  had 
not  proceeded  more  than  five  miles, 
however,  before  Captain  Lee,  who  com- 
manded   his    advance,    discovered    the 

'  Capt.  Holmes  to  Lieut.-Col.  Butler,  March  10  ;  James, 
ii.  p.  76. 


enemy  arranging  himself  for  battle ; 
and  the  secret,  at  once,  flashed  across 
his  mind,  that  he  had  committed  a  rash 
and,  probal)ly,  a  fatal  ei-ror.  As  rapid- 
ly as  possible,  however,  the  Captain 
retrograded,  and  assumed  his  former 
position  on  the  western  bank  of  the 
creek ;  strengthening  it,  as  much  as 
possible,  with  a  breastwork  of  logs, 
faced  with  brush.  Taking  into  consid- 
eration the  character  of  his  troops,  and 
desiring  to  "prevent  the  necessity  of 
evolutions  which  he  knew  all  his  men 
were  incompetent  to  perform  in  action," 
Captain  Holmes  adopted  the  order  of 
the  hollow  square- — -the  detachments 
from  the  Twenty-fourth  and  Twenty- 
eighth  occupying  the  brow  of  the 
heights,  fronting  the  east ;  that  from 
the  garrison  of  Detroit  (Captain  Gill's 
command),  on  the  north  front ;  the 
Rangers,  on  the  west ;  the  militia,  on 
the  south  ;  and  the  horses  and  baggage, 
in  the  centre.^ 

When  the  enemy  perceived  that  his 
pursuers  had  returned  to  the  position 
from  which  they  had  just  been  drawn, 
he,  in  his  turn,  became  the  pursuer,  and 
prepared  to  cross  the  creek  and  attack 
the  Americans  within  their  lines.  For 
this  purpose  he  threw  his  militia  and 
Indians  across  the  creek,  above  the  en- 
campment ;  and  with  them  he  invested 
its  northern,  western,  and  southern 
fronts ;  while,  at  the  same  time,  his 
regular  troops  pushed  over  the  bridge, 
and  charged  up  the  heights  in  front  of 
the  American  lines,  in  the  face  of  a  ter- 


'  Capt.  Holmes  to  Lieut.-Col.  Butler,  March  10 ;  Auchin- 
leck,  p.  278  ;  Breckenridge,  pp.  235,  236  ;  Armstrong,  ii. 
pp.  69,  70. 


326 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


ribly  destructive  fire.  Notwitlistaucliug 
tlie  American  regulars — who  occupied 
the  eastern  front,  and  opposed  those  of 
the  enemy — were  entirely  uncovered, 
through  the  good  management  of  their 
commander  (in  ordering  them  to  kneel 
for  the  purpose  of  concealing  the  great- 
er part  of  their  bodies)  they  suffered 
but  little  loss  from  the  enemy ;  while 
their  fire  was  exceedingly  severe,  cut- 
ting down  the  whole  of  his  front  sec- 
tion, and  greatly  thinning  those  which 
followed.  At  length,  dispirited  with 
his  loss,  and  scarcely  hoping  for  success, 
the  enemy's  regular  troops  abandoned 
their  position  on  the  eastern  front  of 
the  American  lines ;  and,  in  open  order, 
they  took  cover  in  the  adjacent  woods, 
and  continued  a  desultory  fire  with  con- 
siderable spirit  until  late  in  the  after- 
noon.'^ 

In  the  mean  time,  sheltered  behind 
their  log  breastworks,  the  Americans  on 
the  northern,  western,  and  southern 
fronts  sustained  the  fii-e  of  their  assail- 
ants without  confusion,  and  returned  it 
with  spirit  and  effect.  Their  muskets 
and  rifles,  aimed  at  leisure,  generally 
sent  the  balls  with  unerring  aim ;  and 
on  these  fronts,  as  on  the  eastern,  vic- 
tory perched  on  the  banners  of  the 
Americans,  notwithstanding  the  activity 
which  characterized  the  assailants  on 
those  fronts.^ 

At  length,  about  sunset,  after  an  en- 


'  Capt.  Holmes  to  Lieut. -Col.  Butler,  March  10  ;  James, 
ii.  pp.  76,  77  ;  Bieckemidge,  p.  236  ;  ArmstioDg,  ii.  pp. 
70,  71 ;  McAfee,  p.  413  ;  Thomson's  Sketches,  pp.  271,  272. 

^  Capt.  Holmes  to  Lieut. -Col.  Butler,  March  10  ;  James, 
ii.  p.  77  ;  Breckenridge,  p.  236  ;  McAfee,  pp.  413,  414. 


gagement  of  over  an  hour,  the  several 
bodies  of  the  enemy,  apparently  "in 
concert,  and  favored  by  the  shades  of 
twilight,  commenced  a  general  retreat," 
in  which,  from  proper  considerations, 
he  received  no  interruption.^ 

The  effective  force  of  the  Americans 
in  this  severe  engagement  was  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty,  of  whom  seventy  were 
militia;^  that  of  the  enemy  embraced 
the  two  flank  companies  of  the  Royal 
Scots,  the  light-company  of  the  Eighty- 
ninth  regiment,  and  detachments  from 
the  Rangers  and  the  Kent  militia,  with 
a  large  body  of  Indians,  being,  in  the 
aggregate,  not  less  than  three  hundred 
men,  of  whom  from  one  hundred  and 
fifty  to  one  hundred  and  eighty  were 
regulars.^  The  loss  of  the  Americans, 
killed  and  wounded,  was  a  sergeant  and 
six  privates.;^  that  of  the  enemy,  in- 
cluding his  killed,  wounded,  and  prison- 
ers, was  about  seventy,^  exclusive  of 
that  of  his  Indian  allies. 


[Note. — The  Dispatch  of  Capt.  Holmes  to  Lieut.-Col.  Butler,  and 
General  Orders  from  British  Aiij.-Gen.'s  oifice,  have  been  omitted  by 
the  Publishers  for  want  of  room.] 


1  Capt.  Holmes  to  Lieut.-Col.  Butler,  March  10  ;  James, 
ii.  p.  77  ;  "General  Orders,  Quebec,  March  18,"  signed 
"E  Batne,  Adj. -Gen." — '  Capt.  Holmes  to  Lieut.-Col. 
Butler,  March  10  ;  Lieut.-Col.  Butler  to  Gen.  Harrison, 
March  7  ;  Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  272. — '  Capt.  Holmes 
to  Lieut.-Col.  Butler,  March  10  ;  McAfee,  p.  412  ;  "  Gen- 
eral Orders,  Quebec,  March  18,"  signed  "  E.  Bayne,  Adj.- 
Oen."—*  Capt.  Holmes  to  Lieut.-Col.  Butler,  March  10. 

^  The  Natioiml  Intelligencer,  cited  by  Mr.  Niles  {Register, 
vi.  p.  69),  says  it  was  "  upwards  of  70  ;"  the  Returns, 
appended  to  the  "General  Orders,"  March  18,  "at  sixly- 
seven,  killed,  wounded,  and  missing  ; "  Lieut.-Col.  Butler 
(Letter  to  Gen.  Harrison,  March  7)  says  it  was  "about  80  ; " 
Capt.  Holmes  (Report  to- Lieut.-Col.  Butler),  "between  80 
and  90;"  Mr.  Christie  (3Iil.  and  Nav.  Operations,  p.  179) 
says  seventy -two  were  killed  and  wounded. 


CHAPTER    LXXYI 


March  27,  1814. 

THE  BATTLE  OF  TOHOPAKA,  OR  THE   HORSE-SHOE  BEND. 


The  expedition  to  the  Tallapoosa, 
under  General  Jackson,  the  actions  at 
Emuckfau  and  at  Enotochopco,  and  the 
return  of  the  General  and  his  command 
to  the  Coosa,  under  strong  appearances 
of  defeat,  have  been  noticed  in  prece- 
ding chapters  of  this  volume;^  and, 
with  the  stern  severity  of  his  character, 
he  determined  to  exterminate  the  sav- 
ages with  whom  he  had  been  engaged. 
Brooding  over  this  bloody  determina- 
tion, during  the  succeeding  two  months 
he  received  large  reinforcements,  and 
in  the  middle  of  March  he  found  him- 
self in  a  condition  to  carry  it  into  exe- 
cution.^ 

Accordingly,  on  the  fourteenth  of 
March  he  moved  from  head-quarters ; 
and  seven  days  afterwards  he  reached 
the  mouth  of  Cedar  Creek,  where  he 
established  a  post,  calling  it  Fort  Wil- 
liams.^ On  the  twenty-fourth,  taking 
with  him  eight  days'  provisions,  he  left 
that  post  for  the  Tallapoosa,  with  a 
force  of  about  three  thousand  eifective 
men,  besides  a  body  of  Indians;*  and, 
at  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning  of  the 
twenty-seventh,  he  reached  the  Indian 
village  of  Tohopaka,  near  Emuckfau,  at 
the   Great,  or  Horse-shoe  Bend  of  the 

■  Chaps.  LXVL,  LXXII.,  LXXIII.— '  McAfee,  p.  479  ; 
Eaton,  p.  1.57. — '  Gen.  Jackson  to  Gov.  Blount,  March  31 ; 
Perkins,  p.  211. — *  Gen.  Jackson  to  Gov.  Blount,  March 
31 ;  Col.  Morgan  to  same,  April  1 ;  Eaton,  p.  158. 


Tallapoosa — about  three  miles  from  the 
battle-field  of  Emuckfau.^ 

Fully  apprised  of  the  approach  of 
the  expedition,  and  of  the  exterminat- 
ing intentions  of  its  commander,  the 
savages  had  assembled  in  great  num- 
bers from  the  neighboring  villages,  and 
had  strengthened  their  naturally  strong 
position  with  great  skill  and  labor. 
They  had  taken  post  within  a  horse- 
shoe-shaped bend  of  the  river,  which  at 
this  place  was  upwards  of  one  hundred 
yards  wide,  and  unfordable ;  and,  en- 
tii'ely  across  its  neck,  they  had  thrown 
up  a  very  strong  breastwork  of  logs, 
from  five  to  eight  feet  high,  extending 
in  such  a  direction  that  an  attacking 
force  approaching  it  would  be  exposed 
to  a  double  or  cross  fire,  while  its  de- 
fenders would  lie  in  perfect  security 
behind  it ;  and  a  cannon,  placed  at  one 
extremity,  could  not  have  raked  it  with 
any  advantage.  For  the  purpose  of 
defending  themselves  efficiently  and  se- 
curely, two  rows  of  port-holes  had  been 
opened  in  the  logs ;  and,  while  its  de- 
fenders could  throw  an  effective  fire  on 
any  who  approached  the  position,  it 
was  not  necessary  that  he  should,  in 
the  least,  be  exposed.^     From  this  forti- 

'  Gen.  Jackson  to  Gen.  Pinckney,  March  28 ;  Same  to 
Gov.  Blount,  March  31  ;  Eaton,  p.  158. 

"  Gen.  Jackson  to  Gen.  Pinckney,  March  28  ;  Same  to 
Gov.  Blount,  March  31 ;  Col.  Morgan  to  same,  April  1. 


328 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


fied  neck  of  land,  running  back,  along 
the  middle  of  the  Bend,  and  descend- 
ing, on  either  hand,  and  at  its  extremi- 
ty, to  the  river,  is  a  ridge  of  high 
ground,  from  which,  at  that  time,  nearly 
all  the  timber  had  been  cleai-ed  ;  while 
the  heavy  forest  along  its  slopes,  and 
on  the  margin  of  the  river,  had  been 
felled  in  such  a  manner  that  the  fallen 
trees  formed  a  breastwork  and  abatis, 
which  not  only  protected  the  flanks  and 
rear  of  the  position,  but  afforded  shelter 
to  such  as  might,  necessaiily,  be  re- 
quired for  their  defence,-^ 

Thus  strengthened  with  all  the  art 
of  which  the  Creeks  were  masters,  the 
Beud  was  prepared  for  the  great  strug- 
gle which  should  decide  if  at  that  time, 
or  at  some  futui'e  day,  the  nation  should 
cease  to  exist;  and,  apparently,  imbued 
with  the  awful  responsibility  which  had 
devolved  upon  them,  the  warriors  from 
Oakfuskee,  Oakchaga,  New  Yaucan,  the 
Hillibees,  the  Fish  Pond,  and  Eufaula, — 
about  eight  or  nine  hundred  in  number, 
—assembled  to  contend  for  their  lives 
and  their  nationality.^  The  result  of 
the  engagement  will  show  the  sense 
which  these  Indians  entertained  of  the 
character  of  the  approaching  contest; 
and  while  the  love  of  countjy  prompts 
us,  at  all  times,  to  rejoice  when  victory 
crowns  the  services  of  the  army  with 
laurels,  the  tear  of  sympathy  should 
not  be  withheld,  or  the  record  of  their 
virtues  be  left  imperfect,  when,  as  in 


1  Col.  Morgan  to  Gov.  Blount,  April  1  ;  McAfee,  pp. 
479,  480.—^  Gen.  Jackson  to  Gen.  Pinckney,  March  28 ; 
Same  to  Gov.  Blount,  March  31.  Gen.  Jackson  says  it 
was  reported  that  1000  men  were  present ;  but  the  re- 
turns of  the  killed  show  the  error,  when  added  to  the 
number  of  those  who  escaped. 


this  case^-  a  united  people  resists,  with 
energy  and  singleness  of  purpose,  the 
determination  to  exterminate  them,  by 
which  an  enemy  may  be  actuated. 

'■'■Determining  to  exterminate  tliem^^'''^ 
before  the  expedition  came  before  the 
enemy,  his  situation  and  numbers  were 
known  to  General  Jackson ;  and,  early 
in  the  morning,  for  the  purpose  of  sur- 
I'ounding  the  Bend,  and  of  cutting  off 
the  retreat  of  the  savages,  he  detached 
General  Coffee,  with  the  mounted  men 
and  nearly  all  the  friendly  Indians,  or- 
dering him  to  cross  the  river  about 
three  miles  below  the  Bend;^  while, 
against  the  front  of  the  enemy's  works, 
the  General  marched  in  person,  with 
the  i-emainder  of  his  force.^  The  former 
officer  had  nearly  surrounded  the  Bend 
when  the  fire  was  opened  on  the  breast- 
work, in  front,  by  the  main  body ;  and 
several  Indians,  who  attempted  to  es- 
cape at  that  time,  by  crossing  the  river, 
fell  at  his  hands.  Soon  afterwards 
some  of  the  friendly  Indians,  impatient 
to  join  in  the  fray,  swam  over  the  river 
and  carried  off  the  canoes  from  the  vil- 
lage, with  which  upwards  of  two  hun- 
dred men  were  rowed  across,  and  at- 
tacked the  works  in  the  rear,  setting 
the  village  on  fire,  and  moving  against 
the  rear  of  the  breastwork.* 

In  the  mean  time,  having  planted  his 
field-pieces — a  six  and  a  three  pounder 
— on  an  eminence,  within  two  hundred 


1  Gen.  Jackson  to  Gen.  Pinckney,  March  28  ;  Ingersoll, 
i.  p.  346. — "^  Gen.  Jackson  to  Gen.  Pinckney,  March  28  ; 
Same  to  Gov.  Blount,  March  31  ;  Gen.  Coffee  to  Gen. 
Jackson,  April  1  ;  Col.  Morgan  to  Gov.  Blount,  April  1. 

'  Gen.  Jackson  to  Gen.  Pinckney,  March  28  ;  Same  to 
Gov.  Blount,  March  31. — *  Gen.  Jackson  to  Gov.  Blount, 
March  31  ;  Gen.  Coffee  to  Gen.  Jackson,  April  1  ;  Col. 
Morgan  to  Gov.  Blount,  April  1. 


Chap.  LXXVI.]      BATTLE  OF  TOHOPAKA,  OR  THE  HORSE-SHOE  BENT>. 


329 


yards  of  the  breastwork,  to  cover  liis 
advance,  General  Jackson  moved  "  slow- 
ly and  in  order,"  along  the  ridge  which 
led  to  the  Bend,  "  playing  upon  the  en- 
emy with  the  muskets  and  rifles  when- 
ever they  showed  themselves  beyond 
the  works."  After  continuing  this  mode 
of  attack  for  a  period  of  tvvo  hours,  the 
rising  volume  of  smoke  in  the  rear  of 
the  breastwork  indicated  the  successful 
occupation  of  the  village,  at  the  ex- 
tremity of  the  Bend,  by  the  troops 
under  General  Coffee,  who  had  crossed 
the  river  in  canoes  for  that  purpose,  as 
before  stated ;  and,  relying  on  the  co- 
operation of  that  officer,  in  the  enemy's 
rear,  General  Jackson  determined  to 
storm  the  breastwork.^ 

Accordingly,  with  the  Thirty-ninth 
regiment  of  United  States  infantry, 
under  Colonel  John  Williams,  in  the 
van,  supported  by  the  Tennessee  Volun- 
teers, under  General  James  Doherty,  he 
moved  against  the  breastwork,  in  the 
face  of  a  most  tremendous  fire  from  the 
Indians  who  defended  it.^  When  the 
assailants  had  reached  the  face  of  the 
breastwork  a  hand-to-hand  fight  took 
place  through  the  port-holes ;  and  so 
bitterly  was  it  conducted  that  "many 
balls  of  the  enemy  were  welded  to  the 
bayonets  of  our  muskets."^  After  this 
desperate  conflict  had  continued  several 
minutes,  the  breastwork  was  mounted, 
and  the  Indians  were  driven  from  the 
lines    at   the   point    of   the    bayonet ;  * 


'  Gen.  Jackson  to  Gen.  Pinckney,  March  28  ;  Same  to 
Gov.  Blount,  March  31  ;  Col.  Morgan  to  same,  April  1. 

'■■  Gen.  Jackson  to  Gen.  Pinckney,  March  28  ;  Same  to 
Gov.  Blount,  March  31. — '  Gen.  Jackson  to  Gov.  Blount, 
March  31.—*  Gen.  Jackson  to  Gen.  Pinckney,  March  28  ; 
Eaton,  p.  160. 
VoT,.  II.— 42 


when,  true  to  the  purpose  of  the  com- 
manding General,  the  work  of  extermi- 
nation commenced. 

Although  many  of  the  Indians  de- 
fended themselves  with  that  bravery 
which  desperation  inspires,  the  greatly 
superior  force  of  the  Americans  gave 
them  great  advantages,  and  it  was  not 
long  before  the  Bend  became  the  scene 
of  one  of  the  most  dreadful  acts  of 
butchery  on  record.  Although  the 
sheltered  position  of  the  enemy  had 
pi'otected  him  from  any  serious  injury, 
while  the  action  was  pending,  the 
whites,  with  their  Indian  allies,  wei-e 
nearly,  if  not  fully,  four  times  as  nu- 
merous as  the  Creeks ;  and  the  slaugh- 
ter— the  predetermined  act  of  "  exter- 
mination"— was  both  rapid  and  effec- 
tive. The  women  and  children  who 
occupied  the  village  appear  to  have 
been  spared;^  but  all  others  were  pui*- 
sued  and  butchered  with  the  most  re- 
lentless fury.^  Ci'ouching  for  conceal- 
ment among  the  bushes  or  in  the  reeds 
on  the  bank  of  the  river,  they  were 
hunted  out  and  slaughtered  with  the 
ferocity  of  tigers  by  their  merciless  con- 
querors, until  evening  drew  her  sable 
curtain  between  the  victors  and  the  van- 
quished, and  extended  that  temporary 
reprieve  which  no  earthly  power  could 


1  Gen.  Jackson  to  Gen.  Pinckney,  March  28  ;  Same  to 
Gov.  Blount,  March  81. 

'  It  is  surprising,  after  the  express  declaration  of  Gen. 
Jackson  himself,  to  the  contrary,  that  Mr.  Eaton  {Life  of 
Gen.  Jackson,  pp.  161,  162)  should  have  ventured  to  pub- 
lish such  a  tissue  of  assertion,  to  establish  the  merciful  in- 
tentions of  Gen.  Jackson,  in  this  engHgement,  and  to 
throw  upon  the  terror-stricken  and  concealed  savages 
the  responsibility  of  the  massacre.  If  the  truth  of  our 
country's  history  is  to  be  bartered  for  political  effect,  it 
should  be  made  known,  that  the  value  of  such  works 
may  be  understood. 


330 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


have  secured.^  On  the  following  morn- 
ing, sixteen  warrioi'S,  who  had  succeed- 
ed in  concealing  themselves  during  the 
reign  of  terror  on  the  preceding  day, 
were  discovered  ;  and,  as  neither  the 
slaughter  of  their  brethren,  or  the  tem- 
porary cessation  of  the  butchery,  during 
the  night,  had  satiated  the  thirst  for 
blood  which  their  victors  had  exhibited, 
they,  too,  with  the  most  j^erfectly  dia- 
bolical spirit,  were  added  to  the  victims 
of  the  hero  of  the  Horse-shoe  Bend.^ 

In  this  inglorious  field,  twenty-six 
Americans,  eighteen  Cherokees,  and 
five  friendly  Creeks  were  Mlled^  and 
one  hundred  and  six  Americans,  thirty- 
six  Cherokees,  and  eleven  friendly 
Creeks  were  tooiLnded '^  while  of  the 
hostile  Creeks,  five  hundred  and  fifty- 
seven  dead  bodies  were  picked  up 
within  the  works,*  from  two  hundred 
and  fifty  to  three  hundred  were  killed 
while,  unresisting,  they  were  attempt- 
ing to  escape  across  the  Tallapoosa,^ 
aud  "  it  was  believed  that  no  more  than 


ten  had  escaped."^  Indeed,  so  com- 
pletely predominant  was  General  Jack- 
son's iron  will,  in  his  predetermined  ex- 
tinction of  the  nation,  that  General 
Coffee  says,  '■^Not  one^  even^  escaped,' 
very  few  even  reached  tJie  han\  and  that 
few  was  Mlled  the  instant  it  landedr^ 
Over  three  hundred  widowed  women 
and  fiitherless  children  were  taken  pris- 
oners;^ and,  besides  these  friendless 
ones  and  the  bloody  laurels,  there  ap- 
pears to  have  been  no  ti'ophies  to  grace 
the  triumph  of  the  conqueror. 

After  sinking  his  own  killed  in  the 
river  to  prevent;  the  enemy  from  scalp- 
ing them,*  General  Jackson  returned  to 
Fort  Williams  on  the  day  after  the  bat- 
tle;^ and  as  the  power  of  the  Creeks 
had  been  broken,  aud  their  principal 
chiefs  soon  afterwards  gave  themselves 
up,  with  peculiar  marks  of  submission,® 
the  war  with  the  Creeks  vii-tually 
closed.'^ 


[NoTK. — The  Dispatch  of  Gen.  Jackson  to  Gov.  Blount,  and  that  of 
Gen.  Coffee  to  Gen.  Jackson,  have  been  omitted  by  the  Publishers  for 
want  of  roona.] 


CHAPTER     LXXVII. 

March  28,  1§14. 

THE      LOSS      OF      THE      ESSEX. 


One  of  the  most  remarkable  cruises 
on  record  is  that  of  the  frigate  Essex^ 
commanded  by  Captain  David  Porter. 


1  Gen.  Jackson  to  Gen.  Pinckney,  March  28  ;  McAfee, 
p.  483. — '  Gen.  Jackson  to  Gen.  Pinckney,  March  28; 
Same  to  Gov.  Blount,  March  31  ;  Col.  Morgan  to  Gov. 
Blount,  April  1. — '  Gen.  Jackson  to  Gen.  Pinckney,  March 
28  ;  Same  to  Gov.  Blount,  March  31 ;  McAfee,  p.  484. 

*  Gen.  Jackson  to  Gen.  Pinckney,  March  28  ;  Same  to 
Gov.  Blount,  March  31  ;  Col.  Morgan  to  same,  April  1. 

'  Gen.  Coffee  to  Gen.  Jackson,  March  31. 


Intended  as  a  consort  of  the  Constitu- 
tion and  Hornet^  under  the  general 
command  of  Commodore  Bainbridge — 
whose  cruise  and  good  fortune,  as  well 
as  that  of  the  Hornet^  has  been  already 

1  Gen.  Jackson  to  Gen.  Pinckney,  March  28. 

'  Gen.  Coffee  to  Gen.  Jackson,  April  1.^ — ^  Gen.  Jackson 
to  Gov.  Blount,  March  31.—'  Eaton,  p.  166. 

*  Gen.  Jackson  to  Gen.  Pinckney,  March  28  ;  Ingersoll, 
i.  p.  347. — '  Gen.  Jackson  to  Gen.  Pinckney,  March  28 : 
Niles'  Register,  vi.  p.  194. — ■■  Claiborne's  Notes,  p.  39. 


Chap.  LXXVII.] 


THE  LOSS  OF  THE  ESSEX. 


331 


alluded  to^ — she  sailed  from  tlie  Dela- 
ware ou  the  twenty-eighth  of  October, 
1812,  and  ran  to  Port  Pray  a  {St.Jagd)^ 
the  appointed  place  of  rendezvous.  In 
consequence  of  her  heavy  supply  of 
stores,  and  her  consequent  dull  sailing, 
she  did  not  reach  the  rendezvous  until 
after  the  Commodore  had  left ;  and  the 
same  misfortune  befell  him  while  he 
was  approaching  the  Island  Fernando 
de  Norouha,  which  had  been  appointed, 
the  second  place  of  rendezvous.^ 

Thus  thrown  upon  his  own  resources, 
Caj)tain  Porter  determined  to  turn 
Cape  Horn  and  cruise  in  the  Pacific 
Ocean,  where  a  heavy  British  com- 
merce was  almost  wholly  unprotected  ; 
and  from  which,  it  was  hoped,  the  most 
desirable  success  might  be  obtained. 
On  her  progress  thither  the  most  pro- 
voking want  of  success  was  experienced; 
but  between  the  fifth  of  March,  1813, 
when  she  anchored  off  the  Island  of 
Mocha,  and  the  time  of  her  capture, 
fortune  favored  her  crew ;  and  one  of 
the  most  successful,  if  not  the  most  ro- 
mantic, cruises  on  record  fell  to  her  lot. 

The  enemy's  letters  of  marque,  which 
had  been  sent  out  to  harass  the  Ameri- 
can whalers,  were  checked  and  over- 
powered ;  the  enemy's  commerce  was 
completely  cut  up  and  destroyed ;  the 
single  ship  which  entered  the  Pacific, 
without  a  consort,  and  but  poorly  sup- 
plied with  many  of  the  necessaries  for 
a  cruise,  by  manning  her  prizes  and  by 
levying  on  the  enemy's  commerce,  had 
become  the  flag-ship  of  a  victorious 
squadron,  whose  progress  from  port  to 


'  Vide  Chaps.  XXXV.,  XLI,— '  Com.  Porter  to  Sec.  of 
Navy,  July  3,  1814 ;  Cooper,  ii.  pp.  75-77. 


port,  and  from  harbor  to  harbor,  was 
only  a  series  of  triunq^hs ;  whose  ad- 
ventures assumed  a  chai'acter  kindred 
to  those  of  the  marvellous  navigators 
of  earlier  and  darker  days;  whose  ex- 
ploits spread  terror  whei-ever  it  found 
the  British  flag,  and  even  along  the 
wharves,  in  the  counting-rooms,  and 
ai'ound  the  firesides  of  Britain  herself.^ 

One  of  our  own  writers,  a  favorite 
son  of  New  York,  speaking  of  the 
Essex^  at  this  time,  says  it  "  was  sufii- 
ciently  remarkable  to  merit  a  brief  no- 
tice. She  had  been  the  first  American 
to  carry  the  pennant  of  a  man-of-war 
round  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  and  now 
she  had  been  the  first  to  bring  it  into 
this  distant  ocean.  More  than  ten  thou- 
sand miles  from  home,  without  colonies, 
stations,  or  even  a  really  fi'iendly  port 
to  re2:)air  to,  short  of  stores,  without  a 
consort,  and  otherwise  in  possession  of 
none  of  the  required  means  of  subsist- 
ence and  efiiciency,  she  had  boldly 
steered  into  this  distant  region,  where 
she  had  found  all  that  she  required, 
through  her  own  activity ;  and  having 
swept  the  seas  of  her  enemies,  she  had 
now  retired  to  the  little-frequented 
Marquesas  to  refit,  with  all  the  security 
of  a  ship  at  home."^ 

After  having  thoroughly  overhauled 
and  refitted  the  JEssex^  at  the  Marque- 
sas, on  the  twelfth  of  December,  1813, 
in  company  with  one  of  her  prizes 
which  had  been  armed  with  twenty 
guns,  and  called  the  Essex^  J^unior^  the 
Essex  sailed  from  Madison  Island  ;  and 


'  The  particulars  of  this  interesting  and  important 
cruise  can  be  found  in  the  ^'Journal  of  a  Cruise,  S(c.,"  by 
Com.  Porter,  in  two  volumes.  New  York,  1822. 

=  Cooper's  Naval  History,  ii.  p.  87. 


332 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


on  the  third  of  February,  1814,  she 
anchored  in  the  bay  of  Valparaiso. 
Four  days  afterwards,  two  British  ves- 
sels of  war — the  frigate  Plimhe^  Captain 
Ilillyer,  of  thirty-six  guns,  and  the 
sloop-of-war  Clieruh^  Captain  Tucker, 
of  twenty-eight  guns — also  entered  the 
bay ;  and  the  former  ranged  up  along- 
side the  Essex^  between  that  vessel  and 
the  Essex^  Junior.  Being  nearer  to 
the  former  than  "  prudence  or  a  strict 
neutrality  would  justify  Commodore 
Porter  in  permitting,"  the  old  acquaint- 
ance which  had  existed  between  the 
two  captains  was  renewed  by  the  latter 
giving  orders  to  his  crew  to  board  the 
Phoehe  in  case  the  two  vessels  fouled ; 
and  by  the  hasty  withdrawal  of  the 
latter  to  a  safer  and  more  respectful 
position ;  and  thenceforth  the  neutral- 
ity of  the  port  was  respected  until  the 
morning  of  the  engagement  which  this 
chapter  is  intended  to  describe.^ 

During  the  succeeding  forty-three 
days  the  four  vessels  were  in  the  bay, 
i-estrained  by  the  neutrality  of  the 
port;  and  the  officers  and  crews  of  all 
became  acquainted  with  each  other  and 
extended  acts  of  courtesy  to  their  ene- 
mies, or  relieved  the  monotony  of  their 
employment  by  singing  good-natured 
songs  of  defiance — -many  of  them  im- 
promptu productions — to  the  tunes  of 
"  Yankee  Doodle^''  or  '■'•Tlie  sweet  little 
Cheeub  that  sits  up  aloft  •'''''''  while,  at 
the  same  time,  the  officers  bantered 
each  other  by  the  display  of  motto 
flags — that  lettered  "  Free  trade  and 

'  Com.  Porter  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  July  3  ;  Porter's  Journal, 
ii.  pp.  143-147  ;  James'  Naval  Occurrences,  pp.'  306,  307. 

-  Porter's  Journal,  ii.  p.  148  ;  Niles'  Register,  vi.  p.  420  ; 
IngersoU,  ii.  p.  20. 


sailors'  rights,"  which  had  floated  tri- 
umphantly at  the  mast-head  of  the 
Essex  during  so  many  months,  having 
excited  the  animosity  of  the  enemy,  the 
Phoebe  hoisted  one  lettered  "  God  and 
COUNTRY ;  British  sailors'  best  rights  ; 
TRAITORS  OFFEND  BOTH;"  when  the  Es- 
sex immediately  retorted  with  one  let- 
tered, "God,  our  country,  and  liberty 
— TYRANTS  OFFEND  THEM."^  An  Occa- 
sional test  of  the  sailing  qualities  of  the 
several  vessels  added  interest  to  the 
blockade ;  and  it  was  vigilantly  en- 
forced, notwithstanding  every  effort 
which  was  made  to  detach  the  Chernh^ 
and  allow  the  Essex  to  test  her  quali- 
ties with  those  of  the  Phoebe? 

At  length,  having  grown  weary  of 
the  blockade,  and  understanding  that 
the  enemy's  force  would  be  increased 
at  an  early  day.  Commodore  Porter  de- 
termined to  leave  the  port,  and  rely  on 
the  speed  of  his  vessels  and  his  skill  in 
sailing  them  as  the  means  of  escape. 
Accordingly,  on  the  twenty-eighth  of 
March,  with  a  fresh  breeze  from  the 
southward,  the  Essex  stood  out  to  sea ; 
but  before  she  cleared  the  harbor  a 
squall  struck  her,  carrying  away  her 
main-topmast,  after  which,  failing  in  her 
attempt  to  regain  the  common  anchor- 
age, she  ran  into  a  small  bay  on  the 
east  side  of  the  harbor,  about  three- 
quarters  of  a  mile  from  the  battery, 
and  cast  anchor,  within  pistol-shot  from 
the  shore,  with  the  intention  of  repair- 
ing her  damage  at  that  place.^ 

■  Porter's  Jour.,  ii.  pp.  146, 147  ;  Certif.  of  Lieut.  Downes 
and  other  officers  ;  IngersoU,  ii.  p.  20 — '  Porter's  Jour.,  ii. 
pp.  153,  154  ;  James,  pp.  307,  308  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  91. 

"  Com.  Porter  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  July  3  ;  James,  p.  308  ; 
Capt.  Hillyer  to  the  Admiralty,  March  30  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p. 
91  ;  Letter  in  Weekly  Messenger,  ii.  p.  250. 


Chap.  LXXVII.] 


THE  LOSS  OF  THE  ESSEX. 


333 


lu  the  mean  time  the  Phoebe  and 
Chervh  had  pursued  the  Essex;  and 
when  the  latter,  disabled,  anchored 
within  the  limits  of  the  harbor,  and 
under  the  protection  of  its  neutrality, 
it  was  properly  supposed  the  enemy, 
also,  would  respect  the  rights  which 
Commodoi'e  Porter  had,  previously, 
recognized  in  him.  The  approach  of 
the  two  vessels,  decked  with  their  bat- 
tle-flags, jacks,  pennants,  and  ensigns, 
speedily  dispelled  that  illusion,  how- 
ever ;  and  the  crippled  Essex  separated 
from  her  '■^  Junior^''  which  had  been  left 
in  the  harbor,  was  warned,  therefrom, 
of  the  hostility  of  his  intentions,  and 
prepared  for  his  reception.  At  fifty-four 
minutes  past  three  in  the  afternoon, 
the  Phoebe — having  come  within  range 
of  her  long  guns  while  yet  the  carron- 
ades  of  the  Essex  were  still  useless — 
opened  a  fire  on  the  stern  of  the  latter, 
at  long-shot  distance ;  while,  at  the 
same  time,  the  Cherub^  on  her  star- 
board bow,  also  opened  an  effective 
fire.  The  bow-guns  of  the  Essex^  how- 
ever, soon  rendered  the  situation  of  the 
latter  vessel  an  uncomfortable  one;  and 
she  bore  up  and  ran  under  the  stern  of 
the  Essex^  joining  with  the  Phoebe  in  a 
hot,  raking  fire.  Having  ran  three 
long  twelves  out  from  the  stei'n-ports 
of  the  Essex^  her  crew  was  enabled  to 
return  the  compliments  of  the  combined 
enemy  ;  and,  with  so  much  skill  and 
effect  was  it  done,  that,  within  half  an 
hour  from  the  opening  of  the  engage- 
ment, both  vessels  were  compelled  to 
haul  off  and  repair  damages.^ 

'  Com.  Porter  to  Sec.  of  Nav)',  July  3  ;  Capt.  Hillyer's 
Dispatch,  March  30  ;  Letter  in  Weekly  Messenger ;  Letter 
from  officer  of  the  JiJssex,  in  the  same  work,  ii.  pp.  251,  252. 


During  this  bi'ief  engagement  the 
Essex  and  her  crew  suffered  consider- 
ably, and  her  ensign  at  the  gaff,  and 
the  battle-flag  at  her  mizzen-masthead 
had  been  shot  away ;  but  when,  "  a  few 
minutes"  afterwards,  the  enemy  re- 
turned to  the  contest,  the  original 
"Free  trade  and  sailors'  rights,"  at 
her  main-masthead,  sent  foi'th  the  defi- 
ance which  the  crew  on  her  decks  so  gal- 
lantly ratified  a  few  minutes  afterwards.^ 

Having  repaired  his  damages,  the 
enemy  returned  to  the  action ;  and 
both  his  vessels,  having  taken  their  po- 
sition on  the  starboard-quarter  of  the 
Essex,  out  of  the  reach  of  her  carron- 
ades,  and  where  her  stern-guns  could 
not  be  brought  to  bear,  they  opened  a 
destructive  fire  on  the  devoted,  and, 
comparatively,  helpless,  vessel.  Under 
these  circumstances.  Commodore  Porter 
was  compelled  to  choose  between  a 
tame  surrender,  and  running  down  and 
becoming  the  assailant.  His  topsail- 
sheets  and  halyards,  as  well  as  his  jib 
and  foretop-mast-staysail-halyards,  hav- 
ing been  shot  away,  leaving  only  his 
flying-jib-halyards,  he  hoisted  the  latter 
sail,  cut  his  cable,  and  ran  down  on 
both  ships,  with  an  intention  of  laying 
the  Phoebe  on  board.  During  the  time 
which  this  manoeuvre  occupied,  the  fire, 
on  both  sides,  was  very  severe — that  of 
the  Essex  with  the  hope  of  disabling 
her  opponent  and  preventing  her  es- 
cape ;  that  of  the  enemy  to  disable,  still 
more,  his  ojDponent,  and  prevent  her 
progress  in  the  desperate  mission  on 
which  she  had  ventured.^ 

1  Com.  Porter  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  July  3  ;  Cooper,  ii.  pp. 
92,  93.—'  Com.  Porter  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  July  3  ;  Letter  in 
Weekly  Messenger ;  Letter  from  officer  oi  Essex,  in  same  work. 


334 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


The  Chernh^  distrusting  her  abilities 
for  a  successful  defence,  at  close  action, 
immediately  hauled  off,  and.  thenceforth 
continued  to  perform  her  part  of  the 
di-araa  at  a  distance,  with  her  long  guns 
only.  The  Plicebe^  also,  preferring  to 
fight  at  a  distance,  edged  off  as  the 
Essex  neared  her ;  and,  with  charactei- 
istic  prudence,  selected  that  position 
which  best  suited  her  long  guns,  con- 
tinuing her  fire  with  terrible  effect, 
while  that  of  the  Essex  was,  from  her 
position  and  her  helplessness,  of  but 
little  use.  At  that  time,  as  already 
stated,  the  running  rigging  of  the  Essex 
was  almost  wholly  shot  away ;  and,  as 
her  sails  could  not  be  handled,  she  was 
almost  entirely  unmanageable.  Many 
of  her  guns  had  been  rendered  useless 
by  the  enemy's  shot,  and  many  of  them 
had  their  entire  crews  destroyed — some 
of  them  had,  indeed,  been  remanned 
twice,  and  one  of  them  three  times.-^ 

Perceiving  that  the  enemy  had  it  in 
his  power  to  choose  his  distance,  and  to 
keep  off  rather  than  to  come  to  close  ac- 
tion. Commodore  Porter  determined  to 
run  the  Essex  on  shore,  land  his  crew, 
and  set  fire  to  his  ship.  The  wind 
favored  the  design,  and  every  thing  ap- 
peared to  favor  it,  until  the  ship  had 
moved  to  within  rausket-shot  of  the 
shore,  when  the  wind  suddenly  shifted, 
and,  blowing /row  the  shore,  the  head 
of  the  Essex  instantly  payed  down  on 
the  Plioehe^  and  exposed  the  decks  of 
the  devoted  ship  to  another  severe,  rak- 
ing fire — an  advantage  which  was  not 
lost  sight  of  by  the  enemy .^ 

'  Com.  Porter  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  July  3  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p. 
93  ;  Perkins,  p.  186.—"  Com.  Porter  to  Sec.  of  Navy, 
July  3  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  93  ;  Sketches  of  the  War,  p.  435. 


At  this  moment  Lieutenant  Downes, 
who  commanded  the  Essex^  Junior, 
came  on  board  the  Essex  to  receive  the 
final  orders  of  Commodore  Porter  re- 
specting the  disposition  of  the  former 
vessel,  under  the  impression  that  his 
commander  would  soon  become  a  pris- 
oner. After  receiving  orders  to  pre- 
pare for  defending  and  destroying  his 
ship,  in  case  she  should  be  attacked, 
the  Lieutenant  left  the  Essex,  takinor 
with  him  some  of  the  wounded  crew 
and  leaving  three  of  his  boat's-crew, 
and  returned  to  his  own  ship — a  trip 
which,  when  the  heavy  fire  which  the 
Phoebe  and  Clieruh  were  then  throwing: 
into  the  Essex  is  considered,  possesses 
unusual  interest.^ 

The  fire  on  the  Essex,  meantime,  con- 
tinued with  unabated  fury,  although 
the  unmanageable  ship  was  unable  to 
bring  a  single  gun  to  bear  on  the  ene- 
my. In  this  dilemma  Commodore  Por- 
ter ordered  a  hawser  to  be  bent  to  the 
sheet-anchor,  and  the  anchor  to  be  cut 
down  from  the  bows ;  when  her  head 
was  brought  round,  and  the  broadside 
again  bore  on  the  enemy.  Soon  after- 
wards the  hawser  parted,  and  the  ship 
took  fire ;  when,  by  Commodore  Por- 
ter's directions,  some  of  the  crew  at- 
tempted to  swim  ashore,  while  those 
who  remained  turned  their  attention  to 
a  suppression  of  the  flames,  in  which, 
after  a  severe  struggle,  they  were  final- 
ly successful,^ 

By  this  time  the  crew  had  becoioe  so 
weary,  and  so  many  had  fallen,  that 
farther   resistance   was   considered   not 


'  Com.  Porter  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  July  8  ;  Caoper,  ii.  p.  9-1 ; 
Perkins,  p.  187.— ^  Com.  Porter  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  July  3  ; 
Cooper,  ii.  p.  94 ;  Sketches  of  the  War,  p.  436. 


Chap.  LXXVII.] 


THE  LOSS  OF  THE  ESSEX. 


335 


only  useless  but  criminal;  and,  after 
consultation  with  his  only  remaining 
officer,  Lieutenant  Stephen  D.  Mc- 
Knight,  the  colors  were  lowered  and 
the  action  terminated.^ 

At  this  time  the  situation  of  the  ship 
and  her  crew  was  truly  lamentable.  In 
the  words  of  her  commander,  "  the  cock- 
pit, the  steerage,  the  ward-room,  and 
the  berth-deck,  could  contain  no  more 
wounded ;  the  latter  were  killed  while 
the  surgeons  were  dressing  them ;  and 
it  was  evident  that  unless  something  was 
speedily  done  to  prevent  it,  the  ship 
would  soon  sink  from  the  number  of 
shot-holes  in  her  bottom.  The  carpen- 
ter reported  that  his  crew  had  been 
killed  or  wounded ;  and  that  he  had 
been  once  over  the  side  to  stop  the 
leaks,  when  Lis  slings  had  been  shot 
away,  and  it  was  with  difficulty  he  was 
saved  from  drowning."^  There  were, 
therefore,  no  hopes  of  saving  the  ship, 
or  of  preventing  her  from  falling  into 
the  enemy's  hands,  and  a  farther  sacri- 
fice of  life  would  have  been  unjustifiable. 

The  strength  of  the  JEssex^  in  this  en- 
gagement, was  forty  thirty-two-pound 
carronades  and  six  long-twelves,  with  a 
crew  of  two  hundred  and  fifty-five  men  :^ 
that  of  the  enemy  was  thirty  long- 
eighteens  and  sixteen  thirty-two-pound 
carronades,  with  a  howitzer  and  six 
three-pounders  in  her  tops,  on  the 
Phoebe  '  *  and  eighteen  thirty-two-pound 


'  Com.  Porter  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  July  3  ;  Capt.  Hillyer's 
Dispatch,  March  30.— »  Com.  Porter  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  July  3. 

'  Ibid.  Mr.  James  {Nav.  Occur.,  pp.  310,  311)  has  la- 
bored hard  to  disprove  the  statements  of  Com.  Porter, 
but  I  have  seen  no  reason  sufficiently  strong  to  lead  me  to 
distrust  them. — *  Com.  Porter  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  July  3. 
Mr.  James  {Nav.  Occur.,  p.  312)  says  she  mounted  twenty- 
six  long-18's, /oMrten  32-pound  carronades,  4  long-nines,  an 


and  eight  twenty-four-pound  carronades 
and  two  long-nines  on  the  Cherul)'^ — - 
the  former  having  a  crew  of  three  hun- 
dred and  twenty  and  the  latter  one  of 
one  hundred  and  eighty  men  and  boys. 
The  peculiarity  of  the  movements,  how- 
evei-,  were  such  that,  with  but  a  slight 
exception,  the  ships  fought  at  long  gun- 
shot distance ;  and  the  fighting  strength 
therefore  was  thirty  long  eighteen- 
pounders  and  two  long-nines,  on  the 
part  of  the  enemy,  against  six  long- 
twelves  on  the  Essex — a  disparity 
which  will  explain,  at  a  glance,  the  dis- 
astrous termination  of  the  engagement. 
The  loss  of  the  enemy,  from  the  same 
cause,  was  much  less  than  that  of  the 
Essex — the  Plicehe  losing  four  Tiilled  and 
seven  xuoanded  '  the  Cliervb^  one  hilled 
and  three  wounded;''-  and  the  Essex., 
fifty-eight  Tcilled^  sixty-six  wounded^  and 
thirty-one  missing.^ 

The  action,  as  before  stated,  was 
fought  within  the  bounds  of  a  neutral 
port ;  and  the  Chilian  authorities,  while 
they  offered  to  request  the  enemy  to 
cease  his  fire,  if  the  Essex  loould  return 
to  her  former  anchorage^  took  no  steps 
to  enforce  their  neutrality ;  and  the 
matter  resulted  in  the  withdrawal  of 
Mr.  Poinsett,  and  the  suspension  of  in- 
tercourse between  that  country  and  the 
United  States. 


[Note. — The,  Dispatch  of  Capt.  Hillyer  to  the  Admiralty,  and  ex- 
tracts from  Com.  Porter's  to  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  have  been  omitted 
by  the  Publishers  for  want  of  room.] 

18-pound  and  a  12-pound  carronade,  besides  four  small 
pieces  in  her  tops  ;  with  a  complement  of  two  hundred  and 
ninety-five  men  and  boys. 

'  Com.  Porter  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  July  3.  Mr.  James  {Nav. 
Occur.,  p.  312)  says  she  carried  eighteen  32,  six  18,  and  one 
12  pound  carronades,  with  2  long-sixes;  and  a  complement 
of  121  men  and  boys. — ^  James,  pp.  310,  311  ;  Returns 
appended  to  Capt.  Hillyer's  Dispatch. 

*  Com.  Porter  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  July  3. 


CHAPTER    LXXYIII. 


Marck  30,  1814. 

THE   ACTION  AT  THE  MILL   ON  LA   COLLE  EIVER.  L.  C. 


The  want  of  success  which  attended 
the  movements  of  the  army  of  the 
North,  and  its  subsequent  settlement  in 
winter-quarters  at  the  French  Mills, 
have  been  noticed  in  a  preceding  chap- 
ter of  this  work ;  ^  and  it  remained  in 
that  position  until  the  thirteenth  of 
February,  when  the  cantonment  was 
broken  up,  and  General  Wilkinson  and 
the  main  body  of  the  army  moved  to 
Plattsburg,  while  General  Brown  and 
his  division,  at  the  same  time,  moved  to 
Sackett's  Harbor.^ 

In  the  latter  part  of  March  the  forces 
under  General  Wilkinson  were  concen- 
t]"ated  at  Champlain,  with  the  design 
of  moving  into  Canada,  on  another  of 
those  Quixotic  expeditions — the  fourth 
—which  had  rendered  the  arms  of  the 
United  States  so  contemptible  on  the 
northern  frontiers  during  the  last  war 
with  Bi-itain ;  and  on  the  thirtieth  of 
that  month  the  army  marched  from 
that  place,  in  the  prosecution  of  the  pro- 
jected campaign.* 

At  the  period  in  question  the  strength 
of  the  army  was  "  three  thousand  nine 
hundred  and  ninety-nine  combatants, 
including  one  hundred  cavalry,  and 
three  hundred  and  four  artillerists  with 
eleven  pieces  of  artillery;"^  while  op- 


'  Mr.  Christie  {Mil.  and  JVav.  Operations,  p.  174)  supposes 
it  occurred  on  the  thirlemlh. — '  Vide  Chapter  LXVII. 

'  Perkins,  pp.  363,  364.— ■*  Gen.  Wilkinson  to  Sec.  of 
War,  March  31,  1814  ;  Letter  from  an  officer,  in  Albany 
Register,  April  8,  1814;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  ii.  p.  82. 

'  Minutes  of  a  Council  of  War,  Champlain,  March  29, 
1814 ;  Ingersoll,  iv.  p.  83. 


posed  to  it,  scattered  over  a  wide  ex- 
tent of  country,  in  small  detachments, 
were  about  a  thousand  British  regulars 
and  four  hundred  and  thirty  organized 
militia.^  There  is  no  mention,  in  the 
American  accounts,  of  any  irregular 
force,  and  the  presumption  is  that  but 
a  small  one  was  engaged. 

Having  reached  Odletown,  five  miles 
from  Champlain,  the  column  halted  for 
refreshments;^  and,  soon  afterwards,  it 
encountered  one  of  the  enemy's  pickets, 
which,  having  been  reinforced,  opened 
an  effective  fire  on  the  head  of  the  col- 
umn, and  inflicted  some  loss,  although 
it  was  subsequently  driven  in.^ 

At  an  early  hour  in  the  afternoon 
the  army  reached  the  grist-mill  at  La 
Colle  River  —  a  military  station,  at 
which  were  posted  about  seventy  of 
the  marine  corps,  a  corporal,  and  three 
artillerists,  one  company  of  the  Thir- 
teenth regiment  of  the  line,  and  a  de- 
tachment of  Canadian  militia,  the  whole 
embracing  about  two  hundred  men,  un- 
der Major  Handcock,  of  the  Thirteenth.* 
This  mill  was  a  substantial  stone  edifice, 
two  stories  high,  with  a  shingle  roof, 
standing  on  the  southern  bank  of  La 
Colle  River,  about  three-quarters  of  a 
mile  above  its  junction  with  the  Riche- 

'  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  ii.  pp.  82,  83  ;  Richards'  Macomb, 
p.  72. — ^  Letter  from  an  oflScer,  in  Albany  Register. 

=  Gen.  Wilkinson  to  Sec.  of  War,  March  31, 1814  ;  Brit- 
ish ''General  Orders,"  March  31 ;  Lieut. -Col.  Williams  to 
Sir  G.  Prevost,  March  31  ;  James,  ii.  p.  85 ;  Perkins,  p. 
365;  Ingersoll,  iv.  p.  83. — ■•  Gen.  Wilkinson  to  Sec.  of  War, 
March  31,  1814 ;  James,  ii.  p.  83  ;  Christie,  pp.  174,  175. 


Chap.  LXXVIII.]     ACTION  AT  THE  MILL  ON  LA  COLLE  RIVER,  L.  C. 


337 


lieu.  Its  heavy  walls,  eighteen  inches 
thick,  were  well  adapted  for  defence ; 
and  its  windows  had  been  barricaded 
with  logs,  between  which  loop-holes  for 
musketry  had  been  opened.  Communi- 
cating with  the  mill  by  a  bridge,  on  the 
opposite  bank  of  the  river,  stood  a  small 
house,  which  had  been  converted  into 
a  block-house,  and  surrounded  with  a 
breastwork ;  and  in  the  rear  of  this 
house  was  a  barn.  Southward  from 
the  mill  was  an  open  space  of  about 
two  hundred  yards,  and  on  the  north 
of  it  was  one  of  half  the  width ;  beyond 
which,  and  on  either  hand,  the  primi- 
tive foi'est,  in  its  original  majesty, 
hemmed  in  the  scene.^ 

The  advance  of  the  column  was  com- 
manded by  Colonel  Isaac  Clarke  and 
Mnjor  Forsyth ;  Captain  McPherson, 
w4th  four  pieces  of  artillery,  followed ; 
Generals  Smith  and  Bissel,  with  their 
brigades,  covered  the  guns ;  and  Gen- 
eral Alexander  Macomb  commanded 
the  reserve.^  Colonel  jNIiller,  with  six 
hundred  men,  invested  the  rear  of  the 
works,  for  the  purpose  of  cutting  off 
the  retreat  of  the  garrison,  and  of  hold- 
ing in  check  any  reinforcements  Avhich 
might  approach  for  its  support  ;*  while, 
three  hundred  yards  in  front  (from  the 
edge  of  the  wood),  the  artillery  opened 
a  steady  and  incessant  fire  on  the  mill, 
from  a  twelve  and  a  six  pounder,  and  a 
five-and-a-half-inch  howitzer.* 

■  James,  ii.  pp.  83,  84;  Auchinleck,  pp.  281,  282. 

»  Gen.  Wilkinson  to  Sec.  of  War,  March  31,  1814; 
American  ^'■General  Orders,"  March  31  ;  Letter  from  an  oifi- 
cer,  in  Alban}'  Reguler ;  Ingersoll,  iv.  p.  83. — '  Gen.  Wil- 
kinson to  Sec.  of  War,  March  31 ;  James,  ii.  p.  85 ;  Ingersoll, 
iv.  p.  83  ;  Armstrong,  ii.  p.  67. — *  British  "General  Orders," 
March  31 ;  Letter  from  an  ofiBcer,  in  Albany  Register;  Lieut.- 
Col.  Williams  to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  March  31 ;  James,  ii.  p. 
86  ;  Ingersoll,  iv.  pp.  83,  84;  Armstrong,  ii.  p.  67. 
Vol.   II.— 43 


Soon  after  the  attack  commenced  the 
garrison  was  strengthened  by  the  arri- 
val of  two  flank  companies  of  the  Thir- 
teenth regiment,  under  Captains  Ellard 
and  Holgate,  from  the  Isle  aux  Noix, 
seven  miles  distant ;  and  they  inaugu- 
rated their  services  by  a  most  gallant 
sortie,  in  which  the  artillerists  suffered 
very  severely,  and  the  guns  were  saved 
only  by  a  vigorous  movement  of  the  in- 
fantry. After  a  desperate  struggle  of 
a  few  minutes,  they  retired  aci'oss  the 
bridge  and  occupied  the  block-house.^ 

About  the  same  time  the  g'renadiers 
of  the  Canadian  Fencibles  and  a  com- 
pany of  Voltigeurs  arrived  from  Bur- 
tonville,  two  miles  from  the  mill ;  and 
having  joined  the  flank  companies  in 
the  block-house,  under  the  directions  of 
Captain  Ellard,  who  volunteered  for 
the  occasion,  a  second  charge  on  the 
artillery — more  desperate  even  than 
the  first — took  place ;  and,  like  the  for- 
mer, was  repulsed,  only  after  a  severe 
struggle,  by  the  covering  brigades.^ 

During  upwards  of  two  hours  this 
cannonade  continued,  without  inflictins: 
any  injury  on  the  peaceful  mill,  whose 
dusty  walls — as  if  in  perfect  contempt 
of  this  modern  antitype  of  the  well- 
known  knight  of  old,  in  an  almost  par- 
allel attempt  on  a  somewhat  similar 
edifice — defied  the  best  efforts  of  Gen- 
eral Wilkinson,  and,  like  his  prototype, 
the  General  and  his  army  retired^ 

'  Gen.  Wilkinson  to  Sec.  of  War,  March  31,  1814  ; 
British  "General  Orders"  March  31;  Letter  from  an 
oflBcer,  in  Albany  Register ;  Lieut. -Col.  Williams  to  Sir  G. 
Prevost,  March  31  ;  James,  ii.  p.  86  ;  Ingersoll,  iv.  p.  84. 

'  Gen.  Wilkinson  to  Sec.  of  War,  March  31,  1814; 
British  "General  Orders,"  March  31;  Letter  from  an 
officer,  in  Albany  Register ;  Lieut. -Col.  Williams  to  Sir  G. 
Prevost,  March  31 ;  James,  ii.  pp.  80,  87. 

'  Gen.  Wilkinson  to  Sec.  of  War,  March  31,  1814  ;  Biit- 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


The  relative  strength  of  the  besiegers 
and  the  besieged  has  been  noticed  al- 
ready :  and  the  loss  inflicted  on  the 
former — thirteen  hilled^  one  hundred 
and  twenty-eight  wounded^  and  thirteen 
missing'^ — sufficiently  attest  the  gal- 
lantry of  the  latter  in  their  chivalrous 
defence  of  their  post.  Of  the  garrison, 
eleven  were  Tcilled '  two  officers  and 
forty-four  men  were  wounded  '  and  four 
men  were  missing? 


This  inglorious  affair  closed  the  mili- 
tary career  of  General  Wilkinson ;  and, 
borne  down  with  the  torrent  of  obloquy 
with  which  the  disasters  of  his  cam- 
paigns had  surrounded  him,  he  soon 
afterwards  relinquished  the  command 
of  the  army ;  was  tried  and  acquitted 
by  a  court-martial ;  and,  at  the  peace, 
was  "dropped"  from  the  army  lists.^ 

[NoTK. — The.  Dispatch  of  Sen.  Wilkinson  to  tlie  Secretary  of  War, 
and  that  of  Lieut-Col,  Williams  to  Sir  Geo.  Prevost,  have  been  omit- 
ted by  the  Publishers  for  want  of  room.] 


CHAPTER    LXXIX. 

April  29,  1§14. 

THE      CAPTURE      OF      L'EPERVIER, 


In  March,  1814,  the  United  States 
sloop  of  war  Peacock^  commanded  by 
Master-commandant  Warrington,  went 
to  sea ;  and  proceeded  to  the  southward 
on  a  cruise.^  On  the  twenty-ninth  of 
April,  while  in  latitude  2*7°  47'  K,  lon- 
gitude 89°  9'  W.,  three  sail  were  made 
to  windward,  under  the  convoy  of  a 
large  brig  of  war ;  and  soon  afterwards 
the  brig  edged  away  for  the  Peacock^ 
and  invited  an  engagement.* 

The  stranger's  first  broadside  inflict- 
ed considerable  injury  on  the  Peaxiock^ 
disabling  her  fore-yard,  depriving  her 
of  the  use  of  her  fore  and  foretop  sails 
during  the  action,  and  compelling  her 
officers  to  fio^ht  runnino^  lars^e,  without 
manoeuvring,  and  to  depend  on  their 
skill  in  gunnery  for  the  success  which 

ish  "General  Orders,"  March  31  ;  Letter  from  an  officer, 
&c.;  James,  ii.  pp.  89,  90;  Ingersoll,  iv.  p.  84;  Christie, 
pp.  174,  175. — ■  James,  ii.  p.  90  ;  Rogers,  i.  p.  267. 

■'  British  ''General  Orders,"  March  31  ;  Lieut.-Col.  Wil- 
liams to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  March  31. 

^  Cooper,  ii.  p.  131.— ■*  Ibid. ;  James'  Nav.  Occur.,  p.  342. 


they  coveted.^  It  is  said,  also,  by  the 
historians  of  Great  Britain,  that  the 
armament  of  the  stranger  was  not  in 
order,  and  that  she,  too,  fought  at  great 
disadvantage.^  Be  this  as  it  may,  with- 
in forty-two  minutes  of  steady  fire, 
during  which  time  there  appears  to 
have  been  no  manoeuvring  whatever, 
the  stranger  struck  her  colors,  and  be- 
came the  prize  of  the  Peacock  and  her 
crew.* 

The  stranger  proved  to  be  His  Bri- 
tannic Majesty's  brig  PEpervier^  Cap- 
tain Wales,  mounting  eighteen  thirty- 
two-pound  carronades,^  and  manned 
with  a  crew  of  one  hundred  and  twen- 
ty-eight men,  of  whom  eight  were  killed 
and  fifteen  wounded.     Her  main-boom 

'  Ingersoll,  iv.  p.  84;  Christie,  p.  176. — "  Capt.  War- 
rington to  Sec.  of  Navy,  April  29  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  131. 

'  James,  pp.  342-344. — *  Capt.  Warrington  to  Sec.  of 
Navy,  April  29  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  131. 

'  Mr.  James  (Naval  Occurrences,  p.  345)  says  she  carried 
sixteen  32's  and  two  18's,  with  a  complement  of  101  men 
and  16  boys. 


Chap.  LXXX.] 


THE  ATTACK  ON  OSWEGO,  N.  Y. 


339 


aud  her  main-topmast  had  been  shot 
away,  her  foremast  had  been  cut  through 
and  was  tottering,  her  fore-rigging  and 
stays  had  been  shot  away,  her  bowsprit 
was  badly  wounded,  forty-five  round-shot 
holes  were  in  her  hull — twenty  of  which 
were  within  a  foot  of  her  water-line,  and 
she  had  five  feet  of  water  in  her  hold.^ 
The  armament  of  the  Peacock  was 
twenty  thirty-two-pound  carronades  and 
two  long-nines,^  with  a  crew  of  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  men,^  of  whom  two  only 
were  slightly  wounded.*  Not  a  shot 
had  struck  her  hull,  and,  with  the  ex- 


ception already  named,  her  masts  and 
spars  were  as  sound  as  ever;  and  in 
fifteen  minutes  after  the  PEpewier 
struck  her  colors,  her  victor  "  was  ready 
for  another  action."^ 

Besides  the  value  of  the  brig,  which 
was  sold  for  fifty-five  thousand  dollars,^ 
one  hundred  and  eighteen  thousand 
dollars  in  specie,  which  was  found  on 
board,^  became  prize-money,  and  was 
distributed  among  the  officers  and  crew 
of  the  Peacoch. 


[Note. — The  Dispatch  of  Master-com.  Warrington  to  the  Secretary 
of  the  Navy  has  been  oinicteJ  by  tlie  Publishers  for  want  of  room.] 


CHAPTER    LXXX. 

May  5  to  r,  1§14. 

THE      ATTACK      ON      OSWEGO,    N.Y. 


The  victory  which  had  been  gained 
by  Commander  Perry  on  Lake  Erie, 
and  the  superior  strength  of  the  Amer- 
ican squadron  on  Lake  Ontario,  appear 
to  have  led  the  British  government  to 
make  despei-ate  efforts  to  regain  the 
supremacy  on  all  the  lakes  before  the 
opening  of  the  campaign  of  1814;  aud 
at  the  same  time  the  American  govern- 
ment as  strenuously  opposed  it.  In 
consequence  of  this  struggle,  in  May  of 
that  yeai-,  besides  gunboats  and  small 
vessels  in  both  squadrons,  the  Ameri- 
cans had  built  and  launched  eight  ves- 
sels, mounting  two  hundred  and  seven 


'  Capt.  Warrington  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  April  29  ;  Lieut. 
Nicholson  to  same,  May  1  ;  James,  p.  344  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p. 
181. _»  Cooper,  ii.  p.  112;  James,  p.  349.—'  Tlie  Naval 
Temple,  p.  134.  Mr.  James  (Nav.  Occur.,  p.  345)  says  she 
had  a  crew  of  one  hundred  and  eighty-five  men. — *  Capt.  War- 
rington to  Sec.  of  Navy,  April  29  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  131. 


guns,  and  the  British  a  like  number, 
mounting  two  hundred  and  twenty-two 
guns ;  while  each  had  a  ship  on  the 
stocks — that  of  the  former  being  pierced 
for  one  hundred  and  twenty  guns ;  and 
that  of  the  latter  for  one  hundred  guns.* 
For  the  equipment  and  supply  of  the 
American  squadron  large  quantities  of 
stores  and  provisions  had  been  collected 
at  Oswego  Falls,  on  the  Seneca  River, 
about  thirteen  miles  above  the  village 
and  fort  of  the  same  name — now  the 
well-known  port  of  Oswego,  Oswego 
County,  IST.  Y.,^  and  for  their   defence 


'  Capt.  Warrington  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  April  29  ;  Lieut. 
Nicholson  to  same.  May  1. — '  Niles'  Register,  vi.  p.  447. 

^  Capt.  Warrington  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  April  29  ;  Lieut. 
Nicholson  to  same.  May  1 ;  James,  p.  342. 

*  Perkins,  pp.  365,  366  ;  James'  Nav.  Occur.,  p.  394  : 
Breckenridge,  p.  230. — '  Lieut. -Col.  Mitchell's  Report  to 
Gen.  Brown;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  ii.  pp.  98,  99;  James 
Nav.  Occur.,  p.  390. 


uo 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


Lieutenant-colonel  George  E.  Miteliell, 
with  the  companies  commanded  by  Cap- 
tains Boyle,  Romagne,  Mclntire,  and 
Pierce,  of  the  Third  artillery,  in  all  less 
than  three  hundred  men,^  had  been  de- 
tached from  Sackett's  Harbor,  reaching 
Fort  Oswego  on  the  thii-tieth  of  April, 
repairing,  as  far  as  he  was  able  to  do 
so,  its  ruined  defences ;  and  putting  its 
armament — "  five  old  guns,  three  of 
which  had  lost  their  trunnions" — into 
fit  condition  for  use  in  case  of  neces- 
sity.^ 

Against  this  post,  with  the  intention 
of  destroying  the  stores  referred  to,  the 
British  authorities  at  Kingston  deter- 
mined to  move  their  forces;  and  on  the 
third  of  May  six  companies  of  De  Wat- 
teville's  regiment,  the  light  company  of 
Glengarrys,  the  entire  second  battalion 
of  marines,  a  detachment  from  the  Royal 
Artillery,  with  two  field-pieces,  and  de- 
tachments of  rocketeers,  sappers,  and 
miners,  numbering,  in  the  aggregate,  it 
is  said,  about  ten  hundred  and  eighty 
men,  exclusive  of  officers,^  embarked  on 
the  squadron  at  Kingston  ;*  and,  on 
the  following  day.  Lieutenant-general 
Drummond  having  taken  the  command 
of  the  troops,  it  weighed  anchor  and 
set  sail.^  The  squadron,  on  which  these 
troops  had  embarked,  embi'aced  the 
ship    Prince   Regent^    mounting    fifty- 


'  "General  Orders"  of  Gen.  Brown,  May  19  ;  James' 
Mil.  Occur.,  ii.  p.  100.—=  Lieut. -Col.  Mitclrell's  Report; 
James'  Mil.  Occur.,  ii.  p.  100. — '  Gen.  Drummond  to  Sir 
Geo.  Prevost,  May  7  ;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  ii.  p.  100  ; 
James'  Nav.  Occur.,  p.  396.  Gen.  Scott,  in  General  Or- 
ders, stated  the  force  at  1800  ;  and  this  has,  generally, 
been  supposed  to  be  the  number  of  those  who  served  in 
the  expedition. — *  "General  Orders,"  signed  "  E.  Bayne, 
Adj.-Gen.  N.  A.;"  Gen.  Drummond  to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  May 
7  ;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  ii.  p.  100. — '  Gen.  Drummond  to 
Sir  G.  Prevost,  May  7;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  ii.  p.  100. 


eight  heavy  guns  ;  the  ship  Princess 
Charlotte^  mounting  forty-two  heavy 
guns ;  the  ship  Montreal^  mounting 
twenty-one  guns ;  the  ship  Niagara, 
mounting  twenty  -  three  guns  ;  the 
schooner  Charwell,  of  fourteen  guns ; 
the  schooner  Magnet,  of  twelve  guns  ; 
the  brig  Star,  of  fourteen  guns,  and 
several  small  vessels ;  and  was  com- 
manded by  Sir  James  L.  Yeo.-^ 

At  reveille,  on  the  morning  of  the 
fifth,  the  distant  fleet  was  first  seen 
from  the  fort ;  and  information  was 
sent  to  Commander  Woolsey,  of  the 
Gromler,  which  laid  in  the  harbor,  and 
to  the  neighboring  militia ;  and,  as  far 
as  possible,  the  necessary  preparations 
were  made  for  the  contest  which,  it 
was  now  apparent,  was  speedily  to  take 
place.^  As  the  small  force  which  Lieuten- 
ant-colonel Mitchell  commanded  could 
not  be  divided, — while  the  fort,  stand- 
ing on  one  side  of  the  river,  and  the 
village  on  the  other,  appeared  to  re- 
quire such  a  division,  for  the  protection 
of  both, — the  happy  thought  occurred 
to  him  that  by  pitching  the  tents  wliich 
were  in  store,  in  front  of  the  village, 
while,  with  the  force  which  he  com- 
manded, he  occupied  the  barracks,  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  the  ene- 
my would  be  deceived  concerning  his 
strength ;  and  would  not  ventui-e  to 
land  where  the  stronger  party  appeared 
to  be  posted,  while  a  weaker  one,  on 
the  opposite  bank,  offered  an  easier 
conquest.^  This  well-formed  plan  was 
perfectly  successful;   and   early  in   the 


'  Cooper's  Nav.  Hist.,  ii.  p.  202.—'  Lieut.-Col.  Mitch- 
elFs  Report;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  ii.  p.  101  ;  Letter  from 
an  ofScer,  May  7.—'  Lieut.-Col.  Mitchell's  Report ;  James' 
Mil.  Occur.,  ii.  p.  101 ;  Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  262. 


Chap.  LXXX.] 


THE  ATTACK  ON  OSWEGO,  N.  Y. 


341 


afternoon,  without  troubling  the  de- 
fenceless village,  fifteen  large  boats, 
crowded  with  troops,  and  covered  by 
the  gunboats  and  small  vessels,  moved 
simultaneously  and  slowly  towards  the 
shore  ;  while  the  ships,  the  brig,  and 
the  schooners  opened  a  heavy  fire  on 
the  old  fort.^ 

In  the  mean  time.  Captain  Boyle  and 
Lieutenant  Legate  had  been  sent  down 
to  the  shore  with  one  of  the  old  guns ; 
and,  as  soon  as  the  enemy's  boats  came 
within  range  of  their  fii'e,  they  opened 
on  them,  injuring  their  boats, — some  of 
which  were  abandoned, — and  compelled 
him  to  retire  to  his  shipping.^  A  heavy 
breeze,  which  happened  to  blow  at  that 
time,  furnished  an  excuse  to  the  enemy 
for  his  retreat ;  and,  soon  afterwards, 
the  entire  squadron  were  compelled  to 
stand  off  and  gain  an  ofiing.^  After 
posting  picket-guards,  at  all  exposed 
points,  the  little  ganison  laid  on  its 
arms  until  morning.* 

On  the  following  morning  (May  &tli)^ 
the  squadron  having  returned  to  the  at- 
tack, the  Princess  Charlotte^  the  Mon- 
treal^ and  the  Niagara^  opened  a  heavy 
fire  on  the  fort ;  while  the  Magnet  took 
her  station  in  front  of  the  town,  and  the 
Star  and  the  Gliarwell  were  towed  in. 


'  Com.  Chauncey  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  May  7  ;  Lieut. -Col. 
Mitchell's  Report  ;  Gen.  Drummond  to  Sir  G.  Prevost, 
May  7  ;  James'  Military  Occurrences,  ii.  p.  101. 

"  Com.  Chauncey  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  May  7  ;  Gen.  Brown 
to  Sec.  of  War,  May  7;  Lieut.-Col.  Mitchell's  Report; 
Letter  from  an  officer.  May  7.  Gen.  Drummond  states 
that  this  veas  intended  merely  to  induce  the  Americans  to 
show  their  fire,  in  order  that  the  number  and  position  of 
their  guns  might  he  ascertained  ;  and  that  it  was  not  then 
intended  to  seek  a  landing — ^  British  ''General  Orders," 
signed  "  E.  Bayne,  Adj. -Gen.  N.  A.;"  Gen.  Drummond 
to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  May  7  ;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  ii.  p.  102  ; 
Auchinleck,  p.  285  ;  Letter  from  an  officer,  May  7. 

''Lieut.-Col.  Mitchell's  Report ;  Thomson,  p.  262. 


and  covered,  with  the  boats,  the  place 
selected  for  the  landing  of  the  troops.^ 
"  Every  thing  being  ready,"  the  flank 
companies  of  De  Watteville's  regiment, 
under  Captain  De  Bersey;  the  light 
company  of  the  Glengarry's,  under  Cap- 
tain McMillan ;  the  battalion  of  ma- 
rines, under  Lieutenant-colonel  Mal- 
colm; and  two  hundred  seamen,  armed 
with  pikes,  under  Captain  Mulcaster, 
of  the  Princess  Charlotte^  the  whole 
under  Lieutenant-colonel  Fischer,  em- 
barked in  the  boats,  leaving  the  re- 
mainder of  the  troops,  as  a  reserve,  on 
board  the  vessels;^  and,  after  lying 
aground  for  some  time,  at  half-past  one 
in  the  afternoon  they  effected  a  land- 
ing, under  a  heavy  fire  from  the  Ameri- 
can troops,  and  from  a  small  body  of 
militia  who  had  responded  to  the  call 
for  assistance  which  Lieutenant-colonel 
Mitchell  had  issued,  but  left  when  the 
enemy  approached.^ 

Finding  that  the  enemy  had  secured 
a  landing.  Lieutenant-colonel  Mitchell 
withdrew  his  little  party  fi'om  the  fort, 
and  formed  in  the  rear  of  it ;  when, 
with  the  companies  commanded  by  Cap- 
tains Romeyn  and  Melvin,  he  moved 
aofainst  the  front,  while  the  remainder 
of  his  force  attacked  the  flanks  of  the 
enemy's  column.*  The  Groiuler  having 
been  sunk  in  the  harbor,  part  of  her 

'  Letter  from  Onondaga,  May  12,  in  the  Baltimore  Pa- 
triot;  Lieut.-Col.  Mitchell's  Report ;  British  ''  General  Or- 
ders;"  Gen.  Drummond  to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  May  7  ;  Sir 
James  L.  Yeo  to  the  Admiralty  ;  James'  Militarj'  Occur- 
rences, ii.  p.  103. — "  British  "General  Orders ;"  Gen.  Drum- 
mond to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  May  7  ;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  ii.  p. 
103  ;  Letter  from  an  officer.  May  7. — ^  British  "General 
Orders;"  Gen.  Drummond  to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  May  7  ;  Let- 
ter from  an  officer.  May  7  ;  James'  Nav.  Occur.,  p.  396  ; 
Christie,  p.  180. — *  Letter  from  Onondaga,  May  12  ;  Lieut.- 
Col.  Mitchell's  Report;  Gen.  Drummond  to  Sir  G.  Pre- 
vost, Blay  7  ;  Letter  from  an  officer.  May  7. 


342 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


crew,  under  Lieutenant  Pearce,  joined 
the  troops,  and  assisted  in  holding  liim 
in  check,  with  their  characteristic  gal- 
lantry;^ and  the  progress  of  the  assail- 
ants was  opposed  with  spirit  and  de- 
termination. 

After  contesting  the  possession  of  the 
ground  for  half  an  hour,*  the  enemy, 
meanwhile,  having  taken  possession  of 
the  fort,  and  the  works  and  stores  in 
its  vicinity,  without  attempting  to  ad- 
vance into  the  country.  Lieutenant-col- 
onel Mitchell  fell  back  on  a  position 
from  which  he  could  protect  the  stores 
at  the  falls  ;^  and  at  five  o'clock  in  the 
morning  of  the  seventh,  having  em- 
barked the  guns  and  stores  which  he 
found  in  Oswego,  burned  the  barracks, 
and  dismantled  the  fort,  as  far  as  was 
practicable,  the  enemy  returned  to  his 
shipping,  and  immediately  left  the  har- 
bor.* 


The  loss  of  the  Americans,  in  this 
gallant  defence  of  their  works,  against 
a  vastly  superior  force,  was  six  hilled^ 
thirty-eight  wounded^  and  twenty-five 
missing  '^'^  that  of  the  enemy  was  Cap- 
tain Holloway,  fifteen  soldiers,  and  three 
seamen  Mlled^  Captain  Lendergrew  and 
Lieutenant  May,  of  the  army.  Captain 
Mulcaster,  of  the  Princess  Charlotte^ 
Captain  Popham,  of  the  Montrecd^  Lieu- 
tenant Grifiin,  Master  Richardson,  two 
sergeants,  sixty  soldiers,  and  seven  sea- 
men wounded}  The  Growler  and  two 
boats,  which  had  been  sunk,  were  raised 
and  carried  away;  besides  which  and 
their  cargoes,  with  some  of  the  villagers, 
who  had  relied  on  his  honor  and  re- 
mained at  home,  the  enemy  took  but 
few  trophies;  while  of  glory,  the  amount 
was  very  inconsiderable.^ 

[Note. — The  Dispatches  of  Gen.  Brown  to  the  Sec.  of  "War.  Sir 
James  L.  Teo  to  tlie  Admiralty,  and  Gen.  Druininond  to  Sir  G.  Pre- 
vost,  have  been  omitted  by  the  Publishers  for  want  of  room.] 


CHAPTER    LXXXI. 

May  30,  1§14. 

THE     ACTION     AT     SANDY     CREEK,    N.  Y. 


Although  the  enemy  had  been  re- 
pulsed, and  the  greater  part  of  the  can- 
non and  stores  which  had  been  collected 
at  or  near  Oswego,  for  the  equipment 
and  supply  of  the  squadron  on  Lake 
Ontario,  had  been  saved ;  the  transpor- 

'  Lieut. -Col.  Mitchell's  Kepoit ;  Thomson's  Sketches, 
p.  262. — 2  Lieut. -Col.  Mitchell's  Report ;  Letter  from  an 
officer,  May  7. 

'  Letter  from  an  officer,  May  7  ;  James'  Military  Occur- 
rences, ii.  p.  104. 

'  Letter  from  Onondaga,  May  14;  British  "General  Or- 
ders;"  Gen.  Drummond  to  Sir  Geo.  Prevost,  May  7; 
Sketches  of  the  War,  p.  339  ;  Rogers,  i.  p.  269. 


tatiou  of  these  indispensable  articles, 
from  the  Seneca  River  to  Sackett's 
Harbor,  was  a  woi-k  of  considerable 
danger ;  and,  at  the  same  time,  the 
state  of  the  roads  and  the  distance  ren- 
dei'ed  their  carriage  by  land  too  costly 
and  laboi'ious.*     Under  the  direction  of 


'  Letter  from  Onondaga,  May  14  ;  Lieut. -Col.  Mitchell's 
Report. — "  British  ''General  Orders;"  Gen.  Drummond  to 
Sir  G.  Prevost,  May  7. 

'  Letter  from  an  officer,  May  7. 

*  Com.  Chauncey  to  Sec.  of  Nav}',  June  2  ;  Cooper's 
Naval  History,  ii.  p.  204. 


Chap.  LXXXL] 


THE  ACTION"  AT  SANDY  CREEK,  N.  Y. 


343 


Captain  Woolsey  of  the  navy,  whose 
energy  and  gallantry  had  won  for  him 
a  most  enviable  reputation,  the  task  of 
removing  these  guns  and  supplies  by 
water  commenced ;  while,  in  order  to 
deceive  the  enemy,  who  still  watched 
the  neighborhood  with  great  vigilance, 
reports  were  circulated  that  they  were 
to  be  transported  by  way  of  Oneida 
Lake.^ 

In  the  prosecution  of  his  orders  Cap- 
tain Woolsey  ran  the  guns  over  the 
falls  ;  and  at  sunset  of  the  twenty-eighth 
of  May,  he  reached  Oswego  with  nine- 
teen boats,  on  which  were  twenty-one 
long  thirty-two-pounders,  ten  twenty- 
fours,  three  forty-two-pound  carronades, 
and  ten  cables ;  intending  to  pass  down 
the  lake  as  far  as  Sandy  Creek,  and 
from  that  j^lace,  to  avoid  the  blockade 
which  the  enemy  maintained,  to  trans- 
port them  by  land  to  Sackett's  Har- 
bor.'' 

The  coast  being  clear,  the  flotilla,^  ac- 
companied by  one  hundred  and  twenty 
riflemen  under  Major  Appling,  left  Os- 
wego at  early  dusk;  and  after  rowing 
all  night,  all,  except  one  boat,  reached 
the  Big  Salmon  River  in  safety,  at  sun- 
rise on  the  twenty-ninth.*  At  that 
place  a  small  body  of  Oneida  Indians 
joined  the  expedition;^  and  thence  it 
proceeded  in  safety  until,  at  noon  on 
the  twenty-ninth,  it  reached  Sandy 
Creek — eight  miles  from  the  Harbor — 

'  Capt.  Woolsey  to  Com.  Chauncey,  June  1  ;  Cooper, 
ii.  p.  204 ;  Ingersoll,  iv.  p.  82. — '  Com.  Chauncey  to  Sec. 
of  Navy,  June  2 ;  Capt.  Woolsey  to  Com.  Chauncey,  June  1. 

'  The  leconnoissance  of  the  coast  was  made  by  Mr.  Dixon 
in  Capt.  Woolsey's  gig.—*  Gen.  Gaines  to  Sec.  of  War, 
May  30  ;  Capt.  Woolsey  to  Com.  Chauncey,  June  1. 

°  Com.  Chaimcey  to  Secretary  of  Navy,  June  2  ;  Capt. 
Woolsey  to  Com.  Chauncey,  June  1  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  204. 


the  boat  already  alluded  to  being  still 
unaccounted  for.^ 

In  the  mean  time  the  boat  which  had 
left  the  flotilla,  from  some  unexplained 
cause,  had  pushed  on  and  sought  Sack- 
ett's Harbor,  near  which  place  Sir 
James  Yeo  had  anchored  with  the  Brit- 
ish squadron,  and  had  fallen — whether 
purposely  or  otherwise  is  not  known — 
into  the  hands  of  the  enemy;  and  its 
crew  had  informed  Sir  James  of  the  ap- 
proach and  destination  of  the  flotilla.^ 
Immediate  steps  were  taken  to  inter- 
cept the  boats  before  they  reached 
Sandy  Creek,  or  to  capture  them  after 
they  entered  it;  and  for  this  purpose 
Captain  Popham  of  the  Montreal  was 
detached  with  a  gunboat,  and  Captain 
Spilsbury,  also  of  the  navy,  with  an- 
other, three  cutters  and  a  gig  being 
also  in  their  company.^  After  cruising 
all  day,  separately,  without  seeing  the 
flotilla,  the  two  parties  united ;  and,  on 
the  morning  of  the  thirtieth,  they  en- 
tered the  creek  in  pursuit  of  it.* 

Having  received  intelligence  of  the 
approach  of  the  enemy.  Major  Appling 
ambuscaded  his  riflemen  and  Indians  at 
about  half  a  mile  below  the  place  where 
the  flotilla  laid,  and  awaited  the  ap- 
proach of  the  enemy  ;^  while  a  squad- 

'  Gen.  Gaines  to  Sec.  of  War,  May  30  and  31 ;  Letter 
from  Sackett's  Harbor,  May  31,  in  Albany  Argus,  Extra, 
June  4  ;  Com.  Chauncey  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  June  2  ;  Capt. 
Woolsey  to  Com.  Chauncey,  June  2 ;  "  The  War,"  ii.  p.  205. 

'  Letter  from  Sackett's  Harbor,  May  31  ;  Auchinleck, 
p.  292  ;  Rogers,  i.  p.  2C9  ;  Sir  G.  Prevost  to  Earl  Bath- 
urst,  June  8. — '  Auchinleck,  p.  292  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  204  ; 
Rogers,  i.  pp.  269,  270. — '  Armstrong's  Notices,  ii.  pp. 
73,  74  ;  James'  Nav.  Occur.,  p.  398  ;  Rogers,  i.  p.  270  ; 
Capt.  Popham  to  Sir  James  L.  Yeo,  June  1 . 

'  Letter  from  Sackett's  Harbor,  May  31  ;  Gen.  Gaines' 
''General  Orders,"  June  1  ;  Com.  Chauncey  to  Sec.  of  Navy, 
June  2  ;  Capt.  Woolsey  to  Com.  Chauncey,  June  1  ;  "  The 
War,"  ii.  p.  205. 


844 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


roll  of  dragoons  under  Captain  Harris, 
and  a  company  of  light  artillery  under 
Captain  Melvin,  with  two  six-pound 
field-pieces,  which  had  been  sent  from 
Sackett's  Harbor  to  strengthen  the  es- 
cort, halted  near  the  boats,  to  act  as  cir- 
cumstances required,^  At  about  eight  in 
the  morning  of  the  thirtieth,  the  enemy 
having  come  within  long  gun-shot  dis- 
tance, he  opened  his  fire  on  the  flotilla ; 
and  at  ten  he  landed  part  of  his  troops, 
for  the  purpose  of  flanking  the  gun- 
boats, pushing  forward  up  the  creek, 
and  throwing  grape  and  canister  into 
the  bushes,  as  he  went,  to  secure  him- 
self fi'om  surpi'ise.^ 

With  the  utmost  gayety,  and  cheer- 
ing as  he  went,  evidently  supposing  the 
victory  had  been  gained  without  a 
blow,^  the  enemy  pressed  forward  until 
he  had  come  within  range  of  the  fatal 
rifles  of  Major  Appling's  concealed  par- 
ty, when  a  deadly  fire  was  opened  on 
his  flank  and  rear;*  while  from  the 
front  the  two  field-pieces  threw  in  an 
occasionally  efi'ective  shot,^  although 
there  does  not  appear  to  have  been  any 
material  opposition  either  from  the  ar- 
tillery or  the  di'agoons,  and  the  Indians 

'  Letter  from  Sackett's  Harbor,  May  31  ;  Com.  Chaun- 
cey  to  Secretary  of  Navy,  June  2  ;  Capt.  Woolsey  to  Com. 
Clmuncey,  June  1. 

'  Com.  Chauncey  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  June  2  ;  Capt.  Wool- 
sey to  Com.  Chauncey,  June  1  ;  Capt.  Popham  to  Sir 
James  L.  Yeo,  June  1. 

'  Gen.  Gaines'  "  General  Orders,"  June  1  ;  Perkins,  p.  368. 

*  Letter  from  Sackett's  Harbor,  May  31 ;  Com.  Chaun- 
cey to  Secretary  of  Navy,  June  2  ;  Capt.  Woolsey  to  Com. 
Chauncey,  June  1. 

'  Letter  from  Sackett's  Harbor,  May  31. 


are  said  to  have  been  so  situated  that 
they  took  no  part  in  the  affair  until  after 
the  enemy  had  surrendered.^  Against 
this  unseen  foe,  on  his  flanks  and  rear, 
and  against  the  feeble  opposition  on 
his  front,  the  enemy  battled  manfully 
about  ten  minutes;  when,  having  suf- 
fered severely,  he  surrendered^ — a  vic- 
tim of  his  own  rashness. 

In  this  afi^iir,  the  only  loss  sustained 
by  the  Americans  was  one  rifleman  and 
a  warrior  wounded;^  while  of  the  ene- 
my. Midshipman  Hoare  and  seventeen 
men  were  billed,  and  fifty  men  danger- 
ously wounded?'  One  of  the  boats 
which  was  captured  mounted  a  sixty- 
eight-pound  caiTonade,  one  a  long  thir- 
ty-two-pounder, one  a  long  twenty-four- 
pounder,  one  two  long  twelve-pounders, 
and  another  two  small  brass  howitzers;^ 
besides  which,  Captains  Popham  and 
Spilsbury,  Lieutenants  Cox  and  Knight 
of  the  marines,  besides  the  killed  and 
wounded,  of  which  no  record  has  been 
made,  and  one  hundred  and  sixty-one 
marines  and  seamen  were  taken  prison- 
ers.® 


[Note. — The.  Dispatches  of  Ma).  Appling  to  Gen.  Gaines,  Capt. 
'Wllol^ey  to  Com.  CliHiincey.  anri  Capt.  Popliain  to  Sir  .Tames  L.  Tco, 
have  been  ouiitteil  by  the  Publishers  for  want  of  room.] 


'  The  Indians  had  been  dispersed,  early  in  the  day,  by 
the  enemy's  artillery,  and  returned  only  when  the  action 
had  terminated. — Capl.  Popham  to  Sir  James  L.  Yeo,  June  1. 

'  Gen.  Gaines  to  Sec.  of  War,  May  31  ;  Gen.  Gaines' 
"General  Orders,"  June  1;  Com.  Chauncey  to  Sec.  of 
Navy,  June  2. — '  Gen.  Gaines'  ''General  Orders,"  June  1. 

*  Capt.  Popham  to  Sir  James  L.  Yeo,  June  1. 

'  Letter  from  Sackett's  Harbor,  May  31 ;  Com.  Chaun- 
cey to  Secretary  of  Navy,  June  2  ;  "  The  War,"  ii.  p.  205  ; 
Rogers,  i.  p.  270. — "  Maj.  Appling  to  Gen.  Gaines,  May 
30;  Gen.  Gaines'  "General  Orders,"  June  1. 


CHAPTER    LXXXII. 


June  2§,  1S14. 

THE     CAPTTJRE     OF    THE     REINDEER. 


The  sloop  of  war  Wasp,  commanded 
by  Captain  Johnson  Blakely,  sailed 
from  Portsmouth,  New  Hampshire,  on 
the  afternoon  of  the  first  of  May,  1814;^ 
and,  after  a  very  successful  cruise  in  the 
chops  of  the  English  Channel — rivalling 
the  celebrated  cruise  of  the  Argus  in 
the  same  vicinity — at  an  early  hour  in 
the  morning  of  the  twenty-eighth  of 
June,  while  in  latitude  48°  36'  IT.,  and 
longitude  11°  15'  W.,  she  made  a  strange 
sail  on  her  weather-beam,  and  immedi- 
ately made  chase.*^ 

At  ten  o'clock  the  stranger  hoisted 
an  English  ensign  and  pendant;  yet, 
notwithstanding  every  effort  was  made 
for  that  purpose,  it  was  not  until  seven- 
teen minutes  past  three  in  the  after- 
noon that  the  action  commenced.  At 
that  time,  the  stranger  being  on  the 
weather-quarter  of  the  Wasp,  sixty  yards 
distant,  the  former  opened  her  fire  from 
her  shifting  gun — a  twelve-pound  car- 
ronade — mounted  on  her  topgallant- 
forecastle,  loaded  with  round  and  grape 
shot;  and  four  times  the  fire  was  re- 
peated before  the  guns  of  the  latter 
could  be  brought  to  bear.  At  length, 
finding  the  stranger  did  not  get  suffi- 
ciently on  the  beam  to  enable  him  to 
bring  his  guns  to  bear,  Captain  Blakely 
put  his  helm  a-lee ;  and  at  twenty-six 
minutes  past  three  the  Wasp  opened 
her  fire  with  her  after  carronade,  on 
the  starboard  side,  and  fired  her  guns 
in  succession  as  they  bore.     At  thirty- 


'  Capt.  Blakely  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  May  1. — '  Minutes  of 
the  Action.  &c.,  inclosed  in  Capt.  Blakely's  Dispatch. 
Vol.  II.— 44 


four  minutes  past  three  Captain  Blakely 
hauled  up  his  mainsail ;  and  as  the  two 
ships  were  now  very  near,  and  every  shot 
told,  the  action  became  very  severe.^ 

The  fire  of  the  Wasp  having  proved 
too  heavy  for  the  stranger,  and  that 
from  her  tops  having  scattered  destruc- 
tion on  her  decks,  she  ran  aboard  the 
Wasp,  and  several  attempts  to  retrieve 
her  fortune  by  boarding,  led  by  her 
commander  in  person,  were  made  and 
repelled.  At  length,  at  forty-four  min- 
utes past  three,  the  boarders  of  the 
Wasp  were  called ;  and,  after  a  vigor- 
ous resistance  of  only  a  minute's  dura- 
tion, her  crew  was  overpowered,  and 
her  colors  were  struck.'^ 

The  prize  proved  to  be  His  Britannic 
Majesty's  sloop  of  war  Reindeer,  Cap- 
tain William  Manners  commanding ; 
mounting  sixteen  twenty -four -pound 
carronades,  two  long  guns,  and  a  shift- 
ing twelve-pounder,  and  manned  with  a 
crew  of  one  hundred  and  eighteen  men.^ 
She  was  "literally  cut  to  pieces  in  a 
line  with  her  ports,  and  her  upper- 
works,  boats,  and  spare  spars  were  one 
complete  wreck ; "  and  soon  afterwards 
her  foremast  went  overboard.*  Her 
gallant  commander,  Purser  Barton,  and 
twenty -three  of  her  crew  had  been 
TciUed I  and  her  First-lieutenant  (Cham- 
bers), Master  Jones,  and  forty  of  her 
crew  had  been  wounded;^  and  when 

■  Minutes,  &c. — '  Ibid.;  "London  Paper,"  in  Mies' 
Register,  vii.  p.  12  ;  Weekly  Messenger,  ii.  p.  344. 

'  Capt.  Blakely  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  July  8  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p. 
126.— ■*  Capt.  Blakely  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  July  8. 

'  Keturns  appended  to  Capt.  Blakely's  Dispatch. 


346 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


her  flag  was  lowered  the  captain's-clerk 
was  the  senior  officer,  and  performed  the 
sad  ceremony  of  surrendering  the  ship.^ 
The  Wasp  was  a  new  ship,  on  her 
first  cruise,^  mounting  twenty  thirty- 
two-pound  carronades  and  two  long 
guns,^  with  a  crew  of  one  hundred  and 
seventy-three  men.*  Six  round-shot 
had  struck  her  hull;  her  foremast  had 
been  wounded  with  a  twenty-four-pound 
shot;    and   her  rigging  and  sails  had 


been  considerably  injured.^  Five  of  her 
crew  had  been  hilled^  and  two  midship- 
men and  nineteen  of  her  crew  had  been 
wounded} 

In  this  short,  but  sanguinary  conflict, 
the  conduct  of  both  crews  entitled  them 
to  the  highest  honor;  and  in  no  en- 
gagement during  the  war  were  there 
displayed  any  finer  specimens  of  sea- 
manship, discipline,  or  courage,  than  in 
this. 


CHAPTER     LXXXIII. 

July  3  to  Aug^ust  21,  1§14. 

THE    EXPEDITION    AGAINST    M  I  C  H  I  LIM  A  CI  N  A  C. 


The  loss  of  Michilimacinac,  at  an 
early  period  of  the  war,  and  the  evils 
which  resulted  from  it,  have  been  fre- 
quently referred  to  in  preceding  chap- 
ters of  this  work ;  and  both  the  Bi-itish 
and  the  American  governments  natural- 
ly desired  its  possession.  It  was  the  key 
to  the  Indian  nations  of  the  Northwest, 
and  of  the  valuable  fur-trade  which 
flowed  therefrom  ;  and  while  one  power 
prepared  to  strengthen  and  defend  the 
post,  the  other  as  steadily  provided 
means  for  its  capture. 

In  this  struggle  for  supremacy,  in 
April,  1814,  the  enemy  sent  forward  a 
strong  party  of  men,  under  Lieutenant- 
colonel  McDouall;^  and,  soon  afterwards 
(July  17,  1814),  the  American  post  at 
Prairie-du-Chien  was  surrendered  to  a 
detachment  from  the  garrison,  led  by 
Lieutenant -colonel    McKay.^      In    the 

»  James'  Nav.  Occur.,  pp.  355,  356. — '  Cooper,  ii.  p. 
125;   "  The  War,"  iii.  p.  49.— =  Cooper,  ii.  p.  112. 

*  Naval  'I'emple,  p.  136  ;  James'  Naval  Occurrences,  pp. 
357,  358.— '  Christie,  p.  195;  James,  ii.  pp.  186,  187. 

•  Lieut.  Col.  McKay  to  Lieut.-Col.  McDouall,  July  27  ; 
Christie,  p.  196 ;  James,  ii.  pp.  187-190. 


mean  time,  in  April,  1814,  Commander 
Arthur  St.  Clair,  of  the  navy,  had 
been  placed  in  command  of  the  upper 
lakes,  with  the  Niagara^  St.  Lawrence^ 
Caledonia^  Scorpion,  and  Tigref^s, — all 
known  to  the  reader  as  connected  with 
Commander  Perry's  victory  on  Lake 
Erie, — and,  on  the  third  of  July,  he  was 
joined  by  Lieutenant-colonel  Croghan, 
with  five  hundred  regular  troops  and 
two  hundred  and  fifty  militia.^  On  the 
twelfth,  Colonel  William  Cotgreave, 
with  a  regiment  of  Ohio  Volunteers, 
joined  the  expedition;*  and  after  a 
tedious  trip, — rendered  still  more  te- 
dious by  what  appears  to  have  been  a 
strong  desire  to  increase  the  prize- 
money  by  securing  the  enemy's  furs,® — 
on  the  twenty-sixth  of  July,  it  reached 
its  destination.® 

A  serious  difterence  of  opinion  ap- 

1  Capt.  Blakely  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  July  8. — ^  Returns  ap- 
pended to  Capt.  Blakely's  Dispatch. — ^  IngersoH,  iv.  p. 
75  ;  James,  ii.  pp.  190,  191  ;  Armstrong,  ii.  p.  74. 

*  IngersoH,  iv.  pp.  75,  76. — '  Ibid.,  p.  76. 

"Lieut.-Col.  Croghan  to  Sec.  of  War,  Aug.  9,  1814; 
James,  ii.  p.  193. 


Chap.  LXXXIH.]       EXPEDITION"  AGAINST  MICHILIMACINAC. 


347 


pears  to  have  existed  between  the  mili- 
tary and  the  naval  chiefs,  concerning 
the  propriety  of  an  immediate  attack 
on  the  post, — the  naval,  it  is  said,  re- 
fusing to  risk  his  vessels  in  an  attack 
on  a  post  on  which  he  could  not  bring 
his  guns  to  bear,  from  its  height  above 
the  water,^ — and  it  was  not  until  the 
fourth  of  August  the  forces  landed, 
which  was  done,  without  obstruction 
from  the  enemy,  at  Dowsman's  farm, 
on  "the  back  part  of  the  island."^ 
After  the  landing  had  been  effected  the 
troops  appear  to  have  been  formed  into 
column,  with  the  militia  in  front,  and 
moved  towards  the  enemy's  works ;  but 
they  had  not  proceeded  far  when  their 
progress  was  obstructed  by  the  garri- 
son, under  Lieutenant-colonel  McDouall, 
which  had  been  withdrawn  from  the 
works  and  posted  in  "  an  excellent  po- 
sition"— the  ground  being  command- 
inof ;  in  front  as  clear  as  the  Lieuten- 
ant-colonel  could  wish,  and  on  both  his 
flanks  and  rear  was  a  thick  wood."  A 
strong  Indian  force,  posted  in  the 
woods,  covered  his  flanks ;  "  a  natural 
breastwork  protected  his  men  from 
every  shot,"  in  front ;  and  two  field- 
pieces,  commanding  the  open  ground, 
rendered  his  position  truly  an  "  excel- 
lent" one.^ 

After  having  reconnoitred  the  ene- 
mj^'s  position,  Lieutenant-colonel  Cro- 
ghan  determined  to  change  his  order; 
and  having  moved  Major  Holmes'  bat- 
talion of  reo;ulars  to  the  rio;ht  of  the 
militia,  with  the  intention  of  turning  the 
enemy's  left  flank,  he  advanced  against 


1  Ingersoll,  iv.  p.  76.     It  is  proper  to  remark  that  I 
find  no  other  reference  to  this  diversity  of  opinion. 

2  Lieut. -Col.  Croghau   to   Sec.  of  War,  Aug.  9,  1814 ; 
Ingersoll,  iv.  p.  76  ;  Christie,  p.  197  ;  James,  ii.  p.  193. 

•  Lieut.-Col.  McDouall   to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  Aug.  14  ; 
Ingersoll,  iv.  pp.  76,  77  ;  Armstrong,  ii.  p.  75. 


the  enemy.  In  this,  however,  the  Lieu- 
tenant-colonel appears  to  have  over- 
looked, or  not  known  of,  the  Indians 
who  were  posted  on  the  enemy's  flanks ; 
and  as  the  line  moved  forward,  the  reg- 
ulars, on  the  American  right,  were  met 
with  a  severe  volley  from  the  rifles  of 
the  savages,  in  which  Major  Holmes 
and  Captain  Desha  fell, — the  former 
killed,  the  latter  wounded, — and  the 
men  were  thrown  into  "  confusion,  from 
which  the  best  exertions  of  the  officers 
were  not  able  to  recover  them."^  From 
this  cause,  and  from  the  thickness  of 
the  woods.  Lieutenant-colonel  Croghan 
found  it  impossible  to  gain  the  enemy's 
left ;  and  he  immediately  resolved  to 
charge  the  front  of  his  position.  In 
this,  while  he  was  more  successful  than 
on  the  right  of  the  line,  and  while  the 
enemy  was  driven  from  his  breastwork 
into  the  wood  on  his  rear,  the  Lieuten- 
ant-colonel was  not  able  to  accomplish 
much,  or  to  dislodge  the  enemy  from 
the  thicket ;  and,  soon  afterwards,  he 
withdrew  from  the  contest,  and  retired 
to  the  shipping.^ 

In  this  attempt  the  forces  of  the  re- 
spective belligerents  is  not  certainly 
known — the  marines  and  seamen  from 
the  squadron  serving  with  the  Ameri- 
can soldiers  on  shore  ;^  and  the  Indians, 
who  never  faltered  in  the  discharge  of 
their  duties,  having  scarcely  been  re- 
ferred to  in  the  report,  and,  as  usual, 
not  alluded  to  in  the  returns.* 

The  loss  of  the  Americans  was  Major 


'  Lieut^-Col.  Croghan  to  Sec.  of  War,  Aug.  9 ;  Inger- 
soll, iv.  p.  77. 

'Lieut.-Col.  Croghan  to  Sec.  of  War,  Aug.  9;  Lieut.- 
Col.  McDouall  to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  Aug.  14  ;  Christie,  p. 
197  ;  James,  ii.  pp.  194,  195. 

3  This  is  evident,  from  the  returns  of  the  killed  and 
wounded,  which  include  men  of  these  branches  of  the 
service. 

<  Lieut.-Col.  McDouall  to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  Aug.  14. 


348 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


Holmes  and  twelve  men  TcUled^  Captains 
Vanliorn  and  Desha,  Lieutenant  Jack- 
son, and  fifty-two  men  wounded^  and 
two  men  missing ;'^  that  of  the  enemy, 
if  any,  has  not  been  recorded,^ 

After    leaving    Michilimacinac    the 


squadron  sailed  to  the  mouth  of  the 
Nautauwasaga,  and  destroyed  the  works 
and  a  schooner  which  laid  there ;  and, 
on  the  twenty-first  of  August,  the  ex- 
pedition reached  the  mouth  of  the  St. 
Clair  River  on  its  return.^ 


CHAPTER    LXXXIV. 

July  5,  1814. 

THE      BATTLE      OF      CHIPPEWA. 


The  officers  who  had  conducted  the 
operations  on  the  Niagara  frontier,  in 
1812  and  1813,  having  given  place  to 
other  and  j^ounger  officers,  the  greatest 
anxiety  was  manifested  throughout  the 
country  concerning  the  probable  result 
of  the  change ;  and  while,  on  the  one 
hand,  the  people  recollected  only  the 
disaster's  of  the  past,  and  regarded  the 
future  with  despair  rather  than  with 
hope ;  on  the  other  hand  the  old  offi- 
cers, and  those  who  sympathized  with 
them,  fostered  this  distrust,  and  main- 
tained that  "  those  who  succeeded  them 
were  incapable  of  doing  any  thing 
which  would  reflect  the  least  honor  to 
themselves  or  their  country."® 

Major-general  Jacob  Brown,  assisted 
by  Brigadier-generals  Winfield  Scott 
and  Eleazar  W.  Ripley,  commanded  on 
that  frontier;*  and  having  been  in- 
structed "to  cross  the  river,  capture 
Fort  Erie,  march  on  Chippewa,  risk  a 
combat,  menace  Fort  George,  and,  if 
assured  of  the  ascendency  and  co-opera- 


'  Eetuins,  signed  "  N.  H  Moore,  A.  A.  A.  G.,"  ap- 
pended to  Lieut. -Col.  Cioghan's  Report. — ^  The  loss  of 
the  Indians  was  seldom  noticed  in  the  British  reports  of 
loss  ;  and  their  nnmbers,  and  their  presence  even,  were 
seldom  referred  to. — ^  Reminiscences  of  the  Campaign  of 
1814,  on  the  Niagara  Frontier,  by  Maj.  David  B.  Douglass, 
of  the  Engineers,  in  manuscript. — ■>  Perkins,  p.  369. 


tion  of  the  fleet,  to  seize  and  fortify 
Burlington  Heights,"  preparations  were 
made  for  that  purpose.'*  In  accordance 
with  these  instructions  orders  were  is- 
sued, on  the  second  of  July,  for  the 
troops  to  pass  the  river;®  and  while  it 
was  yet  dark,  on  the  morning  of  the 
third,*  the  landing  was  effiicted  by  the 
Ninth,  Eleventh,  part  of  the  Twenty- 
second,  and  the  Twenty-fifth  regiments, 
under  General  Scott,  below  Fort  Erie  ;° 
and,  at  a  later  hour,  the  Seventeenth, 
Nineteenth,  Twenty-first,  and  Twenty- 
third  regiments,  under  General  Ripley, 
also  landed  above  the  fort,®  The  ene- 
my's pickets  were  immediately  driven  in 
by  the  Indians  and  light  troops,  which 
were  sent  against  them ;  and,  soon  after- 
wards, with  only  a  slight  show  of  resist- 
ance. Fort  Erie,  with  its  small  garrison, 
— embracing  one  hundi'ed  and  seventy 
men,    under     Major     Buck,^  —  surren- 

•  Lieut. -Col.  Croghan  to  Gen.  McArthur,  Aug.  23  ; 
James,  ii.  pp.  195,  196. — '  Armstrong,  ii.  p.  83. 

3  Gen.  Brown  to  Sec.  of  War,  July  7 — '  Maj.  Douglass's 
Reminis. ;  Armstrong,  ii.  p.  83. — '  Maj.  Douglass's  Remi- 
nis.;  Mansfield's  Scott,  pp.  102,  103  ;  Buffalo  Gazette,  July 
5,  1814.—'  Mansfield's  Scott,  p.  103  ;  Buffalo  Gazelle,  July 
5,  1814.  Gen.  Armstrong  {Notices,  ii.  pp.  83,  219)  says 
Gen.  Ripley  was  not  satisfied  with  the  arrangements,  and 
crossed  reluctantly. — '  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  ii.  p.  116  ; 
Utica  Gazelle,  July  9,  1814  ;  Buffalo  Gazelle,  July  5.  The 
returns  of  the  prisoners,  appended  to  Gen.  Brown's  Report, 
show  that  only  137  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  victors. 


Chap.  LXXXIV.] 


THE  BATTLE  OF  CHIPPEWA. 


349 


dered;^  the  garrison  losing  one  man,^ 
and  the  Americans  four.^ 

On  the  morning  of  the  fourth,  Gen- 
eral Scott,  with  his  brigade,  and  the 
corps  of  artillery,  under  Captain  Tow- 
son,  moved  down  the  Niagara,  and  took 
a  position  behind  Street's  Creek  —  a 
small  stream  which  enters  the  Niagara 
about  a  mile  and  a  half  above  Chippe- 
wa.* On  his  march,  General  Scott  had 
encountered,  and  driven  before  him,  the 
British  advance,  embracing^  the  lis^ht 
companies  of  the  Royal  Scots  and  of 
the  One  hundredth  regiments,  and  a 
detachment  from  the  Nineteenth  dra- 
goons, the  whole  commanded  by  Lieu- 
tenant-colonel Pearson  ;^  and,  after  a 
warm,  skirmishing  fire,  he  encamped 
with  his  front  protected  by  the  creek, 
his  right,  supported  by  the  ai-tillery, 
resting  on  the  Niagara  River,  and  his 
left  "in  air."®  On  the  same  evening, 
the  main  body,  embracing  the  Second 
brigade,  the  field  and  battery  train,  and 
Major  Hindman's  corps  of  artillery,  also 
advanced,  and  encamped  in  the  rear  of 
General  Scott ;  and,  on  the  morning  of 
the  fifth.  General  Peter  B.  Porter,  with 
part  of  the  New  York  and  Pennsylvania 
Volunteers,  and  a  small  party  of  friend- 
ly Indians,  followed,  and  encamped  still 
farther  in  the  rear.'^ 

At  this  time.  General  Rial,  with  a 
large  force  of  the  elite  of  the  British 
army,  was  posted  behind  a  heavy  line 

'  Maj.  Douglass's  Tleminis.;  Gen,  Blown  to  Sec.  of  War, 
July  7  ;  Christie,  p.  183. — ^  James,  ii.  p.  116  ;  Buffalo  Ga- 
zelle. July  5. — '  Gen.  Brown  to  Secretary  of  War,  July  7  ; 
Buffalo  Gazelle,  July  5.—*  Gen.  Brown  to  Sec.  of  War, 
July  7  ;  James,  ii.  p.  118. — '  Gen.  Rial  to  Gen.  Drum- 
mond.  July  6  ;  James,  ii.  p.  118  ;  Gen.  Scott's  Report, 
Jvily  15.  Mr.  Mansfield  {Life  of  Gen.  Scoit,  p.  103)  says 
the  100th  regiment,  under  the  Marquis  of  Tweesdale, 
composed  this  advance  ;  but  he  appears  to  be  in  error. 

«  Mrtj.  Douglass's  Reminiscences;  Armstrong,  ii.  p.  84. 

'  Gen.  Brown  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  July  7  ;  Arm- 
strong, ii.  p.  85. 


of  intrenchments  below  the  Chippewa 
Creek  ;^  and  he  was  strengthened  by 
the  arrival,  on  the  morning  of  the  fifth 
of  July,  of  the  Eighth  regiment  of  the 
line,  from  York.^  In  his  front,  extend- 
ing up  to  Street's  Creek,  where  the 
Americans  were  encamped,  —  a  mile 
and  a  half  distant, — was  a  level  plain, 
about  a  mile  wide,  bounded,  on  the  east 
by  the  Niagara,  and  on  the  west  by  a 
heavy  wood,  with  occasional  patches  of 
low  ground.^ 

During  the  early  part  of  the  fifth 
the  pickets  and  scouts  of  both  armies 
amused  themseh^es  with  an  active  fire ; 
and  about  noon  the  woods  on  the 
American  left  were  occupied  by  strong 
bodies  of  the  enemy's  light  troops  and 
Indians,  which  considerably  annoyed 
the  American  pickets.*  To  disperse 
these,  and  if  possible  to  intercept  them, 
at  four  in  the  afternoon  Genei'al  Porter 
was  detached  with  his  brigade  and  the 
Indians,  and  ordered  to  move  through 
the  woods  still  farther  to  the  left ;  but 
his  advance  having  met  some  of  the 
enemy's  scouts,  the  latter  was  informed 
of  the  movement,  and  fell  back  on  his 
main  body  at  Chippewa.  The  enemy 
was  immediately  strengthened,  how- 
ever; and,  in  his  turn.  General  Porter 
and  his  command  were  driven  back  on 
the  American  lines,  notwithstanding  the 
troops  were  animated  by  the  presence 
of  the  commander-in-chief.^ 

While  these  skirmishes  were  adding 
to  the  intei'est  of  the  scene  on  the  left 
and  front  of  the  American  line,  other 


1  Maj.  Douglass's  Reminis. — »  Gen.  Rial  to  Gen.  Drum- 
mond,  July  6. — '  Maj.  Douglass's  Reminis.;  Mansfield's 
Scott,  pp.  103,  104.— ■>  Gen.  Biown  to  Sec.  of  War,  July  7  ; 
Mansfield,  p.  104  ;  Armstrong,  ii.  p  85. — '  Gen.  Brown  to 
Sec.  of  M'ar,  July  7  ;  American  "General  Orders,"  July, 
1814  ;  James,  ii.  p.  121 ;  Armstrong,  ii.  p.  85  ;  Christie, 
p.  184. 


350 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


and  more  important  movements  were 
heing  provided  for.  On  the  one  side, 
General  Scott,  ignorant  of  any  move- 
ment of  the  enemy's  main  body,  was 
moving  his  brigade  over  the  bridge 
Avhich  spanned  Street's  Creek,  with  the 
design  of  drilling  on  the  plain  ;^  while, 
on  the  other  hand,  at  the  same  time, 
the  main  body  of  the  enemy,  under 
General  Kial,  was  entering  the  plain, 
on  its  northern  border,  for  the  purpose 
of  attacking  the  American  encamp- 
ment.^ Fortunately  General  Brown, 
while  on  the  left,  with  General  Porter's 
brigade,  had  seen  the  cloud  of  dust  and 
the  head  of  the  enemy's  column ;  ^  and 
the  attempt  to  surprise  the  encamp- 
ment, which  the  latter  had  intended, 
was  not  successful  ;  while  the  dress- 
parade  and  drill  with  which  General 
Scott  proposed  to  relieve  his  brigade, 
and  to  improve  its  discipline,  became  a 
scene  of  sterner  and  more  important 
duties. 

With  his  troops  disposed  in  three 
columns — the  light  companies  of  the 
Royal  Scots  and  of  the  One  hundredth 
regiment,  with  the  Second  regiment  of 
Lincoln  militia,  forming  his  advance- 
guard  ;  and  three  hundred  Indians  on 
his  extreme  right — General  Rial  moved 
towards  the  Americans ;  and  soon  af- 
terwards he  displayed  his  force  on  the 
plain,  near  the  southern  extremity  of 


'  Mansfield's  Scott,  p.  105  ;  Armstrong,  ii.  p.  86. 

'  Gen.  Brown  to  Sec.  of  War,  July  7  ;  British  ''General 
Orders,"  Kingston,  July  9,  1814  ;  James,  ii.  pp.  120,  121 ; 
Christie,  p.  184  ;  Rogers,  i.  p.  271.  Gen.  Armstrong 
(Notices,  ii.  p.  86)  appears  to  suppose  the  enemy  was 
drawn  from  his  lines  hy  Gen.  Porter's  operations,  for  the 
purpose  of  sustaining  his  outposts,  and  of  checking  an 
anticipated  movement  of  the  Americans.  As  Gen.  Eial 
appears  to  have  been  prompted  by  the  arrival  of  reinforce- 
ments, and  left  his  lines  after  having  "made  his  disposi- 
tions for  attack,"  I  have  not  considered  he  was  on  the 
defensive,  but  an  assailant. — '  Gen.  Brown  to  Sec.  of  War, 
July  7  ;  Mansfield's  Scott,  p.  105. 


it,  with  the  Eighth  (^King'-s)  regiment 
on  his  right,  the  First  {Royal  Scots) 
and  the  One  hundredth  in  front,  and 
his  artillery,  with  two  twenty-four- 
pounders  and  a  five -and -a- half- inch 
howitzer  on  his  extreme  left.^  While 
the  enemy,  with  all  the  grandeur  and 
mechanical  precision  which  mark  the 
movements  of  soldiers  such  as  these 
were,  was  thus  moving  forward  and  de- 
ploying into  line,  with  equal  grandeur 
and  precision  the  First  brigade,  under 
General  Scott — instead  of  a  parade  and 
drill — was  also  breaking  its  columns 
and  displaying,  in  line,  to  confront  the 
enemy  and  to  check  his  progress — the 
Ninth  and  part  of  the  Twenty-second 
regiments,  commanded  by  Major  Leav- 
enworth, covered  by  Towson's  artil- 
lery, forming  on  the  extreme  right,  the 
Eleventh,  commanded  by  Major  Mc- 
Neil, in  the  centre,  and  the  Twenty- 
fifth,  commanded  by  Major  Jesup,  on 
the  extreme  left.^ 

While  the  several  regiments  com- 
posing the  First  brigade  were  thus 
moving  into  their  appointed  places  in 
the  line,  the  Volunteers  and  Indians, 
composing  General  Portei-'s  brigade, 
who  occupied  the  wood  on  the  extreme 
left  of  the  American  position,  suddenly 
broke  and  fled  in  every  direction,  leav- 
ing the  left  flank  of  the  line  entirely 
exposed  to  the  right  of  the  enemy's 
line;^  when  Major  Jesup,  with  the 
Twenty-fifth  regiment,  by  an  oblique 
movement  extended  the  left  of  the  line 
and  remedied  the  defection,  before  the 
Twenty-first  regiment  and  General  Rip- 


>  Gen.  Rial  to  Gen.  Drnmmond,  July  6.  Mr.  Christie 
{Mil.  andNav.  Occur.,  p.  184)  says  the  Eighth  regiment  was 
placed  on  the  left,  but  I  prefer  Gen.  Rial's  statement. 

2  Gen.  Brown  to  Sec.  of  War,  July  7  ;  Mansfield,  p.  106  ; 
Armstrong,  ii.  pp.  86,  87.—'  Gen.  Brown  to  Sec.  of  War, 
July  7  ;  James,  11.  p.  121. 


Chap.  LXXXIV.] 


THE  BATTLE  OF  CHIPPEWA. 


351 


ley,  which  General  Brown  had  ordered 
to  the  spot,  could  reach  the  position.^ 

The  instant  the  line  was  formed  it 
engaged  the  enemy;  and  from  its  en- 
tire extent  a  terrible  fire  was  opened, 
by  word  of  command,  and  with  delib- 
ei'ate  aim,  inflicting  a  heavy  loss  on  the 
several  parts  of  the  opposing  force.^ 
As  each  regiment  was,  to  some  extent 
at  least,  acting  independently,  the  suc- 
cess with  which  they  checked  the  prog- 
ress of  the  several  opposing  regiments 
differed  ;  and,  with  singular  negligence, 
the  line  of  the  enemy  was  broken,  and 
in  some  cases  its  several  parts  were 
widely  separated.^  His  extreme  right, 
for  instance,  was  held  in  check,  by  the 
Twenty-fifth  much  earlier  and  much 
more  effectually  than  were  his  centre 
and  left ;  while  his  centre,  also,  had  not 
been  permitted  to  advance  as  far  as  his 
left  had  gone.  In  this  manner  he  of- 
fered as  many  exposed  flanks  as  he  had 
regiments  on  the  field ;  and  the  advan- 
tage which  he  thus  offered  was  not 
allowed  to  pass  unnoticed.  General 
Scott  having  thrown  forward  the  left 
of  some  of  the  regiments,  the  exposed 
flanks  of  their  opposing  forces  were 
sometimes  severely  handled;*  and  in 
one  instance — that  in  which  Captains 
Weeks  and  Bliss,  on  the  right  of  the 
Eleventh  regiment,  flanked  and  severe- 
ly cut  up  the  corps  on  the  enemy's  ex- 
treme left^ — the  effect  was  at  once 
marked  and  decisive. 

The  destructive  effect  of  the  Ameri- 
can fire  on  every  part  of  his  line  speed- 


1  Mansfield,  p.  110 ;  Gen.  Biown  to  Sec.  of  War,  July 
7;  James,  ii  p.  123. — '  Maj.  Douglass's  Eeminis. ;  Gen. 
Eial  to  Gen.  Diummond,  July  6  ;  Christie,  p.  184. 

3  Mansfield's  Scott,  p.  106  ;  J.  H.  Bliss  to  Rev.  M. 
Douglass,  Aug.  18, 1853  ;  Gen.  Scott  to  Gen.  Brown,  July 
15._«  Mansfield's  Scott,  pp.  106, 107  ;  J.  H.  Bliss  to  Rev. 
M.  Douglass,  Aug.  18,  1853  ;  Armstrong,  ii.  p.  87. 

»  J.  H.  Bliss  to  Rev.  M.  Douglass,  Aug.  18,  1853. 


ily  awakened  the  enemy  to  a  sense  of 
the  danger  of  his  position ;  and  he  or- 
dered his  troops  "  to  charge  in  front, 
for  which  they  advanced  with  the  great- 
est gallantry,  under  a  most  destructive 
fire.  In  this  attempt,  however,  they 
suffered  so  severely  that  General  Rial 
was  obliged  to  withdraw  them,  finding 
their  further  efforts  would  be  unavail- 
ing;"^ and  immediately  afterwards  the 
compliment  was  reciprocated  with  a 
charge  by  the  whole  of  the  American 
line,^  "  with  admirable  coolness  and 
promptitude,  and  with  an  effect  which, 
considering  the  nature  of  the  troops  op- 
posed, it  was  hardly  possible  to  realize. 
The  columns  which  had  been  in  full 
march  upon  us  but  a  few  moments  be- 
fore, were  now,  in  another  brief  minute, 
routed  and  flying  in  uncontrollable  dis- 
order towards  the  Chippewa."^ 

In  this  decisive  action  the  strength  of 
the  parties  engaged  has,  as  usual,  been 
the  subject  of  great  controversy.  As 
the  only  force  employed  by  the  Ameri- 
cans was  the  First  (^General  Scott s) 
brigade,  and  Captain  Towson's  artil- 
lery,— the  brigade  of  Volunteers,  under 
General  Porter,  having  ran  away  befoi-e 
the  battle  opened;  and  General  Ripley's 
brigade  having  failed  in  its  efforts  to 
come  up  before  the  enemy  had  been 
repulsed,* — the  strength  of  the  regi- 
ments which  were  in  the  battle  could 
not  have  been  greater  than  fourteen 
hundred  men  ;^  while  the  First  {lioyal 
Scot-i)^  the  Eighth  (^Kmg\s)^  and  the 
One  hundredth  regiments,  the  Second 
Lincoln  militia,  the  detachment  from 
the  Royal  Artillery,  and  the  Indians  on 

'  Gen.  Rial  to  Gen.  Drummond,  July  6  ;  James,  ii.  pp. 
123.  124.—*  Maj.  Douglass's  Reminis.;  Mansfield,  p   107. 

»  Iliid.;  Christie,  p.  184  ;  Gen.  Scott's  Report.,  July  15. 

*  Gen.  Brown  to  Secretary  of  War,  July  7. — '  Mansfield's 
Scott,  p.  112.  Gen.Willcinson  {Mem.,\.  p.  654)  .says  it  "con- 
sisted of  barely  1100  men  and  a  company  of  artillery." 


352 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  IT. 


the  right,  amounted  to  not  less  than  two 
thousand  four  hundred  men.^ 

The  loss  of  the  Americans,  in  the 
skirmish  preceding  the  battle,  was  three 
Volunteers  and  nine  Indians  hilled^  two 
Volunteers  and  eight  Indians  wounded^ 
and  three  officers  and  four  non-commis- 
sioned officers  of  the  Volunteers  and 
ten  Indians  missing ;  and  in  the  battle 
w^hich  ensued,  it  was  forty-eight  men 
hilled^  Colonel  Campbell,  Captains  King, 
Read,  and  Harrison,  Lieutenants  Palmer, 
Barron,  De  Witt,  Patchin,  and  Burnhall, 
and  two  hundred  and  thirty-six  ivound- 
ed^  and  two  men  missing  ;'^  that  of  the 
enemy  was  Captains  Bailey,  Rowe,  and 
Tomey,  Lieutenants  Gibson  and  McDon- 


nell, Ensign  Rea,  one  hundred  and  thir- 
ty-three regulars,  ten  of  the  Lincoln 
militia,  and  eighty-seven  Indians  hilled^ 
Lieutenant-colonel  Gordon,  of  the  Royal 
Scots,  Lieutenant-colonel  the  Marquis  of 
Tweesdale,  of  the  One  hundredth.  Cap- 
tains Holland,  Bird,  Wilson,  Sherrard, 
and  Sleigh,  Lieutenants  Jack,  W.  Camp- 
bell, Fox,  Jackson,  Hendrick,  McDon- 
ald, A.  Campbell,  Connell,  Boyd,  Wil- 
liams, Lyon,  and  Valentine,  Ensigns 
Clarke  and  Johnson,  Adjutant  Kings- 
ton, and  two  hundred  and  eighty-three 
regulars,  with  four  officers  and  twelve 
men  of  the  Lincoln  militia  wounded^  and 
Lieutenant  Fortune,  thirty  regulars,  and 
fifteen  militia  missing} 


CHAPTER    LXXXV. 

July  25,  1814. 

THE      BATTLE      OF      LUNDY'S      LANE.' 


The  enemy  having  returned,  discom- 
fited, to  his  encampment  at  Chippewa, 
as  related  in  the  last  chapter  of  this 
work,  the  rash  desire  of  General  Brown 
to  continue  his  victorious  march  north- 
ward was  checked,  for  the  moment,  by 
the  timely  remonstrances  of  his  aid. 
Captain  Austin,  those  of  Major  Wood, 
of  the  engineer  corps,  and  by  those  of 
General  Scott.*  On  the  following  day 
(July  6),  however,  the  country  was  re- 

'  Gen.  Kial  says  {Dispatch,  July  6)  that  he  had  "about 
1500  regular  troops,"  and  "not  above  300  Indians," 
to  which  the  Second  Lincoln  militia  must  be  added,  and 
I  have  supposed  these  will  form,  in  the  aggregate,  a  force 
of  2500  men  ;  and  in  this  opinion  I  am  sustained  by  Mr. 
Rogers,  an  intelligent  Canadian  writer  {Rise  of  Canada,  i. 
p.  271.) — '  Report  appended  to  Gen.  Brown's  Dispatch, 
July  6. — 5  This  has  been  known  variousl}'  as  "  The  Battle 
of  Bridgewater,"  "  TVie  Battle  of  Niagara,"  and  "  The  Battle 
of  Lundi/' s  Lane."  I  have  adopted  that  generally  used, 
although  there  are  authorities  for  both  the  others. 

*  Gen.  Brown  to  Secretary  of  War,  July  7. 


connoitred ;  and  an  old,  disused  road 
having  been  discovered  at  some  dis- 
tance from  the  enemy's  right, — "lead- 
ing from  Street's  Creek  to  the  junction 
of  Lyon's  Creek  with  the  Chippewa," 
and  crossing  the  latter  at  that  place, — 
on  the  seventh,  a  small  fatigue  party 
cleared  it  and  made  it  passable.^ 

It  appears  that  General  Ripley — who 
had,  at  the  beginning  of  the  campaign, 
protested  against  the  proposed  move- 
ments, under  existing  circumstances — 
again  interposed,  with  the  objections, 
which  his  good  judgment  had  raised 
against  the  proposed  plan  of  operations ; 
and  when,  on  the  eighth,  in  accordance 
with  the  indiscreet  designs  of  the  com- 

1  Report  appended  to  Gen.  Rial's  Dispatch,  July  6. 
'  Armstrong,  ii.  p.  88  ;   Map  in  Maj.  Douglass's  MS. 
Reminiscences. 


Chap.  LXXXV.] 


THE  BATTLE  OF  LUNDT'S  LANE. 


353 


mander- in -chief,  he  was  ordered  to 
march,  with  his  own  brigade,  that  of 
General  Porter,  and  two  companies  of 
artillery,  by  the  road  on  the  extreme 
left  of  the  position,  to  cross  the  Chippe- 
wa, and  to  fall  on  the  enemy's  right 
flank,  while  General  Scott  would  hold 
the  left  of  that  enemy  in  check,  he  hesi- 
tated, and  General  Brown  hastened  for- 
ward, and,  in  person,  "  took  on  himself 
the  direction  of  the  movement."^ 

The  enemy  appears  to  have  discov- 
ered the  arrangements  which  had  been 
made  to  cut  off  his  force,  however ;  and 
while  General  Brown  was  thus  engaged 
in  "directing  the  movement"  of  the  ex- 
pedition which  General  Ripley  had  ob- 
jected to  lead.  General  Rial  broke  up 
his  encampment  at  Chippewa,  and  fell 
back  on  Queenstown ;  and,  soon  after- 
wards, having  thrown  part  of  his  force 
into  Forts  George  and  Mississaga,  with 
the  remainder,  and  with  the  former 
garrisons  of  the  forts,  he  took  post  on 
Twenty-mile  Creek.^  The  route  of  the 
American  army  having  thus  been  clear- 
ed. General  Brown  moved  forward,  and, 
on  the  tenth,  encamped  at  Queenstown.^ 

While  General  Brown  had  been  thus 
pursuing  a  phantom  of  his  own  imagi- 
nation. General  Rial  had  not  been  idle 
or  inattentive  to  his  duties.  After  aban- 
donino"  the  line  of  the  Niao-ara,  he  with- 
drew  the  garrisons  of  the  forts  and  sub- 
stituted older  and  better  soldiers ;  and 
with  nearly  fifteen  hundred  men  he 
moved  towards  Burlington  Heights, 
where  he  expected  to  join  the  One 
hundred  and  third  regiment  and  the 
flank  companies  of  the  One  hundred 
and  fourth  ;  but  having  effected  a  junc- 


'  Gen.  Jesup's  MS.  Memoir  of  the  Campaign,  cited  by 
Gen.  Armstrong. — ^  Armstrong,  ii.  p.  88  ;  James'  Mil. 
Occur.,  ii.  pp.  128-132  ;  Maj.  Douglass's  MS.  Eeminis. 

'  Maj.  Douglass's  MS.  Reminiscences. 
Vol    TT      4S 


tion  before  he  reached  the  Heights,  he 
returned  and  took  post  at  the  Fifteen- 
mile  Creek,  about  thirteen  miles  from 
the  American  camp  at  Queenstown.^ 

Information  of  this  movement  of 
General  Rial,  but  without  an  allusion 
to  the  reinforcement,  having;  reached 
the  American  camp  at  Queenstown,  a 
council  was  held  to  determine  the 
course  to  be  pursued ;  and  while  Major 
Hindman,  commandant  of  the  artillery, 
declined  to  express  an  opinion,  and 
Generals  Ripley  and  Porter,  and  Col- 
onels McRee  and  Wood,  of  the  Engi- 
neers, advised  an  attack  on  General 
Rial  during  the  en-suing  nighty  hefore 
the  reinforcements  could  reach  him. 
Adjutant-general  Gardner  and  General 
Scott  advised  the  investment  of  Fort 
George.^  Notwithstanding  there  was 
no  siege  train  in  the  army,  and  although 
no  provision  had  been  made  for  the 
conveyance  of  stores  from  Buffalo,  the 
advice  of  the  minority  prevailed;  and 
after  having  solicited  the  co-operation 
of  the  squadron  on  Lake  Ontario,  prom- 
ising great  achievements  with  its  aid,'^ 
on  the  morning  of  the  twentieth  of  July, 
General  Brown  advanced  from  Queens- 
town, and  at  mid-day  the  army  was  in 
position  about  a  mile  from  the  fort.* 

In  this  remarkable  excursion  —  re- 
markable only  from  the  small  founda- 
tion on  which  it  was  based,  which  was 
composed  of  his  own  opinion,  that,  with 
a  jleet  to  carry  the  necessary  supplies, 
he  was  able  "to  meet  the  enemy  in  the 
field,  and  to  march  in  any  direction  over 
his  country  ^''''^  of  his  professed  expecta- 
tion of  meeting  Commodore  Chauncey 
at  the  head  of  the  lake,  while  he  had. 


1  James,  ii.  p.  132. — '  Wilkinson's  Mem.,  i.  p   669. 

5  Gen.  Brown  to  Com.  Chauncey. — ^  Maj.  Douglass's 
MS.  Eeminis. — *  Gen.  Brown  to  Com.  Chauncey,  July  13, 
1814 — the  day  before  the  Council  was  convened. 


354 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


"before  that  time,  been  informed  that 
the  fleet  would  not  come  there  unless 
that  of  the  enemy  led  it  there,  and  then 
only  to  seek  an  action  rather  than  to 
become  depots  for  the  stores  of  the 
army  ;^  and  of  the  danger  of  leaving  an 
active  and  disciplined  army  in  a  posi- 
tion to  harass  his  flank  and,  with  im- 
punity, to  cut  off  his  supplies,  if  not,  in- 
deed, to  cut  off  his  retreat,  should  one 
become  necessary,'^  —  General  Brown 
soon  discovered  the  imperfections  of 
his  plan,  and  hastened  to  correct  them. 
After  spending  two  days  on  the  shore 
of  the  lake, — long  enough  to  protect  his 
own  dignity,  but  not  long  enough  to  se- 
cure the  co-operation  of  even  a  wind- 
bound  fleet,  much  less  of  one  which  was 
l^lockaded  in  a  distant  port, — on  the 
twenty-second  of  July,  General  Brown 
commenced  a  retrograde  movement;  and 
on  the  twenty-fourth  he  had  retreated 
as  far  as  Chippewa,  where  he  encamped 
on  the  south  side  of  the  river,  with  the 
village  in  front.^ 

Intelligence  of  the  retreat  of  the 
American  army,  and  of  its  arrival  at 
Chippewa,  reached  General  Rial,  in  his 
encampment  at  the  Fifteen-mile  Creek, 
on  the  same  afternoon, — an  evidence  of 
the  animosity  of  the  people  against  the 
Amei'icans ;  and  at  eleven  o'clock  in 
the  evening  the  advance  of  the  British 
army, — embracing  the  regiment  of  Glen- 
garry militia,  commanded  by  Lieuten- 
ant-colonel Battersby ;  the  incorporated 
and  sedentary  militia,  under  Lieutenant- 
colonels  Robinson  and  Parry ;  detach- 
ments   from    the    One    hundred    and 


1  "A  conversation  we  held  on  this  subject  at  Sackett's 
Harbor,  previous  to  j'our  departure  for  Niagara,"  referred 
to  in  Cora.  Chauncey's  letter  to  Gen.  Brown,  Aug.  10,  1814. 

2  Gen.  Rial's  position  was  but  little  farther  from  Queens- 
town  Heights  than  that  occupied  by  Gen.  Brown. 

s  Maj.  Douglass's  MS.  Reminiscences  ;  James,  ii.  p.  138  ; 
Letter  from  an  officer.  Fort  Erie,  July  28. 


fourth,  under  Lieutenant-colonel  Drum- 
mond,  and  from  the  Royal  Artillery — 
the  latter  with  two  twenty-four-pound- 
ers, three  six-pounders,  and  a  howitzer ; 
and  a  troop  of  the  Nineteenth  light- 
dragoons, — left  the  Twelve-mile  Creek, 
where  it  had  been  posted ;  and,  under 
Lieutenant-colonel  Pearson,  at  seven  the 
next  morning,  it  took  a  position  near 
Lundy's  Lane,  —  a  road  which  enters 
the  main  road  below  the  Falls  of  Niag- 
ara,— at  a  distance  of  two  and  three- 
quarter  miles  from  the  American  camp.-^ 
This  movement  appears  to  have  been 
made  without  the  knowledge  of  Gen- 
eral Brown ;  and  although  the  com- 
mander of  the  American  outpost  (^Cap- 
tain A.  W.  Odell^  of  the  Twenty-third 
infantry)  reported  the  presence  of  the 
enemy  in  his  front,  at  nine  in  the  morn- 
ing, the  General  "ridiculed  the  idea 
that  the  enemy  was  in  force  near  the 
falls,"  ^  and  it  was  not  until  late  in  the 
afternoon  that  any  movement  was  made 
to  counteract  the  enemy's  efforts  or  to 
dislodge  him  from  his  position.^  It  is 
true,  that  a  report  which  the  General 
had  received  from  below — occasioned, 
probably,  by  the  arrival  at  Fort  Niag- 
ara of  Sir  Gordon  Drummond,  with  the 
reinforcements  hereafter  referred  to* — 
had  led  him  to  suppose  that  the  enemy 
had  crossed  the  Niagara  and  moved  up 
the  eastern  bank ;  ^  but,  at  this  distance 
of  time,  and  in  the  absence  of  any  testi- 
mony on  the  subject,  it  appears  unac- 


1  James,  ii.  pp.  138, 139. — =  Maj.  Leavenworth's  Letter, 
Jan.  15,  1815  ;  Report  of  Capt.  A.  W.  Odell,  23d  infantry. 

3  It  was  "between  five  and  six  o'clock"  when  Gen. 
Scott  left  the  camp. — Report  of  Capt.  Odell. 

*  See  p.  356,  col.  2,  and  p.  362,  col.  1,  note  3. 

^  This  report  was  probably  founded  on  the  fact  that 
Lieut. -Col.  Tucker,  with  detachments  of  the  41st  and 
Royal  Scots,  and  a  party  of  Indians,  had  crossed  to  Lewis- 
ton  to  disperse  a  body  of  militia,  whom  Gen.  Drummond 
could  not,  prudently,  have  left  on  his  flank  and  rear- — a 
notable  contrast  with  the  rashness  of  Gen.  Brown. 


Chap.  LXXXV.] 


THE  BATTLE  OF  LUNDY'S  LANE. 


355 


countable  that  a  strong  body  of  tlie 
enemy  should  occupy  an  open  position 
within  three  miles  of  the  American 
camp,  from  early  morning  until  late  in 
the  afternoon  of  a  fine  July  day,  with- 
out the  knowledge  of  the  American 
commander ;  and  more  strange  than 
that  does  it  appear  that  no  reconnois- 
sance  was  made,  on  either  bank  of  the 
river,  although  it  was  mipposed  that  the 
enemy,  in  force,  had  crossed  to  New 
York,  and  was  advancinsf  on  the  ris'ht 

7  ^  CD 

flank  of  the  army,  and  might  cut  off  its 
supplies ;  while,  at  the  same  time,  it  was 
hnoiun  that  a  patrol,  at  least,  was  in 
front,  and  that,  "frequently,  through- 
out the  day,  in  different  directions,  small 
parties  of  the  enemy  were  observable 
from  the  picket"  which  Captain  Odell 
commanded,  "  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
from  the  encampment."^ 

While  in  this  state  of  blissful  igno- 
rance concerning  the  strength,  position, 
and  purposes  of  his  enemy,  late  in  the 
afternoon.  General  Brown  conceived 
that,  if-  the  enemy  had  crossed  into 
New  York,  "the  most  effectual  method 
of  recalling  him  from  that  object,  was 
to  put  himself  in  motion  towards 
Queenstown"^  —  never  supposing,  it 
would  appear,  that,  possibly,  the  ene- 
my might  not  have  crossed  into  New 
York,  and  that  he  might  be  ready  to 
oppose  the  jDrogress  of  the  American 
army  on  its  march  to  Queenstown. 
Rashly,  and  without  those  precaution- 
ary steps  which  should  precede  every 
movement  into  an  enemy's  country, 
therefore,  General  Brown  ordered  the 
First  brigade.  Captain  Towson's  artil- 
lery, and  all  the  cavalry  and  mounted 
men,  under  General  Winfield  Scott,  to 

1  Capt.  Oflell's  Report. — ^  (jen.  Brown  to  Sec.  of  War 
(no   date) ;    Maj.   Leavenworth's   Letter,  Jan.  15,  1815  ; 

Col.  Miller's  Letter,  Sept.  4,  1814. 


move  towards  Queenstown,  "with  or- 
dei*s  to  report  if  the  enemy  appeared, 
and  to  call  for  assistance,  if  that  was 
necessary  ;"^  and  "  between  five  and  six 
o'clock"^  in  the  afternoon  the  column 
moved  from  the  encampment,  and  pro- 
ceeded down  the  road  towards  the  Falls 
of  Niagara.^ 

At  that  time  an  old  dwelling-house, 
occupied  by  a  widow  named  Wilson, 
stood  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  road, 
opposite  Table  Rock ;  and  as  the  head 
of  the  American  column,  turning  a  point 
of  woods,  came  in  sight  of  the  house,  a 
number  of  cavalry-horses,  in  charge  of 
a  dragoon  or  two,  were  seen  in  the 
widow's  yard.  At  the  same  instant, 
eight  or  ten  British  officers  stepped 
hastily  from  the  house  and  rode  away  ; 
while  three  or  four  of  the  party,  with 
their  glasses,  surveyed  the  moving  col- 
umn,— one  of  them,  more  carefully  than 
the  others, — and,  after  exchanging  sa- 
lutes, followed  their  associates.  Colonel 
Wood  and  Lieutenant  Douglass,  of  the 
Eno'ineers,^  who  were  a  little  in  advance, 
hastened  forward ;  and  "  with  well-af- 
fected concern,"  the  widow  met  them  at 
her  door,  with  her  well-feigned  regret 
that  they  had  not  come  earlier  and 
"caught'.'  her  former  guests.  General 
Scott  and  his  staff  soon  came  up,  and 
with  artful  manner  and  poisoned  words 
the  widow  informed  him  her  visitors 
were   General  Rial   and   his  staff',  and 

'  Gen.  Brown  to  Secretary  of  War  (no  date). 

^  Maj.  Douglass's  MS.  Eeminis.;  James,  ii.  p.  139  ;  Capt. 
Odell's  Report. — 'Maj.  Douglass's  MS.  Reminis. ;  Gen. 
Brown  to  Sec.  of  War  (no  date) ;  James,  ii.  p.  139. 

••  Since  favorably  known  to  the  world  as  Major  David 
B.  Douglass,  of  the  Engineers,  Professor  of  Engineering 
in  the  Military  Academy  at  West  Point,  President  of 
Kenyon  College,  Ohio,  and  Professor  of  Mathematics  at 
Geneva,  N.  Y.  He  died  Oct.  21,  1849,  leaving,  in  nianu- 
sciipt,  his  '^Reminiscences  of  the  Campaign  of  1814  on  the  Niag- 
ara Frontier,"  which,  through  the  kindness  of  his  sons, 
have  been  placed  before  me  to  assist  me  in  following  the 
thread  of  this  complicated  subject. 


356 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


tlmt  eiglit  hundred  regulars,  three  hun- 
dred militia,  and  two  pieces  of  artillery 
Avere  in  advance.  Lieutenant  Douglass 
was  immediately  sent  back  to  the  en- 
campment with  the  intelligence  of  the 
enemy's  supposed  strength,  and  of  Gen- 
eral Scott's  intention  to  "  engage  it  in 
battle  ;"  and  the  latter,  with  his  detach- 
ment, moved  forward,  so  far  as  now  ap- 
pears, also  without  reconnoitring,  and 
w^ithout  intelligence  beyond  that  which 
the  widow  had  imparted.'^ 

The  column  had  not  advanced  far, 
however, — not  even  beyond  the  open 
ground  in  which  the  widow's  dwelling 
stood, — when  it  was  halted,  and  Colonel 
Leavenworth  and  the  Ninth  regiment 
of  infantry  were  thrown  out,  on  the 
west  side  of  the  road,  as  a  flanking 
party.  Again  the  column  moved  for- 
ward, with  Captain  Harris's  troop  of 
cavalry  and  Captain  Pentland's  com- 
pany of  infantry  in  the  advance,  until 
it  reached  the  fork  of  the  roads,  where 
was  a  narrow  piece  of  woods,  in  which 
a  small  party  of  the  enemy  had  been 
posted,  when  the  flanking  party  was 
called  in^  and  the  Twenty-fifth  regi- 
ment, under  Colonel  Jesup,  was  de- 
tached to  the  right,  to  seek  and  attack 
the  left  of  the  line,  which  the  unseen 
enemy  was  supposed  to  have  formed  in 
that  direction.  Having  thus  disposed 
of  his  force,  —  the  Twenty-fifth  regi- 
ment moving  off  to  the  riglit  of  the 
main  body,  and  the  Ninth,  Twenty- 
second,  and  Eleventh,  in  column,  con- 
tinuing their  march  down  the  main 
road,  towards  Queenstown,  —  General 
Scott  ordered  the  advance — Captains 
Harris    and    Pentland's    commands — to 


1  Maj.  Douglass's  MS.  Reminis.;  Mansfield's  Scott,  p. 
124.  Other  wiitevs  have  differed  from  me  in  this  part  of 
the  narrative,  but  I  have  preferred  the  testimony  of  the 
gallant  messenger  to  the  suppositions  of  other  parties. 


halt  and  fall  in  the  rear  of  the  column ; 
and  in  this  order  the  divided  column  en- 
tered the  narrow  strip  of  woods,  behind 
which  the  enemy  was  calmly  awaiting 
its  approach.^ 

With  the  anxious,  but  determined, 
step  of  veterans,  in  quick  time,^ — as  if 
pursuing  an  enemy,  rather  than  enter- 
ing an  engagement  with  a  superior 
force,— the  column  passed  the  wood  and 


debouched   into    an 


open   space, — evi- 


dently a  farm  clearing, — in  the  rear  of 
which,  not  more  than  six  hundred  yards 
distant,  and  commanding  every  inch  of 
the  ground,^  was  an  elevated  hill,  on 
which  frowned  seven  pieces  of  artillery, 
in  battery ;  while  supporting  it,  on 
either  hand,  was  the  entire  strength  of 
General  Rial's  command,  together  with 
a  heavy  reinforcement,  with  which  Lieu- 
tenant-general Drummond  had  just  come 
up  from  Queenstown.* 

The  effect  of  this  rash  movement — or 
rather  the  beginning  of  it — was,  at  once, 
apparent.  A  handful  of  men,  not  more 
than  thirteen  hundred  in  all,^  and  they 
divided  into  two  parties, — with  two 
field-pieces  only,  —  had  been  pushed, 
without  their  knowledge,  within  canis- 
ter-shot distance®  of  an  overwhelming 
force,  which,  with  its  wings  thrown  for- 
ward from  its  artillery  in  the  centre,  ap- 
peared to  be  ready  to  infold  and  crush 
in  its  embraces  those  whom  the  mur- 
derous fire  of  the  battery  might  spai-e 
from  its  slaughter.  On  their  right — 
east  of  the  Queenstown  road,  and  thrown 
forward  from  the  hill  on  which  the  bat- 
tery   was   planted^ — was    the    extreme 


1  Maj.  Leavenworth's  Letter,  Jan.  15,  1815. — =  Ibid. 

8  MS.  Map  in  Maj.  Douglass's  Reminis.;  Col.  Miller's 
Letter,  Sept.  4,  1814.—*  Gen.  Drummond  to  Sir  G.  Pre- 
vost,  July  27  ;  James,  ii.  pp.  142,  143.—^  Mansfield's  Life 
of  Scott,  p.  123.—°  Maj.  Leavenworth's  Letter,  July  15, 
1815.—'  Gen.  Drummond  to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  July  27. 


Chap.  LXXXV.] 


THE  BATTLE  OF  LUNDT'S  LANE. 


357 


left  of  the  enemy's  line,  consisting  of 
three  companies  of  the  Eighth  (or 
King's)  regiment  of  the  line/  five  hun- 
dred raiik  and  file  of  the  "incorporated 
militia,"  under  Lieutenant-colonel  Robin- 
son,^ and  three  hundred  of  the  "  seden- 
tary militia,"  under  Lieutenant-colonel 
Pariy,^  supported  by  Major  Lisle's  troop 
of  light-dragoons;*  in  the  centre,  front- 
ins^  General  Scott's  command, — ndth 
their  left  on  the  Queenstown  road,^  and 
the  batteiy  thrown  forward  in  front, — 
were  the  Eighty-ninth  regiment  of  the 
line ;  ®  a  battalion  of  Royal  Scots,  num- 
bering four  hundred  men  ;^  and  the 
light  company  of  the  Forty-first  regi- 
ment ;®  and  in  the  woods,  on  the  ex- 
treme right  of  the  line,  also  formed  en 
potence^  was  that  gallant  and  untiring 
body,  known  as  the  Glengarry  regiment 
of  provincials.^ 

Into  the  midst  of  this  force,  posted 
and  prepared  for  battle,  as  before 
stated,  General  Scott  led  the  skeletons 
of  thi'ee  regiments,  without  preparation 
and  without  warning ;  while  the  fourth 
— the  Twenty-fifth — had  been  thrown 
off  to  the  right,  away  from  its  fellows, 
and  left  to  combat,  unaided,  the  ex- 
treme left  of  the  enemy's  position.  It 
was  now  near  sunset,  and  the  appear- 
ance of  the  little  column,  as  it  deployed, 
by  an  eclielon  movement,  into  line,  on 


'  Gen.  Drummond  to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  July  27  ;  James, 
ii.  p.  143. — 2  Gen.  Drummond  to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  July  27. 
The  strength  of  this  body  of  militia  may  be  seen  by  com- 
paring James,  ii.  p.  132,  with  Gen.  Eial's  Dispatch  to  Sir 
G.  Prevost,  July  7,  in  which  it  is  stated  that  he  had  not 
over  300  Indians  with  him. — ^  This  militia  was  withdrawn 
from  the  forts,  and  then  {July  9)  numbered  300  men. — 
James'  Mil.  Occur.,  ii.  p.  131. — *  Gen.  Drummond  to  Sir 
G.  Prevost,  July  27  ;  James,  ii.  p.  143. — '  Gen.  Drum- 
mond to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  July  27. — °  James,  ii.  p.  143. 

'  Gen.  Drummond  to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  July  27.  There 
were  320  rank  and  file,  exclusive  of  officers. — James,  ii.  p, 
143. — ^  Gen.  Drummond  to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  July  27  ; 
James,  ii.  p.  143. — '  Gen.  Drmnmond  to  Sir  G.  Prevost, 
July  27. 


the  left  of  the  road,  was  the  signal  for 
"  a  brisk  fire"  both  from  the  battery  in 
front,  and  from  the  "heavy  line  of  in- 
fantry posted  to  the  right,  and  obliquely 
in  front  of  the  artillery"^ — scattering 
death  and  destruction  on  every  hand. 
Captain  Towson,  with  his  puny  park  of 
artillery,  moved  up  and  formed  on  the 
right  of  the  line,  "and,  by  its  fre- 
quent and  incessant  discharges,  highly 
animated  the  spirits  of  the  troops," 
a  very  desirable  result,  in  itself,  al- 
though the  enemy  suffered  but  little 
from  it.^ 

While  General  Scott  and  the  main 
body  of  his  detachment  were  thus  en- 
gaged, in  front  of  the  enemy,  and  gal- 
lantly maintained  their  ground,  not- 
withstanding the  strength  of  the  op- 
posing foi'ce.  Major  Jesup,  with  the 
Twenty-fifth,  on  the  extreme  right,  was 
not  idle.  He  was  opposed,  as  will  be 
remembered,  by  upwards  of  a  thousand 
of  the  enemy's  troops;^  yet,  in  the  lan- 
guage of  General  Drummond,  tlie  ene- 
m'y's  coinmandei\  "  after  repeated  at 
tacks,  the  troops  on  the  {British^  left 
were  partially  forced  back,,  and  the  ene- 
my (the  Aviericans)  gained  a  momen- 
tary ^:)c>-5'6'6-s--s/o72  of  tlie  road.''''*  He  con- 
soled himself,  however,  for  this  defeat- 
as  the  left  wing  of  the  enemy  Avas  posted 
on  the  east  side  of  the  road,,  Major  Jesup 
could  not  have  gained  even  "  a  moment- 
ary possession  of  the  road"  until  he  had 
driven  that  entire  wing  across  the  road 
— with  the  reflection  that  "it  gave  the 
Americans  no  material  advantage,  as 
the  troops  which  had  been  forced  back 
(the  entire  left  wing)  formed  in  the  rear 


■  Maj.  Leavenworth's  Letter,  July  15,  1815. 

'  The  pieces  could  not  be  sufficiently  elevated  to  prove 
effective. — ^  Vide  p.  357,  col.  1. — *  Gen.  Drummond  to 
Sir  G.  Prevost,  July  27.  See  also  James,  ii.  p.  143  ;  Maj. 
Douglass's  MS.  Reminiscences. 


358 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


of  the  Eiglity-nintli  regiment  {tlie  left  of 
the  centre^^  fronting  the  road,  and  se- 
cured the  flank  "^  {of  the  entire  line)\ 
and  he  does  not  even  pretend  that  the 
left  wing  ever  recovered  the  position 
from  which  it  had  been  driven  by  the 
handful  of  men  composing  the  Twenty- 
fifth.  But  more  than  this,  even, — glo- 
rious as  was  such  an  achievement, — was 
the  capture  of  Major-general  Rial  and 
his  staif,  and  the  aid  of  General  Drum- 
mond,  which  added  still  more  lustre  to 
the  achievements  of  the  regiment,  and 
still  greater  loss  to  the  enemy.^ 

In  the  mean  time,  Lieutenant  Doug- 
lass, at  the  top  of  his  speed,  dashed  into 
the  encampment ;  and,  at  the  same  mo- 
ment, "  the  distant  sound  of  the  first 
firing" — probably  that  at  the  fork  of 
the  roads — conveyed  to  the  entire  army 
the  intelligence  of  which  the  young 
lieutenant  had,  before,  been  the  sole 
possessor.  The  privates, — many  of  them 
"  older,  if  not  better  soldiers"  than  their 
General, — as  well  as  the  officers,  were 


'  Gen.  Diummond  to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  July  27  ;  Gen. 
Brown  to  Secretary  of  War. 

'  Gen.  Drummond  to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  June  17  ;  Gen. 
Brown  to  Sec.  of  War  (no  date) ;  James,  ii.  pp.  146,  147. 
Maj.  Douglass,  in  his  MS.  Reminiscences,  relates  the  partic- 
ulars of  the  capture  of  Gen.  Rial  in  these  words  :  "  Gen. 
Rial  was  captured  by  one  of  Maj.  Jesup's  flanking  parties, 
under  Capt.  Ketchum.  It  is  said  that  an  aid  of  Gen. 
Rial,  mistaking  the  company  for  British  soldiery,  and  ob- 
serving that  they  obstructed  the  way,  called  out,  '  Make 
room  there,  men,  for  Gen.  Rial.'  At  which  Capt.  Ketchum, 
seeing  a  party  following  the  officer  at  the  distance  of  a 
few  horse-lengths,  promptly  responded,  'Ay,  ay,  sir,'  and 
Buffered  the  aid  to  ride  quietly  on.  As  the  General, 
with  his  staff,  approached,  they  found  the  passage  inter- 
cepted by  an  armed  force,  which  closed  instantly  upon 
them  with  fixed  bayonets,  their  bridles  seiised,  and  they 
were  politely  requested  to  dismount.  '  What  does  all 
this  mean  ? '  said  the  astonished  General.  '  You  are  pris- 
oners, sir,'  was  the  answer.  'But  I  am  General  Rial,' 
he  said.  'There  is  no  doubt  on  that  point,'  replied  the 
Captain  ;  '  and  I,  sir,  am  Captain  Ketchum,  of  the  United 
States  Army.'  The  General,  seeing  that  resistance  was 
useless,  quietly  surrendered,  remarking,  in  a  kind  of  half 
soliloquy,  'Captain  Ketchum!  Ketchnml  Kelchmnl  Well, 
you  have  caught  us,  sure  enough  ! '  " 


instantly  aroused ;  and  the  messenger 
and  his  foaming  steed  became,  at  once, 
the  objects  of  universal  and  anxious  at- 
tention. The  message  was  delivered  to 
General  Brown,  in  his  marquee ;  and, 
after  consulting  Colonel  McRee,  of  the 
Engineers,  he  ordered  General  Ripley, 
with  the  Second  brigade,  and  General 
Porter,  with  the  Volunteers,  to  "  ad- 
vance and  support  General  Scott."  ^ 
With  the  great  good  judgment  which 
generally  characterized  the  professional 
actions  of  General  Ripley,  he  had  an- 
ticipated the  order  by  directing  his  bri- 
gade to  form  at  the  moment  he  heard 
the  first  fire,  already  alluded  to ;  and 
before  the  reports  of  the  artillery, 
which  soon  afterwards  reached  the 
camp,  were  distinguished, — if  not  be- 
fore the  receipt  of  the  General's  orders, 
— the  brigade  was  in  readiness,  and  anx- 
ious for  the  fray.^  Soon  afterwards  an 
aid,  with  the  expected  order,  rode  up 
to  the  anxious  column,  and  it  was  put 
in  motion. 

The  shades  of  evening  were  gathering 
around  the  encampment  when  the  order 
was  given ;  and  before  the  skeletons  of 
the  First,  Twenty-first,  and  Twenty- 
third  regiments  —  composing  General 
Ripley's  command — had  reached  the 
fork  of  the  road,  below  Mrs.  Wilson's,  it 
had  become  quite  dark.^  Having  dis- 
patched an  aid  to  report  his  approach 
to  General  Brown, — who  had  preceded 
him, — and  solicited  orders  for  the  dis- 
position of  his  men.  General  Ripley,  in 
accoi'dance  with  the  orders  which  he 
received,  commenced  the  formation  of  a 
line  077'  the  right  of  the  First  hrigade^  on 
the  east  side  of  the  Queenstown  road. 

'  Maj.  Douglass's  MS.  Reminis. ;  Gen.  Brown  to  Sec.  of 
War. — '  Capt.  McDonald's  Testimony  on  Gen.  Ripley's 
trial,  Troy,  March,  1815. — ^  Maj.  Douglass's  MS.  Reminis.; 
Capt.  McDonald's  Testimony. 


Chap.  LXXXY.] 


THE  BATTLE  OF  LUNDY'S  LANE. 


359 


He  had  not  completed  this  movement, 
however,  when  he  perceived  that  such 
a  position  would  serve  no  useful  pur- 
pose ;  and  he  assumed  the  responsibil- 
ity of  violating  the  order,  by  moving 
farther  to  the  left,  whence  he  could 
cover  the  First  brigade,  and  render 
more  efficient  service.^  While  thus  en- 
gaged, the  fire  of  the  battery  on  the 
hill,  in  the  enemy's  centre, — in  front  of 
which  the  remnants  of  the  First  brigade 
were  still  standing, — arrested  his  special 
attention ;  and  remarking  to  Colonel 
Miller  and  Captain  McDonald  that  "un- 
less that  battery  was  carried  it  would 
destroy  the  whole  force,  or  compel  it  to 
fall  back,"  he  prepared  to  carry  it.^  In 
accordance  with  his  orders,  the  Twenty- 
first  regiment  (^Colonel  Miller'' s)^  by  a 
flank  movement,  ascended  the  hill  in 
fj'ont ;  while,  simultaneously.  General 
Ripley  led  the  Twenty-third,  under 
Major  McFarland,  in  column,  against 
its  left  flank.®  An  eye-witness  has  de- 
scribed the  movement  of  the  gallant 
Twenty-first  in  such  expressive  terms 
that  I  am  happy  in  having  an  oppor- 
tunity to  transfer  them  to  my  page, 
rather    than    to    employ    less-meaning 


1  Capt.  McDonald's  Test.— ^  Ibid.;  Col.  Miller's  Letter. 
Sept.  4,  1814.  The  originator  of  this  movement,  as  well 
as  the  particular  officer  who  issued  the  order  to  Col.  Mil- 
ler, has  been  the  subject  of  protracted  discussions.  The 
popular  idea  of  Col.  Miller's  "I'll  try,  sir,"  connects  it 
with  an  order  from  Gm.  Brown ;  and  Maj .  Douglass 
asserts,  of  his  own  knowledge,  that  Col.  McRee,  of  the 
Engineers,  introduced  the  subject  to  Gen.  Brown's  at- 
tention. While  I  have  no  doubt  the  Colonel's  expe- 
rienced eye  had  noticed  the  importance  of  the  position 
and  the  necessity  of  its  capture, — as  would  that  of  any 
other  experienced  soldier, — I  am  constrained  to  believe, 
on  the  testimony  of  Col.  Miller  himself,  as  well  as  that  of 
Capt.  McDonald,  that  the  idea,  on  which  was  based  the  as- 
sault, was  Gen.  Ripley's;  that  he  ordered  its  execution; 
and  that  the  troops  had  moved  to  execute  it  before  Gen. 
Brown  knew  any  thing  about  the  matter. 

3  Capt.  McDonald's  Test.;  Col.  Miller's  Letter,  Sept. 
4,  1814.  Maj.  Douglass  supposes  all,  except  the  21st 
regiment,  "filed  along  the  road,  and  halted  as  a  right 
wing  to  Gen.  Scott." 


words  of  my  own.  "The  Twenty-first 
was  moved  forward,  silently  and  cau- 
tiously," he  says,  "  but  in  perfect  order, 
to  a  fence  on  the  slope  of  the  hill, 
a])out  forty  or  fifty  yards  from  the  bat- 
tery, behind  M^hich  it  drew  up  in  line, 
and  after  pouring  one  well-directed  vol- 
ley into  the  battery,  the  men  pushed 
the  fence  flat  before  them,  and  rushed 
forward  with  the  bayonet.  The  whole 
was  the  work  of  an  instant;  the  hill 
was  completely  cleared  of  the  enemy  in 
almost  as  little  time  as  I  have  occupied 
in   narrating   it,   and   the  battery  was 


ours 


in 


In  the  mean  time,  as  appears  from 
the  statements  of  those  who  were  pres- 
ent, the  First  brigade  {General  ScoWs) 
had  neither  advanced  or  fallen  back 
from  the  position  into  which  it  had 
been  first  led ;  but  it  remained,  with 
dogged  obstinacy,  receiving  and  return- 
ing the  fire  which  the  enemy,  on  the 
heights  in  front,  and  on  its  left  flank, 
continued,  without  cessation,  to  hurl 
down  upon  it.  The  Eleventh  regiment, 
having  lost  its  commandant  (Major 
McNeil)  and  all  its  captains,  and  all 
its  ammunition  having  been  expended, 
"  had  retired  from  the  field ; "  and  the 
gallant  spirits  who  remained,  true  to 
their  country,  but  without  leaders,  ral- 
lied around  the  standards  of  the  Twen- 
ty-second and  the  Ninth ;  and  as  volun- 
teers, continued  the  engagement — ren- 
dering "  very  able  and  essential  serv- 
ices" to  those  with  whom  they  had  thus 
connected  themselves.  It  was  not  long, 
however,  before  Colonel  Hugh  Brady, 
of  the  Twenty-second,  was  severely 
wounded,  and  that  regiment,  too,  ex- 
hausted its  supply  of  ammunition;  when 

■  Maj.  Douglass's  MS.  Reminis.  See  also  James,  ii.  p. 
144;  Capt.  McDonald's  Test.;  Col.  Miller's  Letter,  Sept. 
4,  1814. 


360 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  U. 


tlie  remnants  of  that,  also,  as  those  of 
the  Eleventh  had  done  before,  broke 
their  ranks,  and  rallied,  as  volunteers, 
around  the  officers  of  the  Ninth, — the 
only  remaining  regiment  in  the  line, — 
"  and  fought  the  enemy  with  a  spirit 
and  bravery  bordering  upon  despera- 
tion." While  the  consolidated  regiments 
were  thus  battling  the  enemy,  single- 
handed,  General  Scott  ordered  them, 
through  Lieutenant  Worth,  his  aid,  "  to 
advance  upon  the  enemy,  with  a  view 
to  charge  him ; "  and  with  a  degree  of 
resolution  and  bravery  which  few,  be- 
sides "the  gallant  six  hundred"  at 
Balaklava,  have  ever  exhibited,  they 
"  ceased  firing,  and  advanced,  with  sup- 
ported arms,"  towards  the  very  jaws  of 
death,  until  the  order  was  countermand- 
ed ;  when,  without  moving  farther,  they 
occupied  their  places,  in  line,  until  the 
capture  of  the  battei-y,  as  before  related, 
relieved  them  from  immediate  danger, 
and  changed  the  current  of  the  battle.-^ 
It  was  now  not  far  from  half-past  ten 
o'clock,^  and  not  a  ray  of  light,  except 
the  occasional  flashes  of  the  artillery  or 
muskets  of  the  combatants,  relieved  the 
monotony  of  the  gloomy  evening.  The 
fragments  of  the  unwavering  First  bri- 
gade,— led  by  the  officers  of  the  Ninth, 
but  rallying  around  the  tattered  and 
dusty  colors  of  the  Eleventh,^ — under 
General  Scott,  still  occupied  the  posi- 
tion at  the  foot  of  the  slope,  on  which 
it  had  so  long  struggled  for  an  exist- 
ence ;  the  Twenty-fifth,  under  Major 
Jesup,  reposing  on  its  laurels,  remained 
in  the  undisputed  possession  of  the 
ground  on  the  eastern  side  of  the 
Queenstown  road,  from  which  it  had  so 
gallantly  driven  the  enemy's  left  wing ; 

'  Maj.  Leavenworth's  Letter,  July  15,  1815. 
'  Maj.  Douglass's  MS.  Reminiscences. — 'Maj.  Leaven- 
worth's Letter,  July  15,  1815. 


the  Second  brigade,  under  General  Rip- 
ley, on  the  crown  of  the  heights,  held 
the  enemy's  lines  and  his  battery — the 
scene  and  the  trophies  of  its  recent  vic- 
tory ;  and  the  enemy, — I'ight,  centre, 
and  left, — truly  and  entirely  discom- 
fited, had  fallen  back,  dispirited  and 
bi'oken,  with  his  second  in  command, 
his  lines,  and  all  his  artillery,  in  the 
hands  of  the  assailants. 

As  may  have  been  reasonably  ex- 
pected, the  enemy  rallied  in  the  rear 
of  his  former  position ;  and,  during  the 
succeeding  two  hours,  he  made  a  series 
of  most  desperate  efibrts  to  regain  his 
battery  and  the  position  which  he  had 
lost ;  while  the  Second  brigade,  under 
General  Ripley,  as  obstinately  resisted.-^ 
In  these  conflicts,  the  din  of  the  invisi- 
ble battle,  intermingled  with  the  report 
of  small-arms  and  the  clash  of  the  op- 
posing bayonets, — in  which  the  antago- 
nists were  guided  through  the  darkness 
by  the  flash  of  the  musketry  or  the 
sound  of  the  voices, — added  to  the  hor- 
rors which  are  incident  to  all  battle- 
fields ;  and  which,  in  this  case,  were 
greatly  increased  by  the  almost  impen- 
etrable darkness  which,  everywhere, 
covered  the  field.  Speaking  of  the 
first  of  these  attempts  to  recover  the 
heights,  an  eye-witness  says :  "  The 
bayonet  is  a  potent  weapon  on  the  side 
of  high  discipline  and  strong  nerves  ; 
and,  especially,  when  united  with  the 
characteristic  determination  of  the  Brit- 
ish soldier.  The  charge  of  the  bayonet 
is  not  often  used,  except  as  a  last  re- 
sort, and  then  seldom  goes  beyond  the 
mere  crossing  of  the  weapons — one  or 
other    party    then    breaks    or    retires. 


•  Maj.  Douglass's  MS.  Reminis.;  Gen.  Drummond  to  Sir 
G.  Prevost,  July  27  ;  James,  ii.  p.  146  ;  Capt.  McDonald's 
Test.;  Col.  Miller's  Letter,  Sept.  4,  1814  ;  Gen.  Brown  to 
Secretary  of  War. 


i 


p 


n 


p 


Chap.  LXXXV.] 


THE  BATTLE  OF  LUNDY'S  LANE. 


361 


liut  it  was  not  so  in  tJiis  instance.  It 
was  maintained,  on  both  sides,  with  an 
obstinacy  of  which  the  history  of  war 
furnishes  few  examples,  and  finally  re- 
sulted in  the  second  repulse  of  the  ene- 
my. A  succession  of  similar  charges — 
sometimes  repelled  by  counter-attacks 
upon  the  flanks  of  the  assailing  party, 
and  sometimes  by  the  fire  of  musketry 
in  front,  in  volleys  perfectly  deafening — 
were  continued  in  rapid  succession  for 
nearly  an  hour,  with  the  same  result ; 
until  the  enemy,  having  suffered  very 
severely,  and  wearied  with  the  obsti- 
nacy of  the  combat,  and  hopeless  of 
success,  abstained  from  farther  attacks, 
and  left  us  in  undisputed  possession  of 
the  field."  ^ 

During  these  several  attacks  on  the 
Second  brigade,  and  the  position  it  oc- 
cupied, both  parties  had  been  strength- 
ened with  fresh  troops.  General  Rip- 
ley's three  skeleton  regiments  had,  in- 
deed, driven  the  combined  forces  of  the 
enemy's  left  and  centre  from  the  centre 
of  his  position,  and  had  captured  his 
battery,  while  his  right  had  fallen  back, 
of  course,  to  preserve  itself;  and  the 
same  small  party  had  maintained  that 
proud  position,  and  held  the  battery, 
notwithstanding  the  subsequent  efibrt 
of  the  enemy  to  regain  them.  Part  of 
the  brigade  of  Volunteers,  under  Gen- 
eral Porter,  had,  however,  moved  for- 
ward and  formed  on  the  left  of  General 
Ripley;^  while  Captain  Towson,  with 
his  field-pieces,  Major  Jesup,  with  the 
Twenty-fifth,  and  General  Scott,  with 
the  fragments  of  his  gallant  brigade, 
had    moved  forward   and   covered  his 


J  Maj.  Douglass's  MS.  Eemiuis.  See  also  Gen.  Drum- 
mond  to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  July  27  ;  Capt.  McDonald's  Test.; 
Col.  Miller'.s  Letter,  Sept.  4,  1814  ;  Gen.  Brown  to  Sec.  of 
War  (no  date). — '  Maj.  Douglass's  MS.  Reminis. ;  Capt. 
McDonald's  Test.;  Col.  Miller's  Letter,  Sept.  4,  1814. 
Vol.   II.— 46 


right  ;^  and,  at  the  same  time.  Colonel 
Scott,  with  the  One  hundred  and  third 
regiment  of  the  line,  "  the  head-quarter 
divisions"  of  the  Royal  Scots  and  of  the 
Eighth  (or  King's)  regiment,  the  flank 
companies  of  the  One  hundred  and 
fourth,  and  upwards  of  three  hundred 
rank  and  file  of  the  sedentary  militia, 
under  Lieutenant-colonel  Hamilton, — 
upwards  of  fifteen  hundred  men  in  all, — 
with  two  six-pounders,  came  up  to  the 
assistance  of  the  enemy.^  Of  course, 
when  the  enemy  had  been  thus  strength- 
ened with  fresh  troops,  the  most  des- 
perate efibrts  were  necessary  to  secure 
the  captured  position  and  the  battery 
which  rested  there. 

Soon  afterwards  the  command  de- 
volved on  General  Ripley, — Generals 
Brown  and  Scott  having  been  wound- 
ed,^— and,  after  holding  undisputed  pos- 
session of  the  field  "for  about  an  hour,"* 
in  accordance  with  orders  received  from 
General  Brown,®  "he  retired,  without 
the  slightest  molestation,  to  the  en- 
campment at  Chippewa."®  Unfortu- 
nately, the  advice  of  General  Ripley, 
at  an  earlier  hour,  had  been  disregard- 
ed;^ and  when  the  retreat  was  ordered 
there  were  no  means  left  by  which  the 
train  of  artillery,  which  the  Second  bri- 
gade had  captured,  could  be  withdrawn 
from  the  heights ;  and,  in  consequence, 
they  returned  into  the  hands  of  their 
former   owners.®     The   troops   reached 

'  Maj.  Leavenworth's  Letter,  July  15,  1815  ;  Capt.  Mc- 
Donald's Test.;  Col.  Miller's  Letter,  Sept.  4,  1814. 

'James,  ii.  p.  141. — 'Adj.  Livingston's  Letter,  March 
6,  1815. — <  Maj.  Douglass's  MS.  Eeminis.  Gen.  Porter 
and  Col.  Miller  {Letter  to  Gen.  Brown,  July  29,  1815)  say 
"  more  than  an  hour." — '  Gen.  Brown  to  Sec.  of  War  (no 
date)  ;  Maj.  Leavenworth's  Letter,  July  15,  1815  ;  Capt. 
McDonald's  Test. — °  Maj.  Douglass's  MS.  Reminis.;  James, 
ii.  p.  140  ;  Gen.  Drummond  to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  July  17  ; 
Gen  Porter  and  Col.  Miller  to  Gen.  Brown,  July  29,  1815  ; 
Capt.  McDonald's  Test.—'  Capt.  McDonald's  Test. 

'  Maj.  Douglass's  MS.  Reminis.  ;  Capt.  McDonald's 
Test.;  Maj.  Hindman's  Statement;  James,  ii.  p.  146. 


36i 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


the  encampment  between  one  and  two 
o'clock.^ 

In  this  sanguinary  engagement  the 
strength  of  the  original  occupants  of 
the  height  near  Lundy's  Lane,  under 
General  Rial,  numbered  upwards  of 
seventeen  hundred  and  fifty  men,^  to 
which  were  added,  before  the  engage- 
ment began,  the  reinforcement,  under 
Lieutenant-general  Drummond,  number- 
ing not  less  than  fifteen  hundred  and 
twenty  men,^  exclusive  of  three  hun- 
dred Indians.*  Against  these  troops,  in 
a  strong  position^  selected  by  them- 
selves, General  Scott  led  his  brigade, 
numbering  not  more  than  thirteen  hun- 
dred men.^  When  Generals  Ripley  and 
Porter  had  added  their  commands  to 
General  Scott,  not  more  than  thirteen 
hundred  fresh  troops  were  brought  on 
the  field;®  while  the  strength  of  Lieu- 
tenant-colonel Scott's  command  after- 
wards added  more  than  fifteen  hun- 
dred fresh  combatants  to  the  enemy's 
strength.''^  Thus  it  will  be  seen  that 
Avhile  the  enemy  numbered,  in  the  ag- 

'  Maj.  Douglass's  MS.  Eeminis.;  Maj.  Leavenworth's 
Letter,  July  15,  1815;  Capt.  McDonald's  Test. 

''  Incorporated  militia,  "  500  ;"  troop  of  Dragoons,  60  ; 
regiment  of  Glengarry's,  800  ;  detachment  from  104th 
and  artillery,  100  ;  sedentary  militia,  "300":=  1760  men. 
Notwithstanding  Mr.  James  had  before  stated  the  num- 
ber of  the  militia  as  above,  in  his  Mil.  Occur.,  ii.  p.  139, 
he  says  this  force  numbered  only  "about  nine  hundred  and 
fifty  rank  and  file. 

^  Eighty-ninth  regiment,  800  ;  2d  battalion  of  Eoyal 
Scots,  "400  strong;"  light  company  of  41st,  80;  three 
companies  of  the  8th  regiment,  240  =  1520  men.  Mr. 
James  (Military  Occurrences,  ii.  p.  142)  says  it  numbered 
815  rank  and  file. 

*  There  were  Indians  present,  on  the  enemy's  side,  of 
which  no  account  is  made  in  the  British  accounts  of  the 
action. — '  Mansfield's  Scott,  p.  123. — »  Maj.  Douglass's 
MS.  Reminiscences. 

'  The  103d  regiment,  800  ;  flank  companies  of  the 
104th.  160;  sedentary  militia,  "300;"  two  companies 
each  of  Eoyal  Scots  and  8th,  320  =  1580  men.  Mr.  James 
(Military  Occurrences,  ii.  p.  144)  says,  "it  numbered  1230 
rank  and  file. ' ' 


gregate,  not  less  than  four  thousand 
five  hundred  men,^  the  Americans  were 
not  more  than  two  thousand  six  hun- 
dred in  number.'^ 

The  loss  of  the  Americans  was,  in  the 
dragoons,  one  killed  and  two  wounded ; 
in  the  artillery^  one  captain  and  nine 
men  killed,  three  ofiicers  and  thirty-two 
men  wounded,  and  one  missing ;  in  the 
First  brigade  (^General  Scotfs), — Major 
Leavenworth  commanding  the  Ninth, 
Maj.  McNiel  commanding  the  Eleventh, 
Colonel  Brady  commanding  the  Twen- 
ty-second,— six  officers  and  one  hundred 
and  two  men  killed,  twenty-five  officers 
and  three  hundred  and  twenty-one  men 
wounded,  and  five  officers  and  forty-five 
men  missing ;  in  the  Second  brigade 
{General  Ripley's^., — Major  McFarland 
commanding  the  Twenty-third,  —  one 
officer  and  thirty-four  men  killed,  fif- 
teen officers  and  one  hundred  and  twen- 
ty-seven men  wounded,  and  forty-eight 
men  missing ;  and  in  General  Porter's 
brigade  of  Volunteers,  two  officers  and 
fourteen  men  killed,  five  officers  and 
thirty-five  men  wounded,  and  three  offi- 
cers and  eight  men  missing — a  total  of 
one  hundred  and  seventy-one  Mlled,  five 
hundred  and  seventy-one  wounded,  and 
one  hundred  and  ten  missing ;^  while 
that  of  the  enemy  was  five  officers  and 
seventy-nine  men  hilled,  Generals  Drum- 
mond and  Rial,  thirty-seven  officers,  and 
five  hundred  and  eighteen  men  loound- 
ed,  six  officers  and  one  hundred  and 
eighty-seven  men  missing,  and  forty- 
two  prisoners^ 


1  Letter  from  an  officer,  Fort  Erie,  July  28  ;  Sketches 
of  War,  p.  358. — "  Some  others  have  estimated  it  as  high 
as  2800  men. — 'Reports  appended  to  Gen.  Brown's  Dis- 
patch.— "^  Reports  appended  to  Gen.  Drummond' s  Dis- 
patch. 


CHAPTER      LXXXVI 


Ang:ust  3  to  September  21,  1§14. 

THE      SIEGE      OF      FORT      ERIE. 


The  victory  on  the  heights  at  Lundy's 
Lane,  had  been  followed,  through  orders 
from  General  Brown,^  by  a  retreat  to 
the  camp  at  Chippewa,^  and  by  the  dis- 
sipation of  the  glory  which  belonged, 
legitimately,  to  the  American  army; 
and  on  the  twenty-sixth  of  July  the 
army  retreated  still  farther,  by  falling 
back  on  Fort  Erie.^  In  this,  however, 
it  was  not,  in  the  remotest  degree,  com- 
pulsory— the  enemy  remaining  quietly 
in  his  camp  near  Lundy's  Lane,  without 
sending  out  even  a  light  party  to  harass 
the  march,  until  after  he  had  received 
reinforcements,  four  days  after  the  bat- 
tle;* while  the  American  army  moved 
deliberately,  and  occupied  its  assigned 
position  without  the  least  excitement 
or  appearance  of  alarm.^  "  In  other 
words,"  to  use  the  language  of  an  offi- 
cer who  was  present,^  "the  motive  of 
the  retreat  was  strategical — having  re- 
gard to  the  general  scheme  of  opera- 
tions ;  not  tactical  or  evolutionary — hav- 
ing reo^ard  to  the  strens^th  of  a  certain 
position  or  the  relative  force  of  the  two 
armies." 

As  has  been  said,  the  American  army 

1  Testimony  of  Capt.  McDonald  on  Gen.  Ripley's  trial, 
Troy,  March  15,  1815  ;  Col.  Leavenworth's  Letter,  Delhi, 
Jan.  15,  1815  ;  Gen.  Miller's  Letter,  Sept.  4,  1814  ;  Gen. 
Brown  to  Sec.  of  War  (no  date)  ;  Letter  of  Adj.  J.  P. 
Livingston,  March,  1815  ;  Maj.  Hindman's  Statement. 
Many  writers  have  stated  that  Gen.  Ripley  retreated  with- 
out orders,  and  I  liave  considered  it  proper  to  give  the 
principal  authorities  for  a  contrary  statement. 

2  Maj.  Douglass's  MS.  Reminiscences  ;  Gen.  Brown  to 
Sec.  of  War  (no  date) ;  Armstrong,  ii.  p.  94. 

=  Rogers,  i.  p.  274  ;  Perkins,  p.  377  ;  Armstrong,  ii.  p. 
95. — *  Gens.  Porter  and  Miller  to  Gen.  Brown,  July  29, 
1815. — '  Maj.  Douglass's  MS.  Reminiscences;  Thomson's 
Sketches,  p.  302. — "  Maj.  Douglass's  MS.  Reminiscences. 


fell  back  on  Fort  Erie  on  the  twenty- 
sixth  of  July ;  and  it  immediately  be- 
gan to  intrench  itself,  with  the  old  fort 
as  one  of  its  strong  points,  but  extend- 
ing the  new  works  more  than  half  a 
mile  from  it,  along  the  shore  of  the 
lake,  with  numerous  other  redoubts 
and  batteries,  and  embracing  an  area 
sufficient  for  the  accommodation  of  two 
or  three  thousand  men.  Diligently,  and 
under  experienced  officers,  the  troops 
labored  to  strengthen  the  new  position, 
until  the  third  of  August, — when  the 
enemy  first  showed  himself, — at  which 
time  the  works  assumed  an  appearance 
of  strength  and  perfection,  in  some  de- 
gree, commensurate  with  the  purposes 
for  which  they  had  been  erected.^ 

On  the  extreme  right  of  the  Ameri- 
can line,  at  this  time, — between  the  old 
fort  and  the  shore  of  the  lake,  about 
nine  feet  above  the  surface  of  the  latter, 
and  as  much  below  the  level  of  the 
former, — was  a  small  two-gun  battery, 
with  its  armament  mounted  on  top  of 
the  parapet,  or  en  hctrhette^  named  ''''The 
Douglass  Battery^''  which  had  been 
built,  was  then  occupied,  and,  after- 
wards, defended  by  the  Sappers  and 
Miners  under  Lieutenant  David  B. 
Douglass,  of  the  Engineer  corps.  The 
space  between  this  battery  and  the 
water  was  not  defended  by  any  work ; 
but  a  six-pounder  was  so  posted  that 
the  approach  was  entirely  commanded. 
The  epaulement,  or  earthen  breastwork. 


■  Maj.  Douglass's  Reminiscences;   James,  ii.  p.  161; 
Armstrong,  ii.  pp.  95,  96. 


364 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


wliicli  extended  up  the  slope  from  the 
left  of  the  Douglass  Battery  towards 
the  2'ight  of  the  old  fort,  was  eighteen 
feet  thick  and  about  seven  feet  high, 
with  a  ditch  in  front,  and  was  occupied 
by  the  First  brigade  of  infantry  {Gen- 
eral ScotCs).  From  the  left  of  this 
epaulement  to  the  line  of  the  old  fort 
was  only  a  slight  abatis.  The  old  fort 
was  but  a  small  and  imperfect  affair ; 
and  the  additions  which  had  been  pro- 
jected and  commenced — in  consequence 
of  the  attention  which  had  been  paid  to 
the  flanks  —  were  far  from  complete. 
From  the  left  of  the  old  fort,  in  a  line 
which  was  parallel  with  the  lake  shore, 
or  nearly  so,  was  a  breastwork  with 
banquettes  and  a  ditch ;  but,  as  it  had 
been  hastily  thrown  up,  the  breastwork 
was  not  uniform  in  thickness,  or  the 
ditch  in  depth  or  width — the  former 
varying  from  five  to  sixteen  feet  thick, 
and  from  six  to  seven  feet  high  ;  the 
latter  from  six  to  ten  feet  wide,  and 
about  three  or  four  feet  deep.  At  the 
termination  of  this  breastwork  was  a 
battery  known  as  "  TowsorUs  Battenj^'' 
on  which  were  mounted  five  guns,  under 
the  command  of  Captain  Nathan  Tow- 
son,  of  the  artillery ;  and,  from  the  left 
of  Towson's  Battery  to  the  shore  of  the 
lake,  the  position  was  defended  by  an 
abatis.^ 

Although  the  enemy  had  not  yet 
completed  any  regular  battery,  he 
opened  his  fire  from  two  or  three  twen- 
ty-four-pounders, posted  among  some 
sycamore  bushes,  on  the  day  of  his  ar- 
rival {Aug.  3),^  and  from  that  time 
until  the   seventh,  he   was  busily  em- 


1  Maj.  Douglass's  MS.  Description  (Aug.,  1814),  sent  to 
his  father-in-law,  Andrew  EUicott,  the  celebrated  engi- 
neer, who  surveyed  the  line  between  Spanish  America 
and  the  United  States. — ^  Maj.  Douglass's  MS.  Remiuis. ; 
Breckenridge,  pp.  275,  276. 


ployed,  under  cover  of  the  neighboring 
woods,  in  throwing  up  works,  amusing 
himself,  during  the  interval,  with  an 
occasional  shot,  which  was  returned 
with  spirit  and  effect  from  "  The  Doug- 
lass Battery."^ 

At  sunrise  of  the  seventh  of  August, 
the  enemy's  first  battery  was  unmasked ; 
and,  from  five  pieces,  he  poured  a  vol- 
ley upon  the  American  lines.  The 
chopping  had  been  heard  during  the 
night  and  understood ;  and  the  troops 
had  been  paraded  within  the  lines,  "  as 
for  a  grand  field-day,"  to  receive,  with 
becoming  ceremony,  the  first  formal  fire 
of  the  enemy.  "  The  national  standard 
was  displayed  at  every  flagstaff;  and  as 
soon  as  the  expected  volley  was  re- 
ceived, the  regimental  bands  of  the  en- 
tire army  commenced  playing  the  most 
animating  national  airs,  and,  in  the 
midst  of  it,  a  salvo  of  artillery  was  fired 
from  every  piece  which  could  be 
brought  to  bear  upon  the  hostile  posi- 
tion." ^  Such  is  "  the  pomp  and  circum- 
stance of  glorious  war ; "  and  of  such  as 
these  are  the  bright  spots  of  that  which, 
otherwise,  would  be  but  a  continued 
series  of  misery  and  woe. 

From  this  time  the  siege  was  prose- 
cuted with  great  vigor ;  and  the  garri- 
son conducted  the  defence  with  equal 
vigilance  and  determination.  The  fire, 
on  both  sides,  was  unremitting,  severe, 
and  marked  with  all  the  evidences  of 
the  most  skilful  gunnery ;  the  fatigue 
parties  of  both  armies  were  constantly 
and  steadily  increasing  and  strengthen- 
ing their  respective  lines  of  operations  ; 
and  the  enemy,  by  the  arrival  of  De 
Watte ville's  regiment,  and  the  Forty- 
first  regiment  of  the  line,  had  received 


'  Maj.  Douglass's  MS.  Eeminiscences ;  Thomson's  Sketch- 
es, p.  305. — '  Maj.  Douglass's  MS.  Eeminiscences. 


Chap.  LXXXVI.] 


THE  SIEGE  OF  FORT  ERIE. 


365 


valuable  and  powerful  reinforcements.-^ 
Under  the  impression  that  the  enemy 
would  resort  to  an  assault,  the  garrison 
was  constantl)^  on  the  ground,  ready  for 
duty  at  a  moment's  notice.  "  In  antici- 
pation of  this  {expected')  attack,"  Major 
Douglass  remarks,  "the  men  were  dis- 
tributed for  night  -  service  in  three 
watches ;  one  to  be  on  duty  under 
arms,  and  the  other  two  to  lie  down  in 
their  accoutrements,  with  arms  at  hand, 
so  as  to  be  ready  for  action  at  a  mo- 
ment's notice.  In  the  batteries  the 
guns  were  carefully  charged  afresh 
every  evening  with  round-shot,  grape, 
or  canister,  either,  or  all  together,  as 
the  case  might  i-equire  ;  dark  lanterns 
burning ;  with  linstocks  and  other  in- 
struments in  their  places,  ready  for  use. 
In  my  own  battery,"  the  Major  contin- 
ues, "  in  addition  to  other  missiles,  bags 
of  musket-balls  had  been  quilted  up  in 
the  fragments  of  an  old  tent,  adapted 
to  the  calibre  of  the  different  pieces, 
and  made  ready  for  use."^ 

At  length,  as  if  by  mutual  consent, — 
the  experienced  eyes  of  the  American 
engineers  judging,  from  causes,  of  effects 
in  the  future, — the  night  of  the  four- 
teenth of  August  was  selected  for  the 
important  movement ;  and  both  parties 
appear  to  have  prepared  for  the  event 
with  the  most  interesting  minuteness.^ 
In  the  garrison.  General  Gaines — who 
had  taken  the  command  of  the  fort  at 
an  early  day — visited  eveiy  part  of  the 
works  in  person,  and  admonished  the 
officers  and  the  men  to  "  be  watchful 
and  vigilant,  in  the  certain  expectation 
of  an  assault;"  the  Chief-engineer,  Col- 
onel McRee,  followed,  with  a  word  of 
counsel    or   instructions    on    the    more 

1  Maj.  Douglass's  MS.  Eeminis. ;  Perkins,  p.  379  ;  James, 
ii.  pp.  161,  104. — 2  jiaj.  Douglass's  MS.  Reminis. — '  Arm- 
strong^ ii.  pp.  98,  99. 


practical  part  of  the  expected  duty ; 
and,  everywhere,  throughout  the  in- 
trenchments,  the  most  careful,  but  sub- 
dued, vigilance  was  manifested;^  while 
in  the  enemy's  camp  the  gun-flints  were 
withdrawn  from  the  muskets,^  the  scal- 
ing-ladders were  collected  and  placed 
in  readiness,  and  the  several  columns  of 
attack  were  formed  in  accordance  with 
the  "Secret  General  Order"  which 
Lieutenant-General  Drummond  had  is- 
sued on  the  evening  before;^  while  the 
still  more  secret  "Instructions"  which 
had  been  communicated  to  Colonel 
Scott  and  Lieutenant-colonels  Fischer 
and  Drummond,*  were  directing  the  at- 
tention of  the  commanders  of  the  col- 
umns to  the  minutiae  of  their  respective 
lines  of  duty. 

Until  two  o'clock  in  the  morning  of 
the  fifteenth,  an  unusual  quietness  pre- 
vailed ;  and  the  weary  ones,  in  the  gar- 
rison, tired  and  doubtful,  began  to  give 
way  to  the  demands  of  nature,  and  lost 
themselves,  occasionally,  in  broken  and 
uneasy  naps.  The  time  rolled  heavily 
along,  and  still  the  same  quiet  prevailed 
around  the  intrench ments  and  in  the 
enemy's  lines ;  and  the  officers  and  men 
on  duty  "  began  to  be  doubtful  whether 
their  apprehensions  had  not  been  ex- 


'  Maj.  Douglass's  MS.  Keminiscences. 

2  Letter  from  an  officer,  in  "  The.  War,"  iii.  p.  47. 

'  I  have  before  me  an  original  copy  of  this  ' '  Secret 
Order,"  which  was  taken  from  the  pocket  of  one  of  the 
officers  who  fell  in  the  attack,  and  is  stained  with  his 
blood.  The  original  possessor  of  the  paper  appears  to  have 
fiillen  by  a  bayonet-wound ;  and,  by  a  singular  coincidence, 
the  weapon  pas.«ed  through  that  part  of  the  paper  which 
states.  "The  Lieut. -Gen.  most  strongly  recommends  a 
free  use  of  the  bayonet."  This  interesting  paper  belongs  to 
Samuel  Jaudon,  Esq.,  of  New  York,  and  will,  by  his  kind- 
ness, pass  from  my  hands  to  the  library  of  the  New  York 
Historical  Society. 

*  "Lieut.-Col.  Fischer,  commanding  the  right  column, 
will  follow  the  instructions  which  he  has  received;  copies  of 
which  are  communicated  to  Col.  Scott  and  Lieut.-Col. 
Drumniond  for  their  guidance." — Gen.  Drummond's  Secret 
General  Order. 


366 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


cited  upon  insufficient  grounds."^  With- 
in the  enemy's  lines,  however,  all  was 
activity,  yet  all  the  movements  were 
made  in  silence  and  with  the  utmost 
secrecy,  notwithstanding  the  darkness 
with  which  the  troops  were  surrounded. 
At  length,  about  two  o'clock,  the 
picket  in  front  of  the  extreme  left  of 
the  intrenchment  gave  an  alarm  ;^  and, 
a  few  minutes  afterwards,  the  enemy's 
right  column — the  Eighth  (or  King's) 
regiment  of  the  line,  a  strong  detach- 
ment from  De  Watteville's  regiment, 
the  flank  companies  of  the  Eighty-ninth 
and  One  hundredth  regiments,  a  strong 
detachment  from  the  Royal  Artillery, 
with  I'Ockets,  and  Captain  Eustace's 
picket  of  cavalry,  the  whole  numbering 
from  fifteen  hundred  to  two  thousand 
men,  under  Lieutenant-colonel  Fischer^ 
— dashed  through  the  darkness,  and 
charged  on  the  abatis  and  Towson's 
battery,  which  protected  the  camp  in 
that  quarter.*  In  conformity  with  the 
spirit  of  the  "  Secret  General  Order," 
it  is  said  that  the  flints  had  been  with- 
drawn from  the  muskets  of  the  assail- 
ants, probably  for  the  purpose  of 
making  "a  free  use  of  the  bayonet;"^ 
but  the  Twenty-first  regiment  of  in- 
fantry {Colonel  Miller'' s)^  under  Major 
Wood,  of  the  Engineers,  behind  the 
abatis,  Captain  Towson's  artillerists, 
within  the  battery,  and  the  Twenty- 
third  regiment  on  the  right  of  Tow- 
son's battery,  were  fully  prepared  to 
receive  them.®     Within  a  few  seconds 


'  Maj.  Douglass's  MS.  Eeminis. — 'Ibid.;  James,  ii.  p. 
169. — 3  Gen.  Drummond's  Secret  General  Order,  Aug. 
14  ;  Gen.  Drummond  to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  Aug.  15  :  Chris- 
tie, p.  193. — ■*  Gen.  Gaines'  Dispatch,  Aug.  — ,  1814  ; 
Buffalo  Gazette,  Aug.  16,  1814 ;  Thomson's  Sketches,  pp. 
809,  310.—'  Gen.  Drummond's  Secret  General  Order, 
Aug.  14;  Letter  from  an  officer,  in  '■^The  War,"  iii.  p. 
47  ;  Gen.  Ripley's  Report,  Aug.  17. — °  Gen.  Gaines'  Dis- 
patch, Aug.  — ,  1814;  Maj.  Douglass's  MS.  Eeminis.; 
James,  ii.  p.  169  ;  Perkins,  p.  380. 


after  the  enemy  had  made  his  appear- 
ance the  position  of  the  Twenty-first, 
behind  the  abatis,  "was  marked  by 
an  illumination  of  exquisite  brilliancy, 
shining  far  up  in  the  dark,  cloudy  at- 
mosphere which  hung  over  the  encamp- 
ment ;  while  the  battery  on  its  right, 
elevated  some  twenty  feet  above  the 
level,  was  lighted  up  with  a  blaze  of 
artillery  fires,  which  gained  for  it,  after 
that  night,  the  appellation  of  '  Towson's 
Light-house.'  To  the  ear  the  reports  of 
musketry  and  artillery  were  blended 
together  in  one  continuous  roar,  some- 
what like  the  close  double-drag  of  a 
drum  on  a  grand  scale."  ^  When  the 
heavy  column  of  the  enemy  had  come 
within  ten  feet  of  this  line  of  fire  it  fal- 
tered ;  but  recovering  itself,  immediate- 
ly afterwards,  it  charged  boldly  up  to 
the  lines  with  the  greatest  spirit  and 
determination,  and  attempted  to  force 
the  abatis  or  scale  the  battery,  but  after 
a  short,  but  desperate,  struggle,  bayonet 
to  bayonet,  it  was  overcome,  and  fell 
back.^  Four  times  more  the  assault  was 
renewed,  and  as  often  it  was  defeated, 
with  very  heavy  loss,  and,  at  length, 
it  was  abandoned.^  In  one  of  these 
charges  the  enemy  lost  his  way,  and 
becomino^  entano^led  in  the  rocks  on  the 
shore  of  the  lake,  the  guns  of  the  bat- 
tery were  directed  against  him ;  and 
before  he  could  recover  from  the  dis- 
order into  which  he  was  thrown  a  con- 
siderable number  of  his  men  were  taken 
prisoners.* 

Soon  after  the  action  had  opened  on 
the  extreme  left  of  the  American  lines. 


'  Maj.  Douglass's  MS.  Reminis.;  Gen.  Gaines'  Dispatch, 
Aug.  — ,  1814. — 2  Gen.  Gaines'  Dispatch,  Aug.  — ,  1814  ; 
Jan)es,  ii.  p.  170  ;  Armstrong,  ii.  p.  99. — ^  Gen.  Drum- 
mond to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  Aug.  15;  Lieut.-Col.  Fischer's 
Report,  Aug.  15  ;  James,  ii.  p.  170  ;  Armstrong,  ii.  p.  99. 

*  Gen.  Gaines'  Dispatch,  Aug.,  1814  ;  Lieut.-Col.  Fisch- 
er's Report,  Aug.  15;  James,  ii.  p.  170. 


Chap.  LXXXYI.] 


THE  SIEGE  OF  FORT  ERIE. 


367 


and  while  the  Twenty-first  and  Twenty- 
third  regiments,  and  Captain  Towson, 
were  gallantly  and  successfully  contend- 
ing with  more  than  double  their  own 
number  of  the  enemy,  on  that  flank,  a 
volley  of  musketry,  closely  followed  by 
a  running  fire  of  small-arms  and  artil- 
lery, from  the  epaulements  and  redoubts, 
which  extended  from  Towson's  battery, 
on  the  left,  to  and  including  the  old 
fort,  on  the  right — what  may  be  called 
the  centre  of  the  American  lines.^  In 
this  part  of  the  intrenchments  the  bri- 
gade of  New  York  and  Pennsylvania 
Volunteers,  under  Genei-al  Peter  B. 
Porter,  and  the  rifle  corps  {First  and 
Fourth  regiments)^  were  posted,  with 
detachments  of  artillery  under  Major 
Hindman,  while  the  redoubts  on  the 
left  were  commanded  by  Captains  Fan- 
ning and  Biddle,  and  the  old  fort  by 
Captain  Williams;'^  and  against  them 
were  brought  the  flank  companies  of 
the  Forty-first  and  One  hundred  and 
fourth  regiments,  a  detachment  of  fifty 
Royal  marines,  one  of  ninety  seamen, 
and  a  small  one  from  the  Royal  Artil- 
lery, with  rockets,  the  whole  numbering 
about  five  hundred  men,  and  led  by 
Lieutenant-colonel  Drummond.^  The 
assailants  appear  to  have  directed  their 
efforts,  principally,  against  the  old  fort ; 
and  approaching  every  assailable  part 
of  the  work  at  the  same  time,  they 
dashed  forward,  with  their  scaling-lad- 
ders, and  gained  the  parapet.  The  gar- 
rison, led  by  Captain  Williams  and  Lieu- 
tenants McDonough  and  Watmough, 
met  them  with  equal  spirit,  however, 
and  they  were  hurled  back  from  the 
salient  bastion,  with  considerable  loss  ; 

'  Maj.  Douglass's  MS.  Reminis  ;  James,  ii.  pp.  170,  171. 

»  Gen.  Gaines'  Dispatch,  Aug.,  1814. — '  Gen.  Drum- 
mond's  Secret  General  Order,  Aug.  14  ;  Gen.  Drummond 
to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  Aug.  15  ;  James,  ii.  171. 


and  the  garrison  was  immediately 
strengthened  by  General  Ripley's  bri- 
gade of  regulai^,  on  the  extreme  right, 
and  from  General  Porter's  Volunteers, 
in  the  centre  of  the  lines.  A  second 
and  a  third  time  the  scaling-ladders 
were  planted,  and  the  assailants  mount- 
ed the  parapets  of  the  salient  bastion, 
to  meet,  in  hand-to-hand  conflict,  and 
be  driven  back  by  Captain  Williams 
and  his  command.^  Soon  afterwards, 
"taking  advantage  of  the  darkness  of 
the  morning,  and  of  the  heavy  columns 
of  smoke,  which  concealed  all  objects 
from  the  view  of  the  garrison.  Lieuten- 
ant-colonel Drummond  moved  his  troops 
silently  round  the  ditch,  repeated  his 
charge,  and  reascended  his  ladders  with 
such  celerity  as  to  gain  footing  on  the 
parapet  before  any  effectual  opposition 
could  be  made.  Being  in  the  very 
midst  of  his  men,  he  directed  them  to 
charge  vigorously  with  their  pikes  and 
bayonets,  and  to  show  no  mercy  to  the 
garrison.  This  order  was  executed  with 
the  utmost  rapidity,  and  the  most  obsti- 
nate previous  parts  of  the  engagement 
formed  no  kind  of  parallel  to  the  vio- 
lence and  desperation  of  the  conflict  at 
this  time."^  The  Captain  and  both 
Lieutenants  fell — the  former  mortally 
wounded ;  and  notwithstanding  every 
effort  M^hich  could  be  made,  the  ene- 
my retained  possession  of  the  bastion. 
Chai'ge  followed  charge,  in  rapid  suc- 
cession, until  daybreak ;  and,  from  both 
armies,  reinforcements  were  sent,  both 
to  the  garrison  and  the  successful  assail- 
ants.^ 

In  the  mean  time,  the  extreme  right 

'Gen.  Gaines'  Dispatch,  Aug.,  1814;  Maj.  Douglass's 
MS.  Eeminis. ;  Perkins,  pp.  380,  381. — ^  Thomson's 
Sketches,  pp.  311,  312  ;  Perkins,  pp.  380,  381  ;  Brecken- 
-  ridge,  p.  279.—''  Gen.  Gaines'  Dispatch,  Aug.,  1814  ;  Gen. 
Drummond  to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  Aug.  15;  James,  ii.  pp. 
176,  177 


368 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


of  the  intrench ments — extending  from 
the  old  fort,  down  the  slope,  to  the 
shore  of  the  lake — had  also  been  the 
scene  of  a  vigorous  assault.  The  epaule- 
ment,  between  the  old  fort  and  the 
Douglass  Battery,  was  defended  by  the 
remnants  of  the  First  brigade  (^General 
Scotfs)^  under  the  command  of  Lieuten- 
ant-colonel Aspinwall ;  the  corps  of 
bombardiers,  under  Lieutenant  Doug- 
lass, occupied  "  The  Douglass  Battery ; " 
and  the  open  space  between  the  latter 
and  the  lake  was  occupied  by  Colonel 
McRee,  the  chief-engineer,  with  a  six- 
pound  field-piece ;  by  two  companies  of 
New  York  Yolunteei's,  under  Captains 
Claudius  V.  Bough  ton  and  Micajah 
Harding.^  Against  these,  simultaneous- 
ly with  the  attack  on  the  old  fort,  by 
the  enemy's  centre,^  the  left  wing  of  the 
opposing  force — embracing  the  entire 
One  hundred  and  third  regiment  of  the 
line,  under  Lieutenant-colonel  Scott "^ — 
moved  along  the  shore  of  the  lake. 
The  darkness  of  the  night  prevented 
the  garrison,  in  this,  as  in  other  parts 
of  the  works,  from  witnessing  the  pre- 
cise effect  of  its  fire,  yet  being  well  ac- 
quainted with  the  ground  in  its  front, 
no  difficulty  was  experienced  in  giving 
the  proper  elevation  and  direction  to 
the  guns.  As  Major  Douglass  subse- 
quently remarked,  "  The  cannon  were 
loaded  habitually  for  short  quarters. 
They  were  filled  with  round-shot,  grape, 
canister,  and  bags  of  musket-balls,  at 
discretion,  until  the  last  wad  could  be 
touched  with  the  hand  in  the  muzzle  of 
the  pieces."*  There  is  no  wonder,  with 
such  opposition  as  this  to  contend  with, 

'  Gen,  Gaines'  Dispatch,  Aug.,  1814;  Maj.  Douglass's 
MS.  Reminis. — '  Maj.  Douglass's  MS.  Reminis. ;  Gen. 
Drumniond  to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  Aug.  15. — '  Gen.  Drum- 
inond's  Secret  General  Order,  Aug.  14  :  Gen.  Drummond 
to  Sir  G.  Prevost,  Aug.  15. — *  Maj.  Douglass's  MS.  Remi- 
niscences. 


that  the  fiintless  muskets  of  the  enemy 
reached  but  few  victims,  or  that  the 
assailants — much  more  numerous  than 
the  garrison — were  generally  repulsed. 
In  this  quarter,  as  on  the  extreme  left, 
the  enemy  dashed  forward,  and  slowly 
retired  as  the  garrison  beat  him  back, 
— alternately  repeating  the  attempt,  and 
as  often  retiring, — for  upwards  of  an 
hour ;  and  it  was  not  until  the  day  be- 
gan to  dawn,  that,  dispirited  and  com- 
pletely overcome,  with  its  commander 
fallen  on  the  field,  the  One  hundred 
and  third  finally  fell  back  and  joined 
the  reserve  of  the  enemy  near  the  edge 
of  the  woods.^ 

In  the  mean  time,  the  conflict  con- 
tinued within  the  salient  bastion  of  the 
old  fort,  with  its  wonted  fury ;  and 
thither,  after  the  day  broke,  the  atten- 
tion of  both  armies  began  to  centre, 
since  the  action,  on  either  wing,  had 
virtually  ceased.^  The  enemy's  reserve 
appeared  to  be  preparing  to  move  for- 
ward to  support  the  successful  occu- 
pants ;  and,  to  prevent  such  an  acces- 
sion of  strength,  the  guns  on  every  com- 
manding face  of  the  works  were  brought 
to  bear  on  the  glacis  of  the  bastion,  in 
order  to  enfilade  the  expected  column.* 
At  this  instant,  and  without  any  pre- 
monitory warning,  in  the  words  of  an 
eye-witness,  already  known  to  the  read- 
er, "  every  sound  was  hushed  by  the 
sense  of  an  unnatural  tremor  beneath 
our  feet,  like  the  first  heave  of  an  earth- 
quake. Almost  at  the  same  instant  the 
centre  of  the  bastion  burst  up  with  a 
terrific  explosion ;  and  a  jet  of  flame, 
mingled  with  fragments  of  timber, 
earth,  stone,  and  bodies  of  men,  rose  to 
the  height  of  one  or  two  hundred  feet 

'  Maj.  Douglass's  MS.  Reminis.—"  Gen.  Gaines'  Dis- 
patch, Aug.,  1814;  Maj.  Douglass's  MS.  Reminiscences. 
*  Gen.  Gaines'  Dispatch,  Aug.,  1814. 


Chap.  LXXXVI.] 


THE  SIEGE  OF  FORT  ERIE. 


369 


in  the  air,  and  fell  in  a  shower  of  ruins 
to  a  great  distance  all  around."^  The 
enemy's  reserve  immed  lately  fell  back ; 
and  soon  afterwards  the  conflict  ended 
in  the  entire  defeat  of  the  enemy,  whose 
shattered  columns — two  of  them  with- 
out their  commanders  —  returned  dis- 
pirited to  his  encampment,^  leaving  be- 
hind him,  on  the  field,  two  hundred  and 
twenty-two  dead,  one  hundred  and  sev- 
enty-four wounded,  and  one  hundred 
and  eighty-six  prisoners,  besides  those 
who  were  carried  off  by  their  com- 
rades.^ 

The  American  army  immediately  re- 
paired the  ruined  bastion;*  and  during 
the  succeeding  thirty-three  days  it  was 
busily  employed  in  strengthening  the 
works  which  had  been  opposed  to  the 
enemy,  and  in  adding  new  ones  ;^  while 
the  enemy,  at  the  same  time,  increased 
his  works  and  strengthened  those  which 
he  had  previously  occupied.®  General 
Gaines,  having  been  wounded  by  a 
bomb-shell,  which  fell  into  his  quarters, 
had  left  the  encampment  and  returned 
to  Buffalo;^  while  General  Brown,  who 
had  recovered  from  his  wound,  received 
at  Lundy's  Lane,  had  resumed  the  com- 
mand of  the  army.*  Both  armies  had 
received  reinforcements  during  the  inter- 
val;® and  the  siege  was  prosecuted,  and 


1  Maj.  Douglass's  MS.  Eeminis.;  Gen.  Drummond  to 
Sir  G.  Prevost,  Aug.  15. — *  Gen.  Drummond  to  Sir  G. 
Prevost,  Aug.  15 ;  Rogers,  i.  pp.  275,  276  ;  Brackenridge, 
p.  280. — '  Report,  signed  "  N.  N.  Hall,  A.  Jiispec.-Gen.," 
appended  to  Gen.  Gaines'  Dispatch,  Aug.,  1814.  It  is 
proper  to  state  that  the  enemy's  official  report  gives  a  dif- 
ferent statement — 58  killed,  309  wounded,  and  539  missing. 

*  Maj.  Douglass's  MS.  Reminls.;  James,  11.  p.  228. 

^  Maj.  Douglass's  MS.  Reminis. ;  Same  to  A.  E.  Elll- 
cott,  Sept.  9,  1814;  James,  ii.  p.  228.— «  Maj.  Dougliiss's 
MS.  Reminis.;  James,  11.  p.  230;  Perkins,  p.  384;  Arm- 
strong, 11.  p.  100. — ''Maj,  Douglass's  MS.  Reminis.; 
Brackenridge,  p.  280. — ^  Maj.  Douglass's  MS.  Reminis.; 
James,  11.  p.  228;  Armstrong,  11.  pp.  100,  101. 

°  James,  ii.  p.  229  ;  Rogers,  1.  p.  276  ;  Christie,  p.  195  ; 
Brackenridge,  pp.  280,  281. 
Vol.  II.— 47 


the  defence  sustained,  with  all  the  spirit 
and  skill  which  might,  reasonably,  have 
been  expected  from  such  opponents. 

At  length,  for  the  purpose  of  check- 
ing the  progress  of  the  enemy,  and  of 
harassing  the  troops,  a  sortie  was  plan- 
ned, and  the  morning  of  the  seven- 
teenth of  September  was  selected  as 
the  time  for  its  execution.^  With  this 
object  a  road  had  been  marked^  through 
the  woods  from  the  extreme  left  of  the 
encampment  to  a  point  within  pistol- 
shot  of  the  enemy's  right  wing ;  yet 
with  so  much  secrecy  had  it  been  ac- 
complished that  the  enemy  had  not 
been  alarmed;^  and  on  the  appointed 
morning  a  heavy  fog,  accompanied  with 
occasional  showers,  was  well  calcula- 
ted to  conceal  the  operations,  and  to 
increase  the  confusion  of  the  enemy.* 
The  assailants  were  organized  into  two 
divisions — the  one  to  move  from  the 
extreme  left  of  the  encampment,  by 
way  of  the  marked  ix)ute,  against  the 
enemy's  right  flank ;  the  other,  from 
the  right,  by  way  of  a  ravine  in  fi'ont, 
was  to  assault  the  centre  of  his  line — 
while  General  Ripley,  with  the  Twenty- 
first  regiment,  as  a  reserve,  was  posted 
between  the  new  bastions  of  Fort  Erie, 
out  of  sight  from  the  enemy's  works.^ 

The  left  division,  under  General  Peter 
B.  Porter, — including  his  brigade  of 
New  York  and  Pennsylvania  Volun- 
teers, detachments  from  the  First  and 
Fourth  rifle    regiments,  under   Colonel 


'  Gen.  Brown's  Dispatch,  Sept.  29. — '  Although  Gens. 
Brown  and  Porter,  in  their  Reports,  hoth  state  this  road 
was  "  opened,"  I  have  not  considered  that  word  In  Its  lit- 
eral sense  ;  as  that  appears  to  he  Inconsistent  with  the 
secrecy  of  the  movement.  This,  also,  appears  to  have  been 
Maj.  Douglass's  version. — '  Gen.  Porter's  Report,  Sept. 
22 ;  James,  il.  pp.  231,  232  ;  Tliomson's  Sketches,  p.  325. 

^  Rev.  M.  Douglass's  Notes  on  Maj.  Douglass's  MS. 
Reminis.;  Gen.  De  Watteville  to  Gen.  Drummond,  Sept. 
19;  James,  11.  p.  231  ;  Christie,  p.  209.— ^  Gen.  Brown's 
Dispatch,  Sept.  29. 


370 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II, 


Gibson ;  from  the  First  and  Twenty- 
third  infantry,  under  Major  Wood,  of 
the  Engineers ;  and  one  of  dismounted 
cavalry/ — moved  from  the  encampment 
at  noon,  and  proceeded  through  the 
woods,  following  the  marked  trees,  as 
before  stated ;  and  at  about  a  quarter 
before  three,^  without  the  enemy  hav- 
ing suspected  such  a  visit,  it  rushed 
upon  the  right  of  his  lines,  and  carried 
them  by  assault.^  Two  batteries,  known 
as  Numhers  Three  and  Foui\  were  first 
taken;*  and,  soon  afterwards,  a  block- 
house in  the  rear  of  the  former  battery 
{No.  Three)  also  fell  into  the  hands  of 
the  assailants,  and  its  garrison  was  made 
prisoners.  Three  twenty-four  pounders 
and  their  carriages  were  destroyed,  and 
the  magazine  of  battery  Number  Three 
was  exploded.^ 

Simultaneously  with  this  movement, 
on  the  left,  General  Miller,  with  the 
right  division,  —  embracing  the  frag- 
ments of  the  Ninth,  Eleventh,  and 
Nineteenth  regiments  of  infantry, — 
moved  against  and  attacked  the  centre 
of  the  enemy's  line,  between  batteries 
Numhers  Two  and  Three ;  and,  after  a 
sharp  contest,  carried  the  former  and 
another  block-house,  which  the  enemy 
had  erected  in  the  rear  of  them  ;  while 
from  battery  Number  One  the  enemy 
retired  with  precipitation,  before  the 
assailants  i-eached  it.®  In  all  these 
works,  also,  the  guns  were  rendered  un- 

'  Gen.  Brown's  Dispatch,  Sept.  29  ;  Gen.  Porter's  Re- 
port, Sept.  22  ;  Armstrong,  ii.  p.  101. 

2  Gen.  Brown's  Dispatch,  Sept.  29  ;  Gen.  Porter's  Re- 
port, Sept.  22. 

3  Gen.  De  Watteville  to  Gen.  Drummond,  Sept.  19  ; 
James,  ii.  p.  232. 

'  Gen.  Brown's  Dispatch,  Sept.  29;  Gen.  Porter's  Re- 
port, Sept.  22  ;  Gen.  De  Watteville  to  Gen.  Drummond, 
Sept.  19 ;  James,  ii.  pp.  233,  2-34. 

^  Gen.  De  Watteville  to  Gen.  Drummond,  Sept.  19  ; 
Armstrong,  ii.  p  102. — '  Gen.  Brown's  Dispatches,  Sept. 
29  and  Oct.  1  ;  Gen.  De  Watteville  to  Gen.  Drummond, 
Sept.  19. 


serviceable ;  and  the  works  themselves, 
to  some  extent,  were  demolished.'^ 

Within  an  hour  the  objects  of  the 
sortie  had  been  fully  accomplished — 
the  batteries  of  the  enemy  had  been 
captured,  and,  with  their  armaments, 
had  been  destroyed ;  his  forces  had 
been  greatly  reduced  by  capture,  disa- 
bility, or  death ;  and  his  stores  had 
been  diminished ;  and  the  assaulting 
columns  were  recalled.^ 

In  this  gallant  and  successful  achieve- 
ment the  Americans  suffered  severely — 
Major-general  Davis,  of  the  New  York 
militia,  commanding  the  Volunteers, 
Lieutenant-colonel  Wood,  commanding 
the  column  of  regulars,  Colonel  Gibson, 
commanding  the  riflemen,  in  the  left  di- 
vision, seven  officers,  and  seventy  men 
having  been  hilled ;  Generals  Porter  and 
Ripley,  Lieutenant-colonel  Aspinwall, 
twenty-two  officers,  and  one  hundred 
and  ninety  men  wounded  j  and  ten  offi- 
cers and  two  hundred  and  sixteen  men 
m^issing  :^  while  the  enemy's  loss  was 
equally  severe — his  own  reports  indi- 
cating a  loss  of  three  officers  and  one  hun- 
dred and  twelve  men  Mlled  j  seventeen 
officers  and  one  hundred  and  sixty-one 
men  ivounded  '  and  thirteen  officers  and 
three  hundred  and  three  men  missing^ 

After  collecting  his  scattered  forces,  in 
the  night  of  the  twenty-first  of  Septem- 
ber, General  Drummond  broke  up  his 
encampment,  and  retired  to  his  former 
position,  behind  the  Chippewa ;  leaving 
behind  him,  before  Fort  Erie,  part  of 
his  stores,  and  destroying  others,  at  the 
Frenchman's  Creek,  while  on  his  way.^ 


'  Gen.  Brown's  Dispatches,  Sept  29  and  Oct.  1  ;  Gen. 
Varnum's  Letter,  Buffalo,  Sept.  18  ;  James,  ii.  p.  232. 

^  Gen.  Brown's  Dispatch,  Sept.  29;  Brackenridge,  p. 
283. — 3  Report  appended  to  Gen.  Brown's  Dispatch,  Sept. 
29. — *  Report  appended  to  Gen.  Drummond's  Dispatch. 

'  Gen.  Brown's  Dispatch,  Sept.  29;  James,  ii.  pp.  236, 
237  ;  .Perkins,  p.  384 ;  Christie,  p.  210. 


CHAPTER    LXXXYII 


Ang^ust  19  to  25,  1814. 

THE      CAPTURE      OF     WASHINGTON. 


The  federal  government,  notwith- 
standing tlie  warning  which  the  ene- 
my had  given,  by  his  devastations,  in 
that  vicinity,  in  the  preceding  year, 
and  notwithstanding  the  more  positive 
information,  respecting  his  designs,  dur- 
ing the  current  year,  which  was  subse- 
quently received,^  apj^ears  to  have  taken 
no  measures  to  protect  the  capital  of 
the  confederacy  beyond  a  merely  theo- 
retical organization  of  an  imaginary 
force  of  two  thousand  regular  troops, 
besides  militia,  and  an  appointment  to 
the  command  of  the  imaginary  army,  of 
General  William  H.  Winder.^  It  is 
true,  the  District  of  Columbia  and  the 
adjacent  counties  of  Maryland  and  Vir- 
ginia, were  formed  into  a  distinct  "  mili- 
tary district"^  {the  Tenth');  that  an  ac- 
complished and  popular  officer  had  been 
placed  in  command  of  it;*  that  the 
President  had  ordered  to  be  held  in 
readiness,  for  the  defence  of  the  Dis- 
trict, a  force  of  fifteen  thousand  militia, 
besides  the  regulars  who  might  be  sta- 
tioned  there  ;^    and   that   the   veteran 

'  It  appears  that  the  enemy's  squadron  was  employed, 
as  early  as  March,  1814,  in  making  soundings  and  in 
placing  buoys  (National  Intelligencer,  March  22,  1814),  be- 
sides which,  every  week,  the  same  paper  conveyed  to  the 
government,  whose  organ  it  was,  intelligence  of  the  num- 
ber and  destination  of  the  enemy's  troops.  Even  as  late 
as  July  1,  1814,  the  arrival  of  "a  fleet  of  transports"  at 
Bermuda,  and  its  probable  destination  "for  the  Potomac," 
was  announced  in  the  same  paper. 

'General  Orders,  July  2,  1814;  Williams'  History  of 
the  Invasion,  pp.  63,  76-80  ;  Sketches  of  the  War,  p.  414. 

3  General  Orders,  July  2,  1814  ;  Williams,  p.  62. 

*  Ingraham's  Sketch  of  Events,  pp.  37,  38  ;  National 
Intelligencer,  Aug.  22,  1814. 

'  By  tl>e  orders  of  the  Sec.  of  War,  July  12  and  17,  the 
"quotas"  from  Maryland  (6000  men),  besides  2000  from 
Virginia,  5000  from  Pennsylrania,  and  2000  from  the  Dis- 
trict of  Columbia,  were  assigned  to  this  duty. 


Commodore  Barney,  with  a  flotilla  of 
gunboats,  had  been  assigned  to  the 
command  of  the  naval  defences;^  yet  it 
is  not  less  true,  that  when  the  enemy 
entered  the  Chesapeake,  on  the  twelfth 
and  fourteenth  of  July,^  there  were  only 
six  hundred  and  twelve  regulars  within 
the  District,  of  whom  two  hundred  and 
eighty-two  were  on  garrison  duty  in 
Forts  McHenry,  Severn,  and  Washing- 
ton;^ that  the  organization  of  the  mi- 
litia was  left  to  the  State  authorities, 
after  the  necessity  for  their  services 
should  have  arisen;*  and  that,  beyond 
this,  nothing  had  been  done. 

In  this  perfectly  defenceless  condi- 
tion, therefore,  the  city  of  Washington 
stood  when  the  enemy  approached  ;  and 
he  was,  apparently,  invited^  hy  its  help- 
lessness^ to  move  forward  and  take  pos- 
session of  it.^  It  is  evident  that  the 
commanding  General  had  exerted  him- 
self to  collect  a  force  sufficiently  strong 
to  protect  his  District ;  yet  the  unfor- 
tunate character  of  the  requisitions  for 
the  militia,  and  an  apparent  want  of 
harmony,  if  not  of  confidence,  between 
himself  and  the  Secretary  of  War  {Oen- 


'  Sec.  of  War  to  Gen.  Winder,  July  17,  1814  ;  James' 
Mil.  Occur.,  ii.  pp.  240-262;  Brackenridge,  p.  291. 

=  National  Intelligencer,  July  16  and  18  ;   Gleig,  p.  83. 

'  Ingraham,  p.  9,  note  ;  Williams,  p.  82  ;  Gen.  Winder 
to  Committee  of  Investigation,  Sept.  14,  1814. 

^  Ingraham,  pp.  9-13  ;  Williams,  pp.  88,  89. 

'  Whether  or  not  the  original  design  of  the  expedition 
was  to  capture  Washington,  or  whether  it  was  the  result 
of  circumstances  which  occurred  during  the  march,  has 
been  the  subject  of  considerable  discussion.  Adm'l  Coch- 
rane (Dispatch  to  the  Admiralty,  Sept.  2)  says  that  the  posi- 
tion of  Com.  Barney's  flotilla  "  afforded  a  pretext  for  ascend- 
ing the  river,  to  attack  him,  while  the  ultimate  destination  of 
the  combined  force  was  Washittgton,  should  it  be  found  that 
the  attempt  might  be  made  with  any  prospect  of  success." 


3Y2 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II, 


eral  John  Armstrong)^  not  less  than 
between  the  Secretary  and  the  Pi-esi- 
dent,  appears  to  have  paralyzed  his 
efforts;^  and  when,  on  the  nhieteenth 
of  August,  the  enemy  lauded  at  Bene- 
dict, on  the  western  hank  of  the  Paw- 
tuxet,  about  forty  miles  southeast  from 
Washington,  the  District  was  not  better 
prepared  for  defence  than  it  had  been 
six  weeks  before — three  hundred  and 
thirty  infantry  and  two  troops  of  cav- 
alry, one  hundred  and  twenty-five  men, 
constituting  the  entire  defending  force.^ 
The  evident  purposes  of  the  expedition, 
however,  aroused  the  government ;  and 
the  War  Department  called  on  the 
Maryland  militia  for  support,  a  call 
which  was  responded  to  by  the  move- 
ment of  General  Stansbury^s  brigade, — 
thirteen  hundred  and  fifty-three  men, — 
from  Baltimore,  on  the  twentieth,  to 
which  Lieutenant-colonel  Steret's  com- 
mand— eight  hundred  men,  also  from 
Baltimore — was  added  on  the  twenty- 
third  ;^  while  Colonel  Beale's  regiment 
of  Maryland  militia  reached  the  ground 
a  few  minutes  before  the  action  began ; 
and  Colonel  Minor's  regiment  of  Vir- 
ginia militia,  in  consequence  of  delays 
in  their  supply  of  flints,  did  not  come 
on  the  ground  at  all.* 

In  the  mean  time,  the  enemy  had 
sailed  up  the  Pawtuxet,  as  far  as  Bene- 
dict ;  and  on  the  morning  of  the  nine- 
teenth of  August,  1814,  under  cover  of 
a  single  gun-brig,  he  commenced  the 
debai'kation  of  his  troops,  completing 
it  by  three  in  the  afternoon,  witliout 
any  opposition — indeed,  "  not  only  was 
there  no  opposition  to  the  landing,  but, 


•  Gen.  Winder  to  Sec.  of  War,  June  30,  July  9,  16,  23, 
25,  27,  and  Aug.  13  ;  Ingraham's  Sketch,  entire  ;  Wil- 
liams' Hist,  of  the  Invasion,  entire  ;  Brackenridge,  p.  292. 

'Ingraham,  pp.  9,  23.-3  jbid.,  pp.  23,  24;  Williams, 
pp.  136,  137.—*  Ingraham,  pp.  25,  30. 


apparently,  no  enemy  within  many 
miles  of  the  place."  ^  The  invading 
force  embraced  the  Fourth,  Twenty- 
first,  Forty-fourth,  and  Eighty-fifth  regi- 
ments of  the  line,  a  battalion  of  marines, 
"  a  party  of  disciplined  negroes,"  and  a 
detachment  of  artillerists  and  drivers, — 
numbering,  in  the  aggregate,  four  thou- 
sand two  hundred  and  twenty  men,  ex- 
clusive of  officers, — with  one  six  and 
two  three  pounders,  which  were  dragged 
by  seamen  sent  for  the  purpose.^  With- 
out throwing  up  the  least  defence,  the 
men  laid  at  Benedict  until  four  in  the 
afternoon  of  the  twentieth,  when  the 
enemy  moved  leisurely  forward,  less 
than  six  miles,  towards  Nottingham;^ 
at  which  place  he  arrived  on  the  even- 
ing of  the  twenty-first,  without  any  op- 
position— the  village  having  been  evac- 
uated on  his  approach.*  On  the  follow- 
ing morning  {Aug.  22)  he  advanced  ten 
miles  farther,  to  Upper  Marlborough, 
where  he  remained  until  after  noon  of 
the  next  day  {Aug.  23),  also  witJiottt 
molestation!'  At  two  in  the  afternoon 
of  the  twenty-third,  he  moved  from 
Marlborough  towards  Washington,  after 
having  been  joined  by  a  body  of  ma- 
rines and  seamen  from  the  squadron ; 
and  soon  afterwards  he  encountered  a 
small  body  of  troops,  under  Major 
Peters,  which  had  been  detached  by 
General  Winder,  for  the  purpose  of  re- 
connoitring and  annoying  him.  After 
"  a  sharp  contest,"  Majoi'  Peters  was 
forced  to  fall  back,  and  the  enemy  ad- 

1  Gen.  Boss  to  Earl  Bathurst,  Aug.  30,  1814 ;  Adm'l 
Cochrane  to  the  Admiralty,  Sept.  2  ;  Gleig's  Narrative 
(Octavo,  London,  1826),  pp.  89-91  ;  Williams,  p.  127  ;  In- 
gersoll,  iv.  p.  158.—=  Gleig,  pp.  92,  93  ;  Ingraham,  p. 
14  ;  Ingersoll,  iv.  p.  159—5  (jen.  Ross  to  Earl  Bathurst, 
Aug.  30  ;  Gleig,  pp.  96-98.—''  Gen.  Ross  to  Earl  Bathurst, 
Aug.  30;  Adm'l  Cochrane  to  the  Admiralty,  Sept.  2; 
Gleig,  pp.  103,  104.—=^  Gen.  Ross  to  Earl  Bathurst,  Aug. 
30  ;  Adm'l  Cochrane  to  the  Admiralty,  Sept.  2  ;  Williams, 
p.  174  ;  James'  Nav.  Occur.,  p.  376  ;  Gleig,  pp.  105-107. 


Chap.  LXXXVn.] 


THE  CAPTURE  OF  WASHINGTON. 


373 


vanced  to  the  junction  of  the  roads 
■^hich  led,  respectively,  to  Alexandria 
and  Washino-ton,  where  a  still  stronD^er 
hody — the  advance  of  the  Anaeiican 
army,  it  has  been  called — was  posted ; 
and  this  party,  too,  fell  back  in  disor- 
der, with  scarcely  a  sign  of  opposition, 
as  soon  as  the  enemy  had  sent  a  small 
detachment  against  it.-^  That  night  the 
enemy  bivouacked  near  the  Long  Old 
Field,  "  with  nothing  to  disturb  his  re- 
pose or  self-complacency;"^  and  the 
American  troops,  who  had  been  out  as 
far  as  that  place  during  the  day,  re- 
turned to  Washino-ton.^ 

On  the  morning  of  the  twenty-fourth 
of  August,  therefore,  the  enemy  was 
within  a  few  miles  of  Washington,  and, 
apparently,  on  his  route  for  that  place  ; 
while  all  the  forces  of  the  United 
States,  belonging  to  that  District,  were 
within  the  city  of  Washington,  or  en- 
camped near  Bladensburg.*  The  force 
of  the  enemy,  including  the  reinforce- 
ment received  from  the  fleet,  was  not 
less  than  five  thousand  men,^  command- 
ed by  competent  officers,  and  in  a  fine 
state  of  discipline  ;  while  that  of  the 
Americans,  including  the  regulars,  the 
flotilla  men,  under  Commodore  Barney, 
the  militia  from  Baltimore  and  the  Dis- 
trict of  Columbia,  and  the  volunteer 
cavalry,  was  not  more  than  five  thou- 
sand one  hundred  men® — "a  mass  sud- 
denly assembled,  without  organization 
or  discipline,"  with  a  nominal  com- 
mander, whose  duties  were  interfered 


1  Gen.  Ross  to  Earl  Bathurst,  Aug.  80  ;  Adm'l  Cock- 
burn  to  Adm'l  Cochrane,  Aug.  27  ;  Gleig,  pp.  107,  108. 

=  WDliams,  pp.  182,  202  ;  Gleig,  p.  109. 

'  Com.  Barney  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Aug.  29  ;  Perkins,  pp. 
310.  311 ;  Brackenridge.  p.  295. — *  Com.  Barney  to  Sec. 
of  Navy,  Aug.  29  ;  Perkins,  pp.  311,  312. 

'  The  seamen  from  the  squadron  who  joined  the  expe 
dition  at  Marlborough,  numbered  about  500  men. 

•  Gen.  Winder  to  Sec.  of  War,  Aug.  27  ;  Ingraham,  p.  25. 


with,  directly,  as  their  caprices  dic- 
tated, by  the  Secretary  of  War,  the 
Secretary  of  State  {James  Monroe)^ 
the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  {Ricliard 
JRu-'sli)^  and  the  President  of  the  United 
States  (James  Madison)} 

On  the  morning  of  the  twenty-fourth, 
the  enemy  moved  early ;  and  after  pro- 
ceeding a  short  distance  on  the  road  to- 
wards Washington,  he  suddenly  turned 
to  the  right  and  advanced  towards  Bla- 
densburg — ten  miles  distant.^  Informa- 
tion concerning  this  movement  of  the 
enemy  reached  General  AVinder,  in 
Washington,  at  about  ten  o'clock,  and 
the  troops  then  in  that  city  were  im- 
mediately sent  to  Bladensburg;  while 
Commodore  Barney  and  the  flotilla  men 
were  also  directed  to  assemble  at  that 
place,  without  delay .^ 

The  village  of  Bladensburg,  towards 
which  place  both  the  armies — if  such 
bodies  of  men  as  General  Winder  com- 
manded, can  be  called  an  army — were 
approaching,  to  contend  for  the  posses- 
sion of  the  capita],  is  about  six  miles 
northeast  from  Washington,  on  the  east- 
ern branch  of  the  Potomac  Piver,  over 
which  there  is  a  bridge  of  ninety  feet 
in  length.*  On  the  western  bank  of  this 
stream,  in  a  very  strong  position  which 
commanded  the  bridge,  the  American 
forces  were  formed ;  and  the  order,  as 
well  as  the  position,  appears  to  have 
been  all  that  could  have  been  desired 
for  purposes  of  defence.^  While  the 
eastern  bank  of  the  river — from  which 
the  enemy  was  approaching — ^was  low, 


'  Perkins,  p.  309  ;  Brackenridge,  p.  295  ;  Williams,  pp. 
184-204  ;  IngersoU,  iv.  pp.  173,  174  ;  Gen.  Winder  to 
Com.  of  Investigation,  Sept.  26,  1814. 

''  Adm'l  Cockburn  to  Adm'l  Cochrane,  Aug.  27;  Gleig, 
pp.  110-115  ;  Williams,  p.  202.— ^  Com.  Barney  to  Sec.  of 
Nav}',  Aug.  29 ;  Williams,  p.  203.—^  Williams,  p.  205  ; 
IngersoU,  iv.  p.  174. — '  Gen.  Ross  to  Earl  Bathurst,  Aug. 
30  ;  Gleig,  p.  115  ;  IngersoU,  iv.  p.  174. 


374 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II, 


without  slii-ubbery,  and  completely  ex- 
posed, the  opposite  bank,  in  front  of  the 
lines,  was  covered  with  a  narrow  strip 
of  willows  and  larches,  in  which  was 
thrown  a  party  of  riflemen,  to  cover 
the  front  and  right  of  the  lines,  and  to 
harass  the  enemy  in  his  advance.  In 
the  rear  of  these  riflemen  the  ground 
ascended  gradually  from  the  river,  and 
was  either  cleared  or  occupied  by  an 
orchard.  On  this  slope,  about  three 
hundred  yards  from  the  I'iver,  had  been 
thrown  up  an  earthen  breastwork,  on 
which  had  been  mounted,  en  harhette^ 
six  six-pounders,  under  Captains  Myers 
and  Magruder,  of  Baltimore.  Two  com- 
panies of  Baltimore  Volunteers,  under 
Captains  Ducker  and  Gorsuch,  were 
posted  on  the  left  and  rear  of  the  bat- 
tery, under  cover  of  a  barn,  to  cover 
the  battery  and  defend  the  George- 
town road,  which  passed  in  that  vicini- 
ty ;  while,  on  its  right  and  front,  were 
posted  Major  Pinkney's  riflemen.^  In 
the  rear  of  the  battery,  parallel  with  it, 
and  about  five  hundred  yards  farther 
up  the  slope,  Mr.  Monroe  had  taken 
the  responsibility  of  forming  the  Fifth 
regiment  of  Baltimore  Volunteers  {Liex(r 
tenant-colonel  Stereos)  and  the  two  i-egi- 
ments  of  Mai-yland  militia,  command- 
ed by  Lieutenant-colonels  Ragan  and 
Schutz,  after  they  had  heen  formed  on 
the  rigid  of  the  battery  hy  General  Stans- 
hitry^  and  leaving  the  latter,  entirely 
without  support,  except  from  its  small 
flanking  parties  of  riflemen  and  militia, 
to  contend,  single-handed,  with  the  ene- 
my. Before  General  Winder  could  re- 
store this  line  to  its  former  position,  or 
do  any  thing  to  support  the  first  line  of 
artillery,  except  to  order  two  or  three 

■  Gleig,  pp.  115-117  ;  Williams,  pp.  205.  206 ;  Gen. 
Winder  to  Com  of  Investigation,  Sept.  26;  Gen.  Stans- 
buiy  to  same,  Nov.  15. — «  Williams,  pp.  207-209. 


pieces  to  the  left  of  the  second  line, 
with  a  rifle  company  to  support  them, 
the  enemy  came  within  range  of  the 
front  battery,  and  its  fire  was  opened 
with  spirit  and  good  efi^ect.^  Soon  after- 
wards two  pieces  of  artillery  were  or- 
dered to  the  right  of  the  second  line.^ 
On  the  extreme  left,  and  a  little  in  the 
rear  of  this  line,  were  congregated  the 
cavalry  —  a  useless  appendage,  from 
which  no  benefit  was  derived  at  any 
time,^  In  front  of  both  these  lines — 
the  artillery  and  the  infantry — were 
strong  rail-fences,  and  the  position  was 
capable  of  a  vigorous  defence,* 

On  the  summit  of  the  hill,  about  a 
mile  from  the  bridge,  the  third  line  was 
formed,  embracing  a  regiment  of  Mary- 
land militia,  under  Colonel  Beale, — 
which  had  just  come  on  the  ground, — 
on  the  extreme  right ;  Commodore  Bar- 
ney's flotilla  men  and  marines  in  the 
centre ;  and  Colonel  Magruder's  regi- 
ment of  District  militia,  and  the  detach- 
ment of  regular  troops,  under  Lieuten- 
ant-colonel Scott,  on  the  left,  with  Ma- 
jor Peters'  battery, — six  six-pounders, — 
Davidson's  light-infantry,  and  Stull's 
riflemen  in  front,® 

At  about  half-past  twelve,  the  enemy 
entered  Bladensburg,  and  came  within 
range  of  the  first  line  of  American  ar- 
tillery ;  when,  as  before  stated,  a  vigor- 
ous and  well-(lirected  fire  was  thrown, 
which  compelled  him  to  seek  the  shel- 
ter of  the  houses  in  the  village.  Soon 
afterwards  the  enemy  advanced  to  the 
bridge,  in  double-quick  time  ;  and  as 
soon  as  it  was  covered  with  men,  the 

'  Adm'l  Cockburn  to  Adm'l  Cochrane,  Aug.  27  ;  Ingra- 
ham,  p.  30  ;  G^n.  Winder  to  Com,  of  Investigation,  Sept. 
26.—''  Williams,  p.  212.—'  Iiigraham,  p.  34  ;  Williams, 
pp.  212,  218.—"  Gleig,  pp.  115,  116  ;  Gen.  Stansbiiry  to 
Com.  of  Investigation,  Nov.  15. — '  Ingraliam,  pp.  30,  31 ; 
Williams,  pp.  213,  214  ;  Gen.  Winder  to  Com.  of  Inves- 
tigation, Sept.  26. 


Chap.  LXXXVII.] 


THE  CAPTURE  OF  WASHINGTON. 


375 


entire  force  of  artillery  in  the  first  and 
second  lines  opened  on  it  "  with  tre- 
mendous effect,"  nearly  an  entire  com- 
pany having  been  swept  down  at  the 
first  fire,  while  the  riflemen  also  poured 
in  a  very  destructive  fire.  Those  who 
succeeded  in  passing  the  bridge  imme- 
diately deployed  into  line,  and  advanced 
on  the  first  line  and  compelled  it  to  fall 
back  on  the  second,  farther  up  the  hill, 
leaving  two  guns  in  the  hands  of  the 
enemy.'' 

Flushed  with  this  success,  and  thirst- 
ing foi'  still  more  renown,  the  assailants 
threw  off  their  knapsacks  and  haver- 
sacks and  extended  their  ranks  so  as  to 
show  a  front  equal  in  extent  to  that  of 
the  second  line  ;  when  they  pushed  for- 
ward to  attack  that  also,  before  the 
Second  brigade  of  his  own  troops  could 
come  to  his  support.  But  the  practised 
eye  of  General  Winder,  who  was  at  the 
head  of  the  Fifth  Baltimore  regiment, 
detected  the  error;  and  w^ith  a  gal- 
lantry, which  was  nobly  seconded  by 
the  raw  troops  which  formed  the  second 
line,  he  "  first  checked  the  ardor  of  the 
assailants  by  a  heavy  fire,  and  then,  in 
his  turn,  advanced  to  recover  the  ground 
which  had  been  lost,"  at  the  point  of 
the  bayonet.  "  Against  this  charge  the 
extended  order  of  the  assailants  would 
not  permit  them  to  offer  an  eflFectual 
resistance,  and  they  were  accordingly 
borne  back  to  the  very  thicket  upon 
the  river's  brink,  where  they  maintained 
themselves  with  determined  obstinacy," 
until  the  Second  brigade  could  come  to 
their  rescue.^ 


'  Gen.  Ross  to  Earl  Bathurst,  Aug.  30  ;  Adm'l  Cock- 
burn  to  Adm'l  Cochrane,  Aug.  27  ;  Ingraham,  pp.  30-32  ; 
Gleig.  pp.  116-119  ;  Maj.  Pinkney,  cited  by  Williams, 
pp.  221.  222;  Gen.  Stansbury,  in  the  same  work.  pp. 
227,  228  ;  Gen.  Winder  to  Com.  of  Investigation,  Sept,  26. 

"  Gleig,  pp.  119,  120  ;  Ingraham,  p.  32  ;  Maj.  Pinkney 


When  the  latter  had  crossed  the 
bridge,  the  Forty-foui-th  regiment  moved 
to  the  right,  and  turned  the  left  flank 
of  the  American  line  ;^  and,  at  the  same 
time,  some  rockets,  which  were  thrown 
among  the  companies  in  that  vicinity,^ 
completed  the  confusion,  and  they  im- 
mediately fled.^  Not  so,  however,  with 
the  Fifth  regiment,  which  gallantly 
maintained  its  ground  until  both  its 
flanks  had  been  gained  by  the  enemy, 
when  General  Winder  ordered  it  to  re- 
tire,* which  was  effected,  while  "  clouds 
of  riflemen  covered  their  retreat."^ 

The  enemy  then  moved  forward  and 
attacked  the  third  line,  which,  with  the 
exception  of  the  seamen,  appears  to 
have  offered  but  little  resistance.  The 
latter,  under  the  veteran  Commodore 
Barney,  won  the  admiration  even  of  the 
enemy ;  and  the  damage  which  they 
inflicted  was  veiy  severe.® 

In  this  contest,  the  loss  of  the  Ameri- 
cans was  twenty-six  Icilled  and  fifty-one 
wounded j''  that  of  the  enemy  "was  se- 
vere, since,  out  of  two-thirds  of  the 
army,  which  were  engaged,  upwards  of 
five  hundred  men  were  killed  and 
wounded ;  and  what  rendered  it  doubly 
severe  was,  that  among  these  were  num- 
bered several  officers  of  rank  and  dis- 
tinction."® 

Without  attempting  to  pursue  the 
Americans  the  First   and   Second  bri- 


and  Gen.  Stansbury,  in  Williams  ;  Gen.  Winder  to  Com. 
of  Investigation.  Sept.  26. 

'  Gleig,  p.  120—^  Ingraham,  p.  32;  Gleig,  p.  122 -, 
Gen.  Winder  to  Com.  of  Investigation,  Sept.  26. 

2  Adm'l  Cockburn  to  Adm'l  Cochrane,  Aug.  27  ;  Gen. 
Eoss  to  Earl  Bathurst,  Aug.  30  ;  Ingraham,  p.  32. 

*  Ingraham,  p.  82  ;  Gleig,  p.  120  ;  Gen.  Winder  to 
Com.  of  Investigation,  Sept.  26. — ^  Gleig,  p.  120. 

'  Com.  Barney  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Aug.  29  ;  Ingraham, 
pp.  32-34  ;  Gleig,  pp.  120-122  ;  Gen.  Winder  to  Com.  of 
Investigation,  Sept.  26.—''  Williams,  p.  288. 

*  Gleig.  pp.  120,  121.  It  is  proper  to  remark  that  the 
official  account  is  much  less  ;  while  the  account  by  the 
Americans  is  much  greater. 


376 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


gades  were  left  on  the  field  "  to  recover 
their  order,"  while  the  Third,  which 
had  not  been  engaged,  moved  to  the 
front,  and  pushed  on  to  Washington, 
meeting  no  farther  opposition,  and  wit- 
nessing nothing  more  distressing  than 
the  terror  of  the  inhabitants  among 
which  it  moved.^ 

"  As  it  was  not  the  intention  of  the 
British  government  to  attempt  perma- 
nent conquests  in  this  part  of  America ; 
as  the  General  was  aware,  that,  with  a 
handful  of  men,  he  could  not  pretend 
to  establish  himself,  for  any  length  of 
time,  in  an  enemy's  capital  ;"^  and,  prob- 
ably, for  the  purpose,  if  possible,  of  in- 
creasing the  prize-money  to  which  he 
would,  individually,  be  entitled,^  Gen- 
eral Ross  offered  to  spare  the  city,  it  is 
said,  for  a  pecuniary  consideration,  and 
halted  his  troops  in  its  immediate  vicini- 
ty, to  await  the  return  of  his  flag  which 
conveyed  the  offer.*  He  failed  in  this 
attempt,  however;^  and  "judging  it  of 
consequence  to  complete  the  destruction 
of  the  public  buildings  with  the  least 
possible  delay,  so  that  the  army  might 
retire  without  loss  of  time,"^  the  troops 
were  moved  into  the  city,  and,  "with- 
out a  moment's  delay,  burned  and  de- 
stroyed every  thing  in  the  most  distant 
degree  connected  with  the  govern- 
ment."^ In  the  general  devastation, 
the  Capitol,  the  President's  house,  the 
Arsenal,  the  store-houses,  with  great 
quantities  of  stores,  the  War-office,  the 
Treasury,  barracks   for   two    or   three 


'  Gleig,  p.  124.  A  graphic  description  of  this  alarm 
may  be  found  in  '^ Memoirs  of  Rev.  Dr.  Cone," — who  was  in 
the  battle,— pp.  111-114.— ^  Gleig,  p.  124. 

^  "  It  is  true,  that  if  they  chose  to  reject  his  terms,  he 
and  his  armj^  would  be  deprived  of  their  booty." — Gleig,  pp. 
124,  125.— *  Gleig,  pp.  124,  125;  Armstrong,  ii.  p.  131. 

'  Gleig,  p.  125 ;  Armstrong,  ii.  p.  131,  note. 

*  Gen.  Ross  to  Earl  Bathurst,  Aug.  30.—'  Ibid.;  Arm- 
strong, ii   p.  131. 


thousand  men,  the  Navy-yard,  a  new 
frigate,  nearly  ready  to  be  launched, 
the  bridge  across  the  Potomac,  the  pri- 
vate rope-walks  belonging  to  Heath  &, 
Co.,  Tench  Ringgold,  and  John  Chal- 
mers, the  sloop  of  war  Argus^  the  li- 
bi'ary  of  Congress,  the  material,  type, 
and  presses  of  the  National  Intelli- 
gencer,, besides  other  private  property, 
to  a  large  amount,  were  destroyed.^ 

"The  object  of  the  expedition  being 
accomplished,"  in  the  vandalism  just 
referred  to,  the  enemy  sneaked  away 
from  the  scene  of  destruction,  and  hast- 
ened back  to  his  shipping, — occupying 
three  days  in  his  retreat  to  Benedict,'^— 
in  which  he  met  with,  comparatively, 
no  opposition.^ 

In  this  celebrated  foray  neither  party 
gained  the  least  credit.  The  Ameri- 
cans, from  causes  already  referred  to, 
and  from  partisan  causes,  which  it  is 
not  the  province  of  this  work  to  dis- 
cuss, were  as  effectually  without  lead- 
ers as  if  there  had  been  no  General 
in  the  field.  The  dispositions  which 
General  Winder  ordered  were  disre- 
garded, with  perfect  impunity,  by  Gen- 
eral Stansbury,  under  the  implied,  if 
not  expressed,  authority  of  the  Pres- 
ident ;  what  General  Stansbury  ordered 
was  countermanded  by  the  Secretary 
of  State ;  the  apparent  rivalry  of  two 
members  of  the  Cabinet  for  the  succes- 
sion to  the  Presidency,  induced  othei's 
to  countermand  or  disregard  what  the 
Secretary  had  ordered ;  and  in  the  midst 
of  the  rivalry  and  confusion  the  com- 
mander of  the  troops  was  not  heard,  or, 
if  heard,  not  regarded.     In  fact,  it  ap- 

'  Gen.  Boss  to  Earl  Bathurst,  Aug.  30  ;  Adm'l  Cock- 
burn  to  Adm'l  Cochrane,  Aug.  27  ;  Gleig,  pp.  125-132  ; 
Ingraham,  p.  36  ;  Williams,  pp.  254-271  ;  Armstrong, 
ii.  p.  131.—=  Gen.  Ross  to  Earl  Bathurst,  Aug.  30  ;  Adiu'l 
Cockburn  to  Adm'l  Cochrane,  Aug.  27  ;  Gleig,  pp.  138- 
145. — 8  Gleig,  p.  145  ;  Ingraham,  p.  15. 


Chap.  LXXXVIIL] 


THE  CAPTURE  OF  THE  AVON. 


377 


pears  to  have  been  considered  Lis  duty 
to  "approve"  what  the  amateurs  had 
done  for  him,  rather  than  to  act  as  the 
acknowledged  and  responsible  Com- 
mander of  the  Tenth  District.  On  the 
part  of  the  enemy  the  expedition  pro- 
duced nothing  either  to  compensate  the 
expense  or  to  add  to  his  renown.     In 


Europe,  as  in  America,  the  voice  of  con- 
demnation was  genei-al,  and  expressive 
of  the  utmost  indignation  ;  while  the 
loss  among  his  troops  was  not  calcu- 
lated to  soothe  his  feelings,  beyond  the 
consolation  which  his  prize-money,  for 
plundered  tobacco  warehouses,  could 
impart. 


CHAPTER    LXXXYIII. 

September  1,  1814. 

THE      CAPTURE      OF      THE      AVON, 


The  engagement  between  the  Wasp 
and  the  Reindeer^  and  the  capture  of 
the  latter,  have  been  already  noticed  in 
a  preceding  chapter  of  this  volume  ;^ 
and  the  arrival  of  the  victor  at  L'Orient 
was  also  alluded  to. 

The  Wasp  remained  in  that  port 
until  the  twenty-seventh  of  August, 
when  she  sailed  on  another  cruise,  in 
in  which  she  succeeded  in  capturing 
several  vessels — one  of  them  under  cir- 
cumstances of  peculiar  daring.^  In  the 
evening  of  the  same  day,  while  running 
free,  in  latitude  47°  30'  K,  and  longi- 
tude 11°  W.,  she  made  four  sail,  nearly 
at  the  same  time — two  on  the  larboard 
and  two  on  the  starboard  bow.^  Haul- 
ing up  for  the  most  weatherly  of  them, 
at  seven  o'clock  she  was  prepared  for 
action ;  and,  twenty-six  minutes  after- 
wards, she  hoisted  her  colors.  At  thir- 
ty-eight minutes  past  eight  the  stranger 
fired  one  of  her  stern-chasers ;  and  at 
twenty  minutes  past  nine  she  hailed  the 
Wa-sp,  being   on   her   weather-quarter. 


I  Vide  Chap.  LXXXII.— =  Capt.  Blakely  to  Secretary  of 
Navy,  Sept.  11,  1814  ;  Niles'  Regiiler,  vii.  p.  174  ;  Cooper, 
ii.  p.  128.— 5  Capt.  Blakely   to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept.  11, 
1814  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  128. 
Vol.  11  —48 


Captain  Blakely,  without  answering, 
hailed  in  reply,  and  ordered  her  to 
heave  to.  As  she  did  not  comply,  at 
twenty-six  minutes  past  nine,  the  Wasp 
fired  her  twelve-pound  carronade  to 
compel  her  to  do  so;  when  the  latter 
opened  the  action  from  her  larboai'd- 
gnns,  which  was  responded  to  by  the 
Wasp  three  minutes  afterwards.^ 

As  the  night  appears  to  have  been 
dark,  there  were  no  incidents  in  the 
action  which  are  woi'thy  of  notice,  be- 
yond the  fact  tliat  it  was  close  and  very 
severe  ;  and  at  twelve  minutes  past  ten, 
when  the  Wasp''s  fire  was  suspended, 
and  the  stranger  was  hailed,  she  an- 
swered that  she  had  surrendered.'^ 

A  boat  was  immediately  lowered  to 
take  possession  of  the  prize,  when  an- 
other sail — a  brig — was  discovered  close 
on  board  of  the  Wasp,  and  orders  were 
given  to  clear  the  ship  for  another  ac- 
tion. Just  as  she  was  ready  to  open 
her  fire  on  her  fresh  antagonist,  at 
twenty-six   minutes   past   ten,    a    third 


1  Capt.  Blakely  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept.  11,  1814  ;  Niles' 
Regis/er,  vii.  p.  174;  MiQutes  of  the  Action,  &c. 

2  Capt.  Blakely  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept.  11 ;  Cooper,  ii. 
p.  128  ;  Minutes  of  the  Action,  &c. 


378 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


and  fourth  appeared, — the  one  astern, 
the  other  on  the  lee-quarter  of  the 
Wasp, — and  the  latter  determined  "  to 
stand  from  the  strange  sails."  Accord- 
ingly her  helm  was  put  up,  and  she  ran 
off  dead  before  the  wind,  in  order  to 
reeve  new  braces ;  while  the  second  of 
the  four  vessels  made  chase  and  oj)ened 
a  fire  on  her,  at  pistol-shot  distance,  cut- 
ting away  one  of  her  lower  main-cross- 
trees,  and  doing  other  damage.  At  this 
moment,  the  Wa-sp\9  first  opponent  and 
prize  commenced  firing  signals  of  dis- 
tress, when  the  chase  was  abandoned  ; 
and,  without  securing  her  prize,  the 
Wa-sp  continued  on  her  course.^ 

The  armament  of  the  Wasp  has  been 
noticed  in  a  former  chapter ;  her  loss 
was  two  men  hilled  and  one  wounded 
by  a  wad.     She  had  many  grape  in  her, 


had  been  hulled  four  times,  and  much 
cut  up  aloft.^  It  appeared,  subsequent- 
ly, that  her  antagonist  was  His  Britan- 
nic Majesty's  brig  Avon^  mounting 
eighteen  thirty-two-pound  carronades, 
besides  bow  and  stern  guns,^  with  a 
crew  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  men  ;* 
that  her  loss  was  forty-one  killed  and 
wounded ;  ^  that  she  sank  immediately 
after  the  action  had  terminated;®  and 
that  the  second  vessel  which  came  up 
was  the  brig  of  war  Castilian,  of  eigh- 
teen guns.'^ 

After  capturing  several  other  vessels, 
and  sending  one  into  Savannah,  the 
Wasp  and  her  crew  were  never  heard 
from.  Whether  she  foundered  at  sea, 
or  was  blown  up,  or  sunk  by  an  enemy, 
are  questions  which  will  never  be  de- 
termined with  any  degree  of  certainty.^ 


CHAPTER    LXXXIX. 

September  1  to  12,  1S14. 

THE     SECOND     INVASION     OF     NEW    YOEK.' 


During  the  spring  and  summer  of 
1814,  the  contention  between  Great 
Britain  and  the  United  States,  for  the 
command  of  the  lakes,  was  extended  to 
Champlain,  and  both  powers  were  vig- 
orously employed  in  building,  manning, 
and  equipping  a  squadron  for  the  ac- 
complishment of  this  purpose.^  At  the 
same  time  the  land-forces  of  the  respect- 


'  Capt.  Blakely  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept.  11 ;  Niles'  Regis- 
ter, vii.  p.  174;  James'  Nav.  Occur.,  p.  362;  Minutes  of 
the  Action,  &c. — ^  I  liave  employed  the  term  wliich  was 
used  by  Sir  George  Prevost,  in  his  "Proclamation  to 
the  People  of  New  York,"  on  entering  the  State,  and  by 
Gen.  Macomb,  in  his  ''General  Orders,"  Sept.  14,  1814, 
rather  than  the  usual  terms  of  "  The  Battle  of  Plaltsburg," 
and  "  The  Battle  of  Lake  Champlain." 

'  Cooper's  Naval  History,  ii.  pp.  211,  212  ;  James's 
Naval  Occurrences,  p.  404. 


ive  belligerents  were  assembled  in  con- 
siderable numbers,  in  that  vicinity ;  and, 
although  the  latter  were  comparatively 
idle,  it  was  evident  that  more  import- 
ant events  were  in  the  future.®  In  fact, 
the  British  had  already  thrown  out  in- 
timations of  their  intention  to  "  change 


'  Capt.  Blakely  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept.  11 ;  Naval  Temple, 
p.  137  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  128. — ^  Naval  Chronicle,  xxxii.  p. 
243  ;  James'  Nav.  Occur.,  p.  862.-3  Niles'  Register,  vii.  p. 
208  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  129.  Mr.  James  (Nav.  Occur.,  p.  863) 
says  16  32-pound  carronades  and  2  long-6's. 

*  Cooper;  ii.  p.  129.  Mr.  James  {Nav.  Occur.,  p.  364) 
says  104  men  and  13  boys.— *  Naval  Chronicle,  xxxii.  p. 
243  ;  Mr.  James  {Nav.  Occur.,  p.  363)  sa,ys  forty -two. 

"James'  Nav.  Occur.,  p.  362;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  129. 

'  Naval  Chronicle,  xxxii.  p.  243  ;  James'  Nav.  Occur., 
p.  362. — '  Cooper,  ii.  pp.  129,  130. — °  Gen.  Izard  occupied 
Champlain  with  7000  men,  and  Gen.  De  Rottonburg  was 
near  La  Prairie  with  a  large  British  force. 


Chap.  LXXXIX.]       THE  SECOND  INVASION  OF  NEW  YORK. 


379 


the  boundary"  of  New  York/  —  that 
portion  of  the  Confederacy,  which  was, 
peculiarly,  the  King's  pi-operty,  and  in 
which  his  sovereignty,  although  dor- 
mant, had  never  been  extinguished, — 
and  to  cut  off,  from  that  State,  and 
from  the  people  of  the  United  States, 
their  rights  on  the  St.  Lawrence  and 
the  great  lakes  ;^  and  it  was  evident 
that  one  of  the  first  movements  towards 
that  result  would  be  made  in  the  occu- 
pation of  the  coveted  territory  and  of 
Lake  Champlain. 

Accordingly,  when,  in  July  and  Au- 
gust, some  sixteen  thousand  men,  from 
the  Duke  of  Wellington's  triumphant 
armies  on  the  Garonne,  reached  Mon- 
treal,* one  brigade  only  was  sent  to  the 
Westward;*  while,  with  the  remainder, 
"Sir  George  Prevost  determined  to  in- 
vade the  State  of  New  York,  by  way  of 
Lake  Champlain  ;"^  and  the  most  extra- 
ordinary measures  were  taken  to  com- 
plete the  squadron,  at  the  Isle-aux-Noix, 
in  order  that  both  arms  of  the  service 
might  act  in  concei't,  and  more  effectu- 
ally accomplish  the  purposes  of  the  ex- 
pedition.® In  the  prosecution  of  these 
designs,  the  troops  encamped  between 
La  Prairie  and  Chambly,  under  the 
command  of  Greneral  De  Rottouburg, 
to  await  the  completion  of  the  squad- 
ron ;^  while,  to  expedite  the  latter, — 
Sir  James  L.  Yeo  appearing  to  share 
but    little    of    the    anxiety    which    Sir 


'  Letter  from  Commissioners  at  Ghent,  Aug.  12.  See 
also  Gen.  Macomb's  General  Orders,  Sept.  14,  1814 ; 
Brackenridge,  p.  322. — ^  Gen.  Macomb's  Dispatch,  Sept. 
15. — '  Sir  G.  Prevost  to  Earl  Bathurst,  Sept.  11  ;  James' 
Mil.  Occur.,  ii.  p.  205  ;  Rogers,  i.  p.  285  ;  Christie,  p.  200  ; 
Perkins,  p.  389.— ■■  Ingersoll,  iv.  p.  123  ;  James'  Mil. 
Occur.,  ii.  p.  205;  Christie,  p.  201  ;  Rogers,  i.  p.  286. 

^  Rogers,  i.  p.  286.     See  also  Christie,  p.  200. 

«  James'  Nav.  Occur.,  pp.  404-406;  Christie,  p.  200; 
Rogers,  i.  p.  286.—'  Sir  G.  Prevost  to  Earl  Bathurst,  Sept. 
11;  Rogers,  i.  p.  286 ;  Christie,  p.  201;  Ingersoll,  iv. 
pp.  123,  124. 


George  Prevost  displayed  on  the  sub- 
ject,^— strong  detachments  of  seamen 
were  sent  from  the  Ajaoo  and  Warspite, 
then  at  Quebec,  by  Admiral  Otway  and 
Captain  Lord  James  O'Brien.^ 

While  the  enemy  was  thus  concen- 
trating his  forces  on  the  Northeastern 
frontiers  of  New  York,  the  Secretary  of 
War  suddenly  ordered,  from  Plattsburg 
to  the  Niagara  frontiers,  the  greater 
part  of  the  force,  under  General  Izard, 
which  had  been  posted  near  the  former 
place,  for  the  purpose  of  holding  the 
enemy  in  check;*  and,  immediately  af- 
terwards, taking  advantage  of  this  di- 
version of  the  main  body  of  the  Ameri- 
can forces,  from  that  vicinity,  and  of 
the  invitation  which  had  thus,  virtually, 
been  extended  to  him.  Sir  George  put 
his  command  in  motion,  without  wait- 
ing for  the  co-operation  of  the  squad- 
ron ;*  and,  on  the  first  of  September,  he 
entered  New  York  and  occupied  Od ell- 
town.*  On  the  third  he  moved  to 
Champlain,  the  small  American  force, 
under  General  Alexander  Macomb,  re- 
tiring from  its  intrenched  camp,  near 
that  place,  as  he  approached  ;  and,  on 
the  following  day  (^Se2)t.  4),  he  advanced 
to  Chazy,  without  meeting  any  opposi- 
tion.® On  the  fifth,  he  continued  his 
march,  in  the  course  of  which  he  met  se- 
rious obstructions  from  the  trees  which 
had  been  felled  in  the  roads,  and  from 
the  removal  of  the  bridges  on  his  route. 


1  Auchinleck,  p.  385  ;  Christie,  pp.  200,  201,  216-220. 

2  James'  Nav.  Occur.,  pp.  404,  405  ;  Letter  from  Mid- 
ship. Lea,  to  his  brother,  Sept.  21,  1814,  in  Naval  Chron- 
icle, xxxii.  p.  475  ;  Christie,  p.  200 ;  Rogers,  i.  p.  286. 

2  Sec.  of  War  to  Gen.  Izard,  July  27  and  Aug.  12  ; 
Rogers,  1.  p.  286  ;  Christie,  p.  201  ;  Armstrong,  ii.  p.  102. 

*  Ingersoll,  iv,  p.  124  ;  Christie,  p.  201  ;  Perkins,  p.  389. 

^  Gen.  Macomb's  Dispatch,  Sept.  15  ;  Ingersoll,  iv.  p. 
124;  Palmer's  Hist,  of  Lake  Champlain,  p.  188. 

°  Sir  G.  Prevost  to  Earl  Bathurst,  Sept.  11  ;  James'  Mil- 
itary Occurrences,  ii.  p.  207  ;  Ingersoll,  iv.  p.  124 ;  Pal- 
mer, pp.  188,  189. 


380 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


— a  duty  wliich  had  been  efficiently  per- 
formed by  Majors  Appling  and  Sproul, 
with  their  commands,  who  had  been 
detached  by  General  Macomb^  for  that 
purpose, — and  he  halted  near  Samp- 
son's, within  eight  miles  of  Plattsburg, 
and  remained  until  morning.^ 

While  the  enemy  was  thus  moving, 
cautiously,  but  in  apparent  triumph,  to- 
wards Plattsburg,  impressing  the  teams 
of  the  farmers  into  his  service,  as  he 
advanced,  for  the  conveyance  of  his 
heavy  baggage  and  stores,^  the  frag- 
ments of  the  American  army,  under 
General  Macomb,  —  numbering  "  not 
more  than  fifteen  hundred  effective  men 
for  duty,"* — fell  back  on  Plattsburg,  and 
completed  the  defences  which  had  been 
commenced  on  the  southern  bank  of 
the  Saranac — a  small  stream  which  en- 
ters the  lake  at  that  place.^  The  gen- 
eral course  of  this  stream,  until  it  comes 
within  about  half  a  mile  of  the  lake,  is 
eastward ;  but,  at  that  place,  it  turns, 
and  pursues  a  northeasterly  course 
about  a  mile,  when  it  enters  Plattsburg 
Bay.  Within  this  triangular  space,  with 
its  front  and  right  flank  covered  by  the 
Saranac  and  the  lake,  and  its  left  by  a 
ravine,  which  extended  from  the  bend 
of  the  stream  nearly  to  the  lake,  the 
American  army — if  so  small  a  party 
could  be  called  an  army — took  its  posi- 
tion, within  the  works  which  had  been 
commenced  or  designed  by  General 
Izai'd.  About  a  quarter  of  a  mile  be- 
low the  bend  of  the  Saranac,  near  the 
centre  of  the  village,  is  a  bridge,  which, 
now  as  then,  is  known  as  "  The  Loiver 

>  Gen.  Wool  to  the  Author,  March  28,  I860.—'  Sir  G. 
Prevost  to  Earl  Bathurst,  Sept.  11. — '  Gen.  Macomb's  Dis- 
patch, Sept.  15  ;  Brackenridge,  p.  322. — *  Gen.  Macomb's 
Dispatch,  Sept.  15  ;  Ingersoll,  iv.  p.  124  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p. 
212;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  ii.  p.  207.—°  Gen.  Macomb's 
Dispatch,  Sept.  15;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  ii.  p.  207  ;  Per- 
Idns,  p.  391. 


Bridge  '"'''  while,  about  a  mile  above,  by 
way  of  the  stream,  is  another  bridge, 
on  the  road  leading  to  Salmon  River, 
which  is  called  "  The  Tipper  BridgeP 
About  a  mile  and  a  half  above  the 
"  upper  bridge,"  near  the  spot  where 
General  Pike  encamped,  is  a  ford  ; 
while  at  each  bridge,  and  at  a  point 
midway  between  them,  the  stream  is 
also  fordable.^ 

Within  the  triangular  area  formed 
by  the  Saranac,  the  lake,  and  the  ra- 
vine, therefore,  the  main  body  of  the 
army  laid ;  and  the  utmost  exertions 
were  made  to  render  the  position  de- 
fensible while  the  enemy  was  on  his 
raarch.^  About  midway  between  the 
bend  of  the  Saranac  and  the  lake-shore, 
north  from  the  ravine,  was  a  redoubt, 
named  Fort  Moreau  ;  another,  named 
Fort  Brown,  stood  on  the  bank  of  the 
Saranac,  near  the  bend,  and  about  two 
hundred  and  seventy-five  yards  west 
from  Fort  Moreau ;  and  a  third,  named 
Fort  Scott,  occupied  the  bank  of  the 
lake,  also  on  the  north  side  of  the  ra- 
vine, east  from  Fort  Moreau.  In  front 
of  this  line,  at  the  point  formed  by  the 
mouth  of  the  Saranac  and  the  lake, 
were  a  block-house  and  battery ;  while 
south  of  the  ravine,  midway  between 
the  river  and  the  lake,  stood  another 
block-house.^  Fort  Moreau  was  garri- 
soned with  "  the  old  Sixth  and  the 
Twenty-ninth  regiments,"  under  Col- 
onel Melancton  Smith ;  Fort  Brown, 
with  parties  from  the  Thirtieth  and 
Thirty-first  regiments,  under  Lieuten- 
ant-colonel Storrs  ;  Fort  Scott,  with  the 
Thirty-third  and  Thirty-fourth  infantry. 


'  Palmer's  Lake  Champlain,  p.  189. — =  Gen.  Macomb's 
Dispatch,  Sept.  15  ;  Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  317  ;  Perkins, 
p.  391.— =  Palmer's  Lake  Cliamplain,  p.  190;  Gen.  Ma- 
comb's Dispatch,  Sept.  15;  Rogers,  i.  pp.  286,  287;  Sir 
G.  Prevost  to  Earl  Bathurst,  Sept.  11. 


Chap.  LXXXIX.]        THE  SECOND  INVASION  OF  NEW  YORK. 


381 


under  Major  Vinson  ;  the  block-house 
on  the  point,  by  Lieutenant  Fowler,  of 
the  Artillery,  with  his  command ;  and 
the  block-house  south  from  the  ravine, 
with  parties  from  the  First  Rifles  and 
Fourth  Infantry,  under  Captain  Smith, 
of  the  Rifles.^ 

Against  this  post,  with  its  little  gar- 
rison, were  moving  four  troops  of  the 
Nineteenth  light-dragoons,  four  compa- 
nies of  Royal  Artillery,  "a  brigade" 
(twenty-five  men)  of  Rocketeers,  and 
one  (seventy-five  men)  of  Royal  Sappers 
and  Miners,  the  light  brigade — embra- 
cing Muron's  Swiss  regiment,  a  regiment 
of  Canadian  Chasseurs,  one  of  Volti- 
geurs,  and  a  detachment  of  Frontier 
Light-infantry ;  and  the  Third  (^JBvfi^s)^ 
Fifth,  and  Sixth,  the  Second  battalion 
of  the  Eighth  (Kivg^b')^  the  Thirteenth, 
the  First  and  Third  battalions  of  the 
Twenty-seventh,  the  Thirty-ninth,  For- 
ty-ninth, and  Fifty-eighth,  the  Third 
battalion  of  the  Seventy-sixth  and  the 
Eighty-eighth  regiments  of  the  line — in 
the  aggregate,  not  less  than  fourteen 
thousand  of  the  most  highly  disciplined 
troops,*^  with  Lieutenant-general  De 
Rottonburg,  as  second  in  command ; 
Major-generals  Robertson,  Powers,  and 
Bi'isbane,  as  commandants  of  brigades ; 
and  Major-general  Baynes  as  Adjutant- 
general.^ 

As  has  been  stated.  Sir  George  halted 
near  Sampson's,  on  the  evening  of  the 
fifth  of  September,*  his  progress  having 
been  obstructed  by  detachments  from 
the  Thirteenth  regiment,  under  Captain 
Sproul,  and  of  riflemen,  under  Lieuten- 

'  Gen.  Macomb's  General  Orders,  Sept.  5,  1814. 

2  Ibid.,  Sept  14.  1814;  Schedule  ''Ko.  2,"  appended  to 
Gen.  Macomb's  Dispatch,  Sept.  15;  Geo.  M.  Beckwith's 
Address,  Sept.  11,  1858. 

^  Schedule  "No.  2,"  appended  to  Gen.  Macomb's  Dis- 
patch, Sept.  15  ;  Palmer's  Lake  Champlain,  p.  188. 

♦  Palmer's  Lake  Champlain,  pp.  189,  191. 


ant-colonel  Appling;^  and  during  the 
same  evening,  intelligence  reached  the 
American  lines  that  at  an  early  hour, 
on  the  following  morning  (Sept.  6),  the 
enemy  would  move,  in  two  columns,  on 
both  the  roads  which  led  to  Plattsburg ; 
and  measures  were  taken  to  check  his 
progress.^  On  the  upper,  or  Beekman- 
town,  road,  as  stated  before.  General 
Mooers  and  seven  hundred  militia  had 
been  posted,  near  the  stone  meeting- 
house in  Beekmantown  ;^  and  Major 
John  E,  Wool,  of  the  Twenty-ninth  regi- 
ment,* having  volunteered  his  services, 
he  was  ordered  to  march  early  the  next 
morning,  with  two  hundred  and  fifty 
regular  troops  and  two  pieces  of  artil- 
lery, on  the  Beekmantown  road,  "  to 
support  the  militia,  and  set  them  an  ex- 
ample of  firmness;"^  while  to  Lieuten- 
ant-colonel Appling  and  Captain  Sproul 
was  intrusted  the  defence  of  the  lower 
or  lake-shore  road.® 

Agreeably  to  the  enemy's  arrange- 
ments, at  an  early  hour  on  the  sixth, 
his  right  column — ^led  by  the  Third 
battalion  of  the  Twenty-seventh  regi- 
ment, eight  hundred  men ;  the  Thirty- 
ninth  regiment,  nine  hundred  men ;  the 
Third  battalion  of  the  Seventy-sixth 
regiment,  nine  hundred  men ;  and  the 
Eighty-eighth  regiment,  one  thousand 
men,  under  General  Powers,  and  siip- 
ported  hy  four  companies  of  light-in- 
fantry, and  a  demi-brigade  under  Cap- 
tain Robertson''^ — moved    over    to    the 


'  Gen.  Macomb's  Dispatch,  Sept.  15  ;  Thomson's  Sketch- 
es, p.  317  ;  Brackenridge,  p.  323. 

=  Gen.  Macomb's  Dispatch,  Sept.  15;  Palmer's  Lake 
Champlain,  p.  191. 

3  Gen.  Macomb's  Dispatch,  Sept.  15;  Palmer's  Lake 
Champlain,  p.  191. — ■•  Now  Major-general  John  E.  Wool, 
commanding  the  Eastern  Division  of  the  Army  of  the 
United  States. — ^  (jen.  Macomb's  Dispatch,  Sept.  15  ;  Gen. 
Wool  to  Philip  B.  Roberts,  Jan.  6,  1859.—"  Gen.  Macomb's 
Dispatch,  Sept.  15;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  ii.  p.  207. 

'  Sir  G.  Prevost  to  Earl  Bathurst,  Sept.  11. 


382 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


Beekmantown  road-/  and  descending 
more  rapidly  than  the  left  column,  when 
near  the  residence  of  Ira  Howe,  in  Beek- 
mantown, he  met  Major  Wool,  with  his 
infantry,  and  thirty  volunteers  from 
Plattsburg^ — Captain  Leonard,  with  the 
field-pieces,  having  refused  to  join  the 
detachment.''  The  Major  opened  a  brisk 
fire  on  the  head  of  the  enemy's  column, 
as  it  approached,  severely  wounding 
Lieutenant  West,  of  the  Buffs,  and  sev- 
eral pi'ivates.*  The  pressure  of  the 
greatly  superior  force  which  consti- 
tuted the  enemy's  column,  however, 
compelled  Major  Wool  to  retire  ;  yet, 
although  "  the  militia  could  not  be  pre- 
vailed on  to  stand,  notwithstanding  the 
exertions  of  their  general  and  staff  offi- 
cers," he  "  disputed  the  ground  with 
great  obstinacy,"  skirmishing,  as  he  re- 
treated, with  great  coolness.^  When  he 
reached  Culver's  Hill,  four  and  a  half 
miles  from  Plattsburg,  he  made  a  stand, 
and  compelled  the  enemy's  advance  to 
fall  back  on  his  main  body,  with  the 
loss  of  Lieutenant-colonel  Willington 
and  Ensign  Chapman,  of  the  Buffs.® 
The  dense  masses  of  the  enemy's  col- 
umn still  pressing  forward,  however, 
the  detachment  under  Major  Wool  was 


'  Palmer's  Lake  Champlaia,  p.  191  ;  James'  Military 
Occurrences,  ii.  p.  208. 

2  Gen.  Macomb's  Dispatch,  Sept.  15  ;  Gen.  Wool  to 
Philip  B.  Roberts,  Jan.  6,  1859  ;  Palmer's  Lake  Cham- 
plain,  pp.  191,  192.  Tlie  volunteers  referred  to  were 
principally  lads  under  18  years  of  age,  who  were  known 
as  "Aiken's  Volunteers,"  and  rendered  good  service.  After 
the  war  had  closed,  Congress  ordered  a  rifle  to  be  pre- 
sented to  each  of  these  youthful  defenders,  as  a  testimo- 
nial of  the  gratitude  of  their  country.  Azariah  C.  Flagg, 
Esq.,  late  Controller  of  the  city  of  New  York,  was  one  of 
this  little  party,  and  received  one  of  the  rifles  referred  to. 

'  Gen.  Macomb's  Dispatch,  Sept.  15  ;  Gen.  Wool  to  P. 
B  Roberts,  Jan.  6,  1859. — *  Gen.  Macomb's  Dispatch, 
Sept.  15  ;  Palmer's  Lake  Champlain,  p.  192  ;  G.  M.  Beck- 
■with's  Address,  Sept.  11,  1858. — ^  Gen.  Macomb's  Dis- 
patch, Sept.  15;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  ii.  p.  208;  Sketches 
of  the  War,  p.  405  ;  Perkins,  p.  390.— »  Gen.  Wool  to  P.  B. 
Roberts,  Jan.  6, 1859  ;  Palmer's  Lake  Champlain,  p.  192  ; 
Williams'  Life  of  Te-ho-ra-gwa-ne-gen,  p.  78. 


again  compelled  to  fall  back,  tearing  up 
a  bridge  on  the  way,  and  making  anoth- 
er stand,  at  about  eight  o'clock,  near 
"  Halsey's  Corners,"  about  a  mile  and  a 
half  from  the  bridge  in  Plattsburg.^ 
He  was  joined,  at  this  place,  by  Captain 
Leonard,  with  his  field-pieces ;  and  that 
officer  having  placed  his  guns  in  bat- 
tery, he  inflicted  considerable  loss  on 
the  advancing  columns  of  the  enemy .^ 
After  having  been  driven  from  that 
post,  also,  he  again  fell  back,  making 
short  stands,  opposite  the  residence  of 
Judge  Bayly,  and  at  Gallows  Hill,  in 
the  village  of  Plattsburg;^  and,  finally, 
with  Lieutenant-colonel  Appling's  and 
Captain  Sproul's  commands,  he  crossed 
the  Saranac  and  joined  the  main  body, 
tearing  up,  on  his  way,  "  the  lower 
bridge,"  under  a  severe  fire  from  the 
head  of  the  enemy's  column.* 

While  General  Powers'  command  was 
thus  opposed  on  the  Beekmantown  road, 
the  left  column,  on  the  lower  road,  was 
also  greatly  annoyed  by  the  exertions 
of  Lieutenant-colonel  Appling  and  Cap- 
tain Sproul,  as  well  as  by  a  detachment 
of  gunboats,  which  Commander  Mac- 
donough  had  ordered  to  the  head  of 
the  bay.^  After  a  successful  retreat 
from  their  position  at  Dead  Creek 
Bridge,  the  Lieutenant-colonel  and  Cap- 
tain joined  Major  Wool,  and  with  him 
kept  up  a  brisk  fire  until  they  got  un- 
der cover  of  the  works.® 


'  Gen.  Wool  to  P.  B.  Roberts,  Jan.  6,  1859  ;  Palmer's 
Lake  Champlain,  p.  192  ;  G.  M.  Beckwith's  Address,  Sept. 
11,  1858.—'  Gen.  Macomb's  Dispatch,  Sept.  15,  1814  ; 
Gen.  Wool  to  P.  B.  Roberts,  Jan.  6,  1859  ;  Sketches  of 
War,  p.  405  ;  Palmer's  Lake  Champlain,  p.  192. 

5  Gen.  Wool  to  P.  B.  Roberts,  Jan.  6,  1859. 

*  Gen.  Macomb's  Dispatch,  Sept.  15,  1814;  Gen.  Wool 
to  P.  B.  Roberts,  Jan.  6,  1859  ;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  ii.  p. 
209  ;  Palmer's  Lake  Champlain,  p.  193.—^  Gen.  Macomb's 
Dispatch,  Sept.  15,  1814  ;  Palmer's  Lake  Champlain,  p. 
193  ;  Thom.son's  Sketches,  p.  318;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  212. 

«  Gen.  Macomb's  Dispatch,  Sept.  15,  1814;  Sketches  of 
War,  p.  405  ;  Palmer's  Lake  Champlain,  p.  193. 


Chap.  LXXXIX.]       THE  SECOND  INVASION  OF  NEW  YORK. 


383 


As  soon  as  the  American  skirmisliers 
bad  passed  and  destroyed  "the  lower 
bridge,"  they  threw  the  pLank  which 
had  formed  it  into  a  temporary  breast- 
work, to  hold  the  enemy  in  check, 
should  he  attempt  the  passage  of  the 
stream ;  while  the  latter  contented  him- 
self with  the  occupation  of  the  store- 
houses and  dwellings  on  the  northern 
bank,  and  with  opening  and  continuing 
a  brisk  fire  on  his  opponents  on  the 
other  side  of  the  Saranac.  Soon  after- 
wards, these  annoyances  were  removed 
by  a  volley  of  hot-shot,  which  was 
thrown  in  on  them  by  Captain  Brooks, 
of  the  foot-artillery ;  and  having  hurned 
liim,  out  from  his  coverts, — one  building 
having  been  set  on  fire, — the  enemy  ap- 
pears to  have  reconciled  himself  to  the 
limits  which  had  thus  been  set  to  his 
operations,  without  any  other  efforts  to 
extend  them  than  an  occasional  shot 
from  his  light  troops.^ 

While  one  party  of  the  enemy  was 
thus  held  in  check,  at "  the  lower  bridge," 
another  pressed  forward  towards  the 
upper  one ;  and  the  militia,  under  Gen- 
eral Mooers,  like  the  regulars  at  "the 
lower,"  retired  before  him,  tore  up  the 
planks  and  made  a  breastwork  of  them, 
and,  by  a  vigorous  resistance,  kept  the 
assailants  in  check,  notwithstanding  his 
efforts  to  cross  the  river.^ 

The  ridge  and  high  ground  north 
from  the  village  was  selected  as  the 
site  for  the  enemy's  encampment;^  and, 
after  having  thus  disposed  of  his  troops, 
he  employed  himself  until  the  eleventh 
"  in  getting  on  his  battering  train,  and 
erecting  his  batteries  and  approaches"* 


■  Gen.  Macomb's  Dispatch,  Sept.  15,  1814  ;  Gen.  Wool 
to  the  Author,  March  28,  1860 ;  Palmer's  Lake  Champlain, 
p.  194  ;  Ingersoll,  Iv.  p.  125. — «  Qen.  Macomb's  Dispatch, 
Sept.  15,  1814. — '  Palmer's  Lalte  Champlain,  p.  194. 

<  Gen.  Macomb's  Dispatch,  Sept.  15,  1814. 


— a  battery  on  the  lake-shore,  north 
from  the  mouth  of  the  Saranac ;  anoth- 
er on  the  bank  above  the  mill-pond ;  a 
third  near  the  burial-ground ;  a  fourth, 
for  rockets,  on  the  hill  opposite  Fort 
Brown  ;  and  four  block-houses,  smaller 
than  the  forts,  at  other  points  within 
range  of  the  American  works.^ 

During  this  time  the  American  squad- 
ron, under  Commander  Thomas  Mac- 
donough,  laid  at  anchor  in  the  bay,  off 
Plattsburg.^  It  embraced  the  follow- 
ing vessels :  the  Saratoga^  mounting 
eight  long  twenty-four-pounders,  six 
forty-two-pound  and  twelve  thirty-two- 
pound  carronades ;  the  Eagle^  Com- 
mander John  D.  Henley,  mounting 
twelve  thirty-two-ponnd  carronades  and 
eight  long-eighteen's  ;  the  Ticonderoga, 
Lieutenant  Stephen  Cassin,  mounting 
eight  long  twelve-pound,  four  long 
eighteen-pound,  and  five  thirty-two- 
pound  carronades  ;  and  the  Preble^ 
Lieutenant  Charles  Budd,  mounting 
seven  long-nine's ;  together  with  the 
galleys  Allen,  Burro-ws,  Borer,  Nettle, 
Viper,  and  Centipede,  each  mounting 
one  long  twenty-four-pound  and  an 
eighteen-pound  Columbiad ;  and  the 
galleys  Lndlow,  Wilmer,  Alwyn,  and 
Ballard,  each  mounting  a  long  twelve- 
pounder;^  and  it  was  held  in  readiness 
to  meet  the  enemy's  squadron,  when- 
ever the  latter  might  appear  and  afford 
an  opportunity  to  do  so.*  The  enemy's 
vessels,  meanwhile,  rendezvoused  at  the 
Isle  la  Motte,  under  Captain  George 
Downie,  of  the  Royal  Navy ;  and,  at 
that  place,  completed,  as  far  as  their 


>  Palmer's  Lake  Champlain,  p.  194. — °  Gen.  Macomb's 
Dispatch,  Sept.  15,  1814  ;  Com.  Macdonoiigh  to  Sec.  of 
Navy,  Sept.  13;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  213. 

'  "Statement  of  American  force,"  &c.,  appended  to 
Com.  Macdonoiigh' s  Dispatch,  Sept.  13,  1814. 

*  Com.  Macdonough's  Dispatch,  Sept.  18,  1814. 


384 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  IL 


crews  could  do  so,  their  preparations 
for  action.^ 

Sir  George  Prevost  having,  before, 
"earnestly  solicited,"  from  Captain  Dow- 
nie,  "  the  co-operation  of  the  naval  force 
to  attack  that  of  the  Americans,  which 
was  placed  for  the  support  of  their 
works  at  Plattsburg,  which,  it  was  pro- 
posed, should  be  stormed  by  the  troops 
at  the  same  moment  that  the  naval 
action  should  commence  in  the  bay"^ — 
"  on  the  morning  of  the  eleventh  of  Sep- 
tember, the  squadron  was  seen  over  the 
isthmus  which  joins  Cumberland  Head 
with  the  mainland,  steering  for  Platts- 
burg Bay;"^  and  Sir  George  ordered 
the  advance  of  the  army,  under  General 
Robertson,  to  "force  the  fords  of  the 
Saranac,  and  to  advance,  with  ladders, 
to  escalade  the  American  works  upon 
the  heights,"  on  the  southern  bank  of 
that  stream  ;*  while  his  batteries  were 
directed  to  open  their  fire  "  the  instant 
the  ships  engaged,"^  and,  at  the  same 
time,  it  is  said,  ordered  the  main  body 
to  cook  its  dinner!' 

Having  thus  manifested  his  intention 
of  throwing  upon  the  squadrons  the 
duty  of  contending  for  the  possession  of 
Plattsburg  and  Lake  Champlain,  while, 
with  the  land-forces,  he  would  "  co-op- 
erate" so  far  as  to  take  advantage  of 
the  result,  whatever  it  might  be.  Sir 
George  Prevost  and  the  main  body  of 
the  army  continued  their  culinary  oc- 
cupations, while  the  light  infantry  {two 
thousand  eight  hundred  77ien),  the  First 


'  Capt.  Piing  to  Sir  J.  L,  Yeo,  Sept.  12,  1814  ;  Cooper, 
il.  pp.  214,  215.—"  Sir  G.  Prevost  to  Earl  Bathurst,  Sept. 
11,  1814 ;  Capt.  Pring  to  Sir  J.  L.  Yeo,  Sept.  12,  1814. 

»  Sir  G.  Prevost  to  Earl  Bathurst,  Sept.  11  ;  Gen.  Ma- 
comb's Dispatch,  Sept.  15 ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  215. 

■•  Sir  G.  Prevost  to  Earl  Bathurst,  Sept.  11  ;  Perltins,  p. 
392.—"  Sir  G.  Prevost  to  Earl  Bathurst,  Sept.  11  ;  Gen. 
Macomb's  Dispatch,  Sept.  15.— «  ''Veritas,"  cited  by  Mr. 
James  {Military  Occurrences,  ii.  p.  214). 


and  Third  battalions  of  the  Twenty- 
seventh  regiment  {seventeen  hundred 
men)^  the  Third  battalion  of  the  Sev- 
enty-sixth regiment  {ni7ie  hundred  men^^ 
the  Third,  or  Buffs  {nine  hundred  meii)^ 
the  Fifth  {one  thousand  men)^  and  the 
Fifty-eighth  regiment  {^nine  hundred 
meri)^ — an  aggregate  of  eight  thousand 
two  hundred  veteran  troops,^ — provid- 
ed with  immense  quantities  of  scaling- 
ladders,'^  attempted  to  pass  the  Saranac, 
with  a  view  of  assaulting  the  works  ;^ 
while,  at  the  same  time,  the  batteries 
opened  their  fire,  with  bomb-shells, 
shrapnells,  balls,  and  Congreve-rockets.* 
At  both  bridges,  and  at  the  ford  above, 
attempts  were  made,  simultaneously,  to 
cross  the  sti-eam ;  and  in  each  case, 
with  indifferent  success.  At  "the  upper 
bridge"  a  body  of  riflemen,  under  Cap- 
tain Grovener  and  Lieutenants  Hamil- 
ton and  Riley,  supported  by  the  pickets 
in  that  vicinity,  contested  the  passage 
and  repulsed  him ;  while,  at  "  the  lower 
bridge,"  the  ordinary  guards,  supported 
by  the  fire  of  the  redoubts  and  block- 
houses, were  equally  successful.^  At  the 
fords,  above  the  village,  where  the  ene- 
my was  opposed  only  by  the  volunteers 
and  militia,  he  was  driven  back,  after 
repeated  attempts,  with  heavy  loss.®  In 
one  of  these  attempts  he  succeeded  in 
forcing  the  passage,  and  a  heavy  body 
of  regulars  was  thrown  across  the 
stream.  Rallying,  under  their  own  offi- 
cers, however,  the  yeomanry  hastened 
to  expel  the  invaders ;  and  after  a  se- 


■  Vide  p.  381. — "  Gen.  Macomb's  Dispatch,  Sept.  15, 
1814  ;  Sir  G.  Prevost  to  Earl  Bathurst,  Sept.  11,  1814. 

3  Sir  G.  Prevost  to  Earl  Bathurst,  Sept.  11,  1814  ;  Pal- 
mer's Lake  Champlain,  p.  204. — '  Gen.  Macomb's  General 
Orders,  Sept.  14 ;  His  Dispatch,  Sept.  15,  1814 ;  Sir  G. 
Prevost  to  Earl  Bathurst,  Sept.  11,  1814. 

'  Gen.  Macomb's  General  Orders,  Sept.  14  ;  Palmer's 
Lake  Champlain,  p.  204.—'  Gen.  Macomb's  General  Or- 
ders, Sept.  14  ;  His  Dispatch,  Sept.  15. 


Chap.  LXXXIX.]        THE  SECOND  IXVASION  OF  NEW  YORK. 


385 


vere  struofale,  in  wliich  he  was  a  severe 
loser,  the  enemy  was  hurled  back  to  the 
northern  bank,  and  retired,  in  shame,  to 
his  camp  on  the  heights  north  of  the 
villaD'e.^ 

In  the  mean  time,  the  squadrons  in 
the  bay  were  struggling  for  the  mas- 
tery. As  already  stated,  the  enemy's 
squadron  left  the  Isle  la  Motte  on  the 
morning  of  the  eleventh  ;'^  and  with  a 
good  working-breeze  from  the  north- 
east, it  ran  up  the  lake^ — the  sloop 
Finch^  Lieutenant  Hicks,  mounting  six 
eighteen-pound  carronades,  one  eigh- 
teen-pound Columbiad,  and  four  long- 
six's,  leading  the  column.  Close  astern 
of  her,  in  the  order  named,  were  the 
ship  Conjiance^  Captain  Downie,  mount- 
ing thirty-one  long-twenty-four's  and 
six  heavy  carronades ;  the  brig  Linnet^ 
Captain  Pring,  mounting  sixteen  long- 
twelve's  ;  and  the  sloop  Chuhh^  Lieu- 
tenant McGhee,  mountina*  ten  eiofhteen- 
pound  carronades  and  one  long-six ; 
while  close  in  shore,  without  regard  to 
order,  were  twelve  gunboats,  eight  of 
which  mounted  two  guns  each,  and  four 
one  each.* 

At  this  time  the  American  squadron 
lay  in  Plattsburg  Bay,  in  a  line  parallel 
with  the  shore,  and  distant  from  it 
about  two  miles.^  At  the  head  of  the 
line  were  anchored  two  galleys,  next  to 
them  the  Eagle'  one  or  two  galleys 
lay  next,  and  then  the  Saratoga  ;  after 
which  another  detachment  of  the  gal- 
lej^s,  and  the  Ticonderoga  '  still  more 
galleys,  and,  closing  the  line,  the  Preble!' 


'  Gen.  l\racomb's  G-eneral  Ordei'S,   Sept.  14  ;    National 
Advocate,  in  Niles'  Register,  vli,  p.  45. — ^  Vide  p.  384. 

2  Cooper,  ii.  p.  215. — *  "Statement  of  enemy's  force," 
&c.,  appended  to  Com.  Macdonougli's  Dispatch,  Sept.  13. 

'  Cooper,  ii.  p.  213  ;    Perkins,  p.  391  ;    Palmer's  Lake 
Chaniplain,  p.  197. — °  Capt.  Pring  to  Sir  J.  L.  Teo,  Sept. 
12. 1814  ;  Cooper,  ii.  pp.  213,  214  ;  Palmer's  Lake  Cham- 
plain,  p.  197. 
Vol.  II.— 49 


This  line  had  also  been  formed  with  all 
the  skill  which  characterized  Command- 
er Macdonough's  professional  career,  in 
which  the  greatest  advantage  had  been 
taken  of  the  peculiai'ities  of  the  bay. 
A  shoal  and  a  small  island  (^Crab 
I-sland^^  on  which  had  been  erected  a 
single-gun  battery,  covered  its  southern 
extremity,  and  prevented  the  enemy 
from  doubling  it;  there  was  not  room 
for  him  to  anchor  bevond  the  rans^e  of 
the  American  carronades ;  and,  coming 
to  an  engagement,  he  was  compelled  to 
approach  the  American  line  with  his 
bows  on.  He  had  also  anchored  with 
springs  on  his  cables ;  and,  as  an  addi- 
tional safeo-uard,  he  had  laid  a  kedg^e 
broad  off  on  each  bow  of  the  Saratoga, 
and  brought  their  hawsers  in,  upon 
the  two  quarters,  letting  them  hang  in 
bio'hts,  under  water.^ 

As  the  enemy  came  around  Cumber- 
land Head, — the  northern  point  of  the 
entrance  to  Plattsburg  Bay, — he  hauled 
up  to  the  wind  in  a  line  abreast,  lying 
to  until  his  galleys  could  come  up ;  and 
as  soon  as  the  latter  joined  him  they 
passed  to  leeward,  and  formed  in  the 
same  manner  as  the  larger  vessels.  As 
soon  as  this  had  been  done,  and  the 
officers  had  received  their  orders,  the 
enemy  filled,  with  his  starboard-tacks 
aboard,  and  headed  in,  towards  the 
American  line,  in  a  line  abreast — the 
Chubb  being  to  windward,  moving 
against  the  head  of  the  opposing  line, 
and  the  Finch  to  leeward,  heading  to- 
wards the  Preble ;  while  the  galleys 
were  mostly  to  leeward  of  the  Finch? 
As  the  enemy  approached  the  Ameri- 
can line,  the  Chubb  looked  well  to  wind- 
ward of  the  Eagle,  and  the  Linnet  laid 

1  Cooper,  ii.  pp.  215,  216  ;  Palmer's  Lake  Champlain, 
p.  197.—'  Capt.  Pring  to  Sir  J.  L.  Yeo,  Sept.  12,  1814; 
Cooper,  ii.  p.  216. 


386 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


her  course  for  the  bows  of  the  same 
vessel ;  the  Confiance  tried  to  fetch  far 
enough  ahead  of  the  Saratoga  to  lay 
that  ship  athwart  hawse ;  and  the  Finch 
and  the  gunboats  stood  for  the  Ticon- 
deroga  and  Preble} 

As  the  enemy  filled,  the  American 
vessels  sprung  their  broadsides  to  bear;^ 
and,  while  the  former  approached,  but 
was  yet  beyond  the  range  of  the  carron- 
ades  of  the  latter, — that  most  solemn 
and  interesting  period,  when  a  moment 
may  change  a  scene  of  most  perfect 
quietude  to  one  of  the  most  boisterous 
strife, — it  is  said,  the  young  Command- 
er, Macdonough,  united  with  such  of  his 
crew  as  would  join  him  in  public  prayer 
to  the  Supreme  Disposer  of  events  for 
his  blessing  on  the  approaching  contest.^ 
Suddenly,  and  without  orders,  the  Eagle 
opened  her  fire,  without  any  effect;* 
and,  about  the  same  time,  a  young  cock, 
which,  with  others,  had  been  liberated 
from  his  coop  in  the  preparations  of  the 
Saratoga  for  battle,  startled  by  the  re- 
port of  the  Eagle's  guns,  flew  upon  a 
gun-slide,  clapped  his  wings,  and  crowed 
lustily,  much  to  the  amusement  and  en- 
couragement of  the  sailors,  who  respond- 
ed to  his  note  of  defiance  with  three 
hearty  cheers.^ 

As  the  Eagle  continued  to  throw  her 
fire  away,  she  was  closely  watched;  and, 
as  soon  as  it  told,  the  Saratoga^  and, 
after  her,  the  other  vessels,  opened  with 
their  long  guns ;  in  the  midst  of  which, 
without  returning  it,  the  enemy  stood 


'  Com.  Macdonough  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept.  13  ;  Capt. 
Pring  to  Sir  J.  L.  Yeo,  Sept.  12,  1814  ;  Perkins,  p.  392. 

2  Cooper,  p.  216. — "  Letter  from  Burlington,  Sept.  15, 
in  Niles'  Register,  vii.  p.  43  ;  Letter  from  Rev.  H.  P.  Bogue 
to  the  Author,  March  7,  I860.— ■*  Cooper,  ii.  p.  216  ;  Pal- 
mer's Lake  Champlain,  p.  199. — ^  Niles'  Register,  vii.  p. 
43  ;  Letter  from  Burlington,  Sept.  15  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  216  ; 
Letter  from  Com.  La  Valette  to  the  Author,  Feb.,  1860  ; 
Letter  from  Rev.  H.  P.  Bogue  to  the  Author,  March  7, 1860. 


in  steadily,  and  gallantly  prepared  for 
the  contest.^  Because  the  fire  which  she 
met  was  more  severe  than  was  expected, 
and  at  the  same  time,  the  wind  baffling 
her,^  the  Confiance  suddenly  anchored, 
while  yet  a  quarter  of  a  mile  distant 
from  the  Saratoga^  and  "  not  so  advan- 
tageously as  had  been  intended  ;"^  while 
the  Linnet^  Cliuhh,^  and  Finch  were  still 
standing  in.*  Soon  afterwards  the  Lin- 
net anchored  in  a  very  favorable  posi- 
tion, forward  of  the  FagWs  beam, 
throwing  into  the  Saratoga,^  as  her  guns 
bore,  a  well-directed  broadside.^  The 
Ohuhh  kept  on  her  course,  intending  to 
take  a  position  from  which  she  could 
rake  the  American  line;  in  the  course 
of  which — within  fifteen  minutes  after 
the  battle  commenced — she  received  a 
broadside  from  the  Eagle^  which  carried 
away  her  cables,  bowsprit,  and  boom, 
and  inflicted  other  injury ;  and  she 
drifted  down  between  the  two  oppos- 
ing lines,  until,  after  having  received  a 
shot  from  the  Saratoga^  she  surren- 
dered, and  was  towed  in-shore  by  one 
of  the  SaratogcHs  boats,  commanded  by 
Midshipman  Piatt.*  The  Finch^  with 
the  gunboats,  stood  for  the  Ticonderoga ; 
and,  against  that  vessel  and  the  Preble^ 
extraordinary  efforts  were  made  during 
the  action.^ 

In  the  mean  time,  the  Confiance  had 
been  properly  secured  ;  hut  not  until 
then  had  she  opened  her  fire,  which  fell 
on  the  Saratoga  with  terrible  effect — 
her  first  broadside  having  killed  or  dis- 


'  Cooper,  ii.  p.  216  ;  Palmer's  Lake  Champlain,  p.  199. 

"  Capt.  Pring  to  Sir  J.  L.  Yeo,  Sept.  12,  1814  ;  Cooper, 
ii.  pp.  216,  217.— 3  Capt.  Pring  to  Sir  J.  L.  Yeo,  Sept.  12, 
1814 ;  Com.  Macdonough  to  Sec.  of  Navy.  Sept.  13 ;  James' 
Nav.  Occur.,  p.  409. — *  Capt.  Pring  to  Sir  J.  L.  Yeo,  Sept. 
12,  1814 ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  217.—^  Cooper,  ii.  p.  217. 

«  Capt.  Pring  to  Sir  J.  L.  Yeo,  Sept.  12,  1814  ;  James' 
Naval  Occurrences,  p.  409. — '  Com.  Macdonough  to  Sec- 
retary of  Navy,  Sept.  13  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  217. 


Chap.  LXXXIX.]       THE  SECOND  INVASION  OF  NEW  YORK. 


387 


abled  about  forty  of  the  crew  of  the 
latter  vessel.^  Thenceforth  the  cannon- 
ade continued, — steadily  and  gradually 
decreasing,  as  the  guns  became  disabled, 
— without  any,  or  but  few,  manoeuvres, 
for  upwards  of  an  hour,*  when  the  Finch 
"was  driven,  badly  disabled,  from  her  po- 
sition by  the  Ticonderoga  '  and,  having 
drifted  on  Crab  Island,  she  was  cap- 
tured by  the  invalids  from  the  hospital 
at  that  place.^  Soon  afterwards  the 
Preble  was  driven  from  her  position  in 
the  American  line  by  the  enemy's  gun- 
boats,—  or  by  that  portion  of  them 
which  remained  in  the  action, — and  fell 
back,  in-shore,  beyond  the  range  of  the 
enemy's  guns;*  but  every  effort  which 
was  made  against  the  Ticonderoga  was 
unsuccessful.^ 

The  contest,  at  this  moment,  as  will 
be  seen,  had  narrowed  down  to  the 
Coiifiance  and  the  Linnet^  on  the  right 
of  the  line,  against  the  Eagle^  the  Sara- 
toga^ and  the  American  galleys ;  and 
the  British  gunboats  against  the  Ticon- 
deroga on  the  left^the  Preble^  on  tlie 
one  side,  having  fallen  back,  and  the 
Cliubh  and  the  Finch .^  on  the  other, 
having  surrendered.  The  Linnet^  at 
the  head  of  the  enemy's  line,  had  se- 
cured an  admirable  position,  and  was 
gallantly  sustaining  the  honor  of  her 
flag  against  the  fire  of  the  Fagle  ;^  the 
Conjiance^  also,  with  great  spirit,  but 
diminished  effect,  was  pouring  in  her 
heavy  fire  on  the  Eagle  and  the  Saror 
toga ; ''  while  the  British  gunboats,  with 
a  gallantry  bordering  on  desperation,  as 


'  Capt.  Pring  to  Sir  J.  L.  Teo,  Sept.  12,  1814 ;  Cooper, 
ii.  p.  217. — '  Cooper,  ii.  p.  218. — '  Com.  Macdonough  to 
Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept.  13  ;  Capt.  Pring  to  Sir  J.  L.  Yeo,  Sept. 
12,  1814;  James'  Nav.  Occur.,  p.  409. — ■•  Cooper,  ii.  p. 
218  ;  Palmer's  Lake  Cliamplain,  p.  200. — '  Com.  Macdon- 
ough to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept.  13  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  218. 

«  James'  Naval  Occurrences,  p.  411. 

'  Cooper,  ii.  pp.  218,  219. 


before  stated,  struggled  with  the  Ticon- 
deroga for  the  command  of  the  southern 
extremity  of  the  line.  The  Fagle^  soon 
afterwards  lost  her  springs,  and  was 
prevented  from  bringing  hei"  guns  to 
bear ;  when  Commander  Henley  cut  his 
cable,  sheeted  home  his  topsails,  cast 
the  brig,  and,  running  down,  behind  the 
Saratoga,  anchored  by  the  stern,  be- 
tween the  latter  vessel  and  the  Ticon- 
deroga, a  little  in-shore  of  both,  where, 
from  his  lai'board  guns,  he  opened 
afresh,  and  with  much  better  effect,  on 
the  Confiance  and  Linnet^ — the  latter, 
at  the  same  time,  springing  her  broad- 
side, so  that  she  was  enabled  to  rake 
the  Saratoga  on  her  bows.^ 

The  Saratoga  continued  this  uneven 
contest,  until,  graduall}^,  her  entire  star- 
board-battery had  become  disabled  by 
the  enemy's  shot,  or  by  hard  usage,  and 
she  was  left  in  the  midst  of  her  oppo- 
nents without  a  single  available  gun. 
At  this  moment  the  admirable  seaman- 
ship of  Commander  Macdonough  was 
displayed  in  all  its  brilliancy,  in  his  de- 
termination to  wind  the  ship,  and  to 
bring  around  her  fresh,  uninjured  lar- 
board-battery to  bear  on  the  enemy. 
With  the  assistance  of  Philip  Brum,  the 
able  Sailing-master  of  the  ship,  this  was 
accomplished  with  the  most  satisfactory 
success,  notwithstanding  the  heavy  rak- 
ing fire  which  was  thrown  in  by  the 
Linnet'  and  Lieutenant  LaVallette,  who 
took  the  command  of  the  guns,  opened 
a  fresh  and  exceedingly  effective  fire  on 
the  Confiance — commencing  with  the 
aftermost  gun,  and  continuing  it  as  fast 


•  Com.  Macdonough  to  Secretary  of  Navy,  Sept.  13  ; 
Capt.  Pring  to  Sir  J.  L.  Yeo,  Sept.  12  ;  James'  Naval 
Occurrences,  p.  411. 

'  Com.  Macdonough  to  Secretary  of  Navy,  Sept.  13  ; 
Capt.  Pring  to  Sir  J.  L.  Yeo,  Sept.  12  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  218  ; 
Palmer's  Lake  Champlain,  p.  200. 


388 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


as  the  battery  could  be  brought  to 
bear.^ 

In  the  mean  time,  the  Covflance^  per- 
ceiving the  advantage  which  would  ac- 
ci'ue  to  her  o}3ponent  by  the  use  of  a 
fresh  battery,  against  one  which  had 
been  severely  wounded,  attempted  to 
imitate  the  manoeuvre  of  the  latter,  and 
to  wind  around  in  the  same  manner.*^ 
In  this,  however,  she  failed ;  and  having 
struggled  manfully  against  the  superior 
skill  and  more  efficient  fire  of  the  Amer- 
ican flag-ship,  with  scarcely  a  single  gun 
to  oppose  to  the  fresh  broadside  of  the 
latter,  slie  struck  her  colors,  after  a  con- 
test of  about  two  hours  and  a  quarter.^ 

Immediately  afterwards  the  Sarato- 
ga's broadside  was  swung  to  bear  on 
the  Linnet^  and  within  fifteen  minutes 
after  the  surrender  of  the  Confiance^ 
she,  too,  struck  her  colors,  after  a  most 
galLant  opposition;*  but  the  gunboats, 
which  had  been  opposed  to  the  Ticon- 
deivga^  pulled  ofl^  and  escaped.^ 

The  triumph  was  complete,  unequivo- 
cal, undeniable.®    Lieutenant  La  Vallette 

1  Com.  Macdonough  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept.  13  ;  Letter 
from  Burlington,  Sept.  15,  1814  ;  Capt.  Pring  to  Sir  J.  L. 
Yeo,  Sept.  12  ;  Cooper,  ii.  pp.  218,  219  ;  Perkins,  p.  392  ; 
Commodores  Paulding  and  La  Valletta's  Letters  to  the 
Author,  Feb.,  I860.— '  Letter  from  Burlington,  Sept.  15, 
1814 ;  Capt.  Pring  to  Sir  J.  L.  Yeo,  Sept.  12,  1814  ; 
Cooper,  ii.  p.  219  ;  Perkins,  p.  392.-3  Letter  from  Bur- 
lington, Sept.  15, 1814  ;  Capt.  Pring  to  Sir  J.  L.  Yeo,  Sept. 
12.  1814  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  219.— <  Com.  Macdonough  to  Sec. 
of  Navj-,  Sept.  13  ;  Capt.  Pring  to  Sir  J.  L.  Yeo,  Sept.  12, 
1814;  James'  Nav.  Occur.,  p.  411  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  220. 

'  Com.  Macdonough  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Sept.  13  ;  Letter 
from  Burlington,  Sept.  15  ;  Gen.  Macomb's  General  Or- 
der, Sept.  14,  1814 ;  Perldns,  p.  392.  Mr.  Cooper  [Nav. 
Bid.,  ii.  p.  220)  says,  "As  soon  as  they  foimd  that  the 
large  vessels  had  submitted,  they  ceased  the  combat,  and 
hwered  (heir  colors."  Mr.  Palmer  (History  of  Lake  Cham- 
plain,  p.  201)  says  both  are  right— they  struck,  but  after- 
wards escaped. 

«  The  severity  of  the  engagement  has  been  frankly  ad- 
mitted by  the  enemy.  In  a  letter  from  Midshipman  Lea, 
of  the  Confiance,  to  his  brother,  published  in  the  Nav.  Chron., 
xxxii.  p.  475  (London,  Dec,  1814),  says,  "At  forty  min- 
utes after  nine  we  ran  down  alongside  the  Yankee  Com- 
modore's ship,  and  came  to  anchor ;  when  the  action 
commenced  by  a  vigorous  cannonade  of  all  the  Yankee 
fleet  on  our  ship,  which  we  immediately  returned  ;  a  little 


had  taken  possession  of  the  Conjiance  j 
and  the  former  commanders  of  the 
prizes  were  approaching  the  Saratoga^ 
to  make  a  formal  surrender  of  their 
swords  to  the  victorious  chief.  In  the 
words  of  an  eye-witness :  "  They  were 
very  fine-appearing  fellows,  and  their 
reception  by  Macdonough— considering 
the  time,  place,  circumstances,  manner, 
and  sentiments  expressed — was  one  of 
the  most  beautiful  exhibitions  of  moral 
sublimity  ever  witnessed.  They  came 
under  convoy-guard,  directly  from  the 
flag-ship  Confiance^  and  as  they  stepped 
upon  the  deck  of  the  Saratoga  they  met 
Commodore  Macdonough,  who  kindly 
bowed  to  them,  while  they,  holding 
their  caps  in  their  left  hands,  and  their 
swords,  by  the  blades,  in  their  right, 
advanced  towards  him,  and,  bowing, 
presented  the  weapons.  The  Commo- 
dore bowed  and  said,  '  Gentlemen,  re- 
turn your  swords  into  your  scabbards, 
and  wear  them ;  you  are  worthy  of 
them  ;'  and  having  obeyed  the  order, 
arm-in-arm,  with  their  swords  by  their 
sides,  they  walked  the  deck  of  their 
conqueror."  Lieutenant  La  Vallette  was 
ordered  to  "  prepare  the  prisoners  for 
Crab  Island  as  fast  as  possible ; "  to 
"  treat  them  kindly,"  and  to  "  speak  to 
them  encouragingly,"  and  the  cup  of 
Macdonough's  glory  was  full.^ 


before  ten  o'clock  the  action  was  general,  and  kept  up 
with  the  greatest  spirit  until  twenty-five  minutes  after 
noon,  when  onr  spring  and  rudder  were  shot  away,  and 
all  our  masts,  yards,  and  sails  so  shattered,  that  one 
looked  like  so  many  bunches  of  matches,  and  the  other 
like  a  bundle  of  old  rags.  .  .  .  The  havoc  on  both  sides 
is  dreadful.  I  don't  think  there  are  more  than  five  of 
our  men,  out  of  three  hundred,  but  are  killed  and  wound- 
ed. Never  was  a  shower  of  hail  so  thick  as  the  shot 
whistling  about  our  ears.  There  is  one  of  our  marines 
who  was  in  the  Trafalgar  action  with  Lord  Nelson,  who 
says  it  was  a  mere  flea-bite  in  comparison  with  this." 

'  Rev.  H.  P.  Bogue  to  the  Author,  March  7,  1860.  See 
also  Capt.  Pring's  Dispatch,  Sept.  12,  1814.  The  strange 
story  told  by  Mr.  James  [Nav.  Occur.,  p.  411)  concerning 
the  Commodore's  address  to  the  officers  is  here  put  to  rest. 


Chap.  LXXXIX.]       THE  SECOND  mVASION  OF  NEW  YORK. 


389 


With  the  capture  of  the  squadron  all 
the  troops  were  withdrawn  from  before 
the  American  lines  by  Sir  George  Pre- 
vost  ;^  and,  although  the  cannonade  was 
continued  until  sunset,^  it  was  done  more 
for  the  purpose  of  concealing  his  pro- 
jected retreat  than  for  ofPensive  pur- 
poses. Having  been  "  depiived  of  the 
co-operation  of  the  fleet,  without  which 
the  farther  prosecution  of  the  service 
had  become  impracticable,"  he  not  only 
"  did  not  hesitate  to  arrest  the  course  of 
the  troops  advancing  to  the  attack"  of 
the  American  works,^  but,  as  soon  as 
the  sun  had  gone  down,  and  the  shades 
of  evening  had  afforded  the  means  of 
concealment,  he  dismantled  his  several 
batteries  and  sent  off  his  artillery  and 
stores;*  and,  during  the  night,  with  the 
utmost  secrecy,  with  his  entire  army,  he 
followed,^  leaving  behind  him  his  sick 
and  wounded,®  together  with  immense 
quantities  of  stores,  provisions,  camp 
equipage,  <fec.,  as  evidences  of  his  utter 
and  undeniable  discomfiture.''' 

In  this  remarkable  expedition  the  en- 
emy's force,  on  shore,  as  ab-eady  stated, 
was  not  less  than  fourteen  thousand  vet- 
eran troops  f  and  on  the  lake  it  was 
one  thousand  and  fifty  men,  with  ninety- 


1  Sir  G.  Pievost  to  Earl  Bathurst,  Sept.  11,  1814. 

=  Gen.  Macomb  to  Sec.  of  War,  Sept.  12,  1814. 

'  Sir  G.  Prevost  to  Earl  Bathurst,  Sept.  11. 

*  Gen.  Macomb's  General  Orders,  Sept.  14,  1814;  His 
Dispatch,  Sept.  15  ;  Sir  G.  Prevost  to  Earl  Bathurst,  Sept. 
11,  1814;  Perkins,  p.  394. 

'  Gen.  Macomb  to  Sec.  of  War,  Sept.  12  and  15,  1814; 
Letter  from  Burlington,  Sept.  15  ;  Gen.  Macomb's  General 
Orders,  Sept.  14,  1814.— «  Gen.  Macomb  to  Sec.  of  War, 
Sept.  12,  1814,  and  his  General  Orders,  Sept.  14,  1814; 
Niles'  Register,  vii.  p.  45. — ''  Gen.  Macomb  to  Sec.  of  War, 
Sept.  12  and  15,  1814;  Niles'  Register,  vii.  p.  45. 

»  Vide  p.  381. 


five  guns  :^  while  that  of  the  Americans, 
on  shore,  did  not  exceed  fifteen  hundred 
effective  regular  troops,^  and  two  thou- 
sand five  hundred  militia  and  volun- 
teers;^ and,  on  the  lake,  eight  hundred 
and  twenty  men,  with  eighty-six  guns.* 
The  loss  of  the  former,  on  shore,  was 
Lieutenant-colonel  Willington,  Captain 
Purchase,  Ensign  Chapman,  thirty-four 
men,  and  "o7ie  liorse^''  hilled;  Captains 
Crosse  and  Westropp,  Lieutenants  Kings- 
bury, West,  Benson,  Howe,  Brokier,  and 
Lewis,  one  hundred  and  forty-two  men, 
and"^'^^;o  horses^'' ivounded ;  and  Lieu- 
tenants Hutch,  Ogilvie,  Marchington, 
and  Vigneau,  fifty-one  men,  and  ^'^  six 
horses^''  missing  ;  ^  while,  on  the  lake,  it 
was  Captain  Downie,  four  ofiicers,  and 
fifty-two  men  hilled^  and  three  officers 
and  sixty-nine  men  wounded.^  The  loss 
of  the  Americans,  on  land,  was  Lieuten- 
ant Runk  and  thirty-six  men,  Tcilled ; 
Lieutenants  Harrison  and  Taylor,  and 
sixty  men,  wounded ;  and  twenty  men, 
missing:'^  on  the  lake.  Lieutenants 
Gamble  and  Stansbury,  Master's-mate 
Vandermere,  Sailing-master  Carter,  and 
forty-eight  men,  hilled ;  and  Lieutenants 
Smith  and  Spencer,  Midshipman  Bald- 
win, Master's-mate  Breeze,  and  fifty-four 
men,  wounded?' 

'  Burlington  (Vt.)  Sentinel,  Sept.  16,  1814,  on  authority 
of  Com.  Macdonough. — 'Vide  p.  380. — 'Niles'  Register, 
vii.  p.  55.  '^Veritas"  (James'  Mil.  Occur.,  pp.  216,  217), 
says,  "  perhaps  three  thousand  militia." — *  Burlington  Sen- 
tinel, Sept.  16,  1814,  on  authority  of  Com.  Macdonough. 
^   ^  Report  appended  to  Dispatch. 

^  Report  appended  to  Capt.  Pring's  Dispatch.  The  Bur- 
lington Sentinel,  Sept.  16, 1814,  on  authority  of  Com.  Mac- 
donough, stated  it  at  84  killed  and  110  wounded. 

'  Report  appended  to  Gen.  Macomb's  Dispatch,  Sept. 
15,  1814. — «  Report  appended  to  Com.  Macdonough's  Dis- 
patch, Sept.  13,  1814. 


CHAPTER    XC. 


September   12  to   14,  1S14. 

THE     EXPEDITION     AGAINST     BALTIMORE. 


The  unexpected  success  of  the  ene- 
my, in  his  expedition  against  Washing- 
ton, appears  to  have  encouraged  him  to 
make  still  farther  attempts  of  the  same 
character ;  and  Baltimore  was  the  point 
selected  as  the  scene  of  his  next  exploit. 
Indeed,  it  is  said  that  "  General  Ross 
boasted  that  he  would  make  that  city 
his  winter-quarters,"  and  that,  "  with 
his  command,  he  could  march  where  he 
pleased  in  Maryland;"^  and  he  certain- 
ly acted,  as  did  his  entire  army,  in  a 
spirit  which  indicated  these  as  his  well- 
formed  opinions. 

On  the  ninth  of  September,  the  ene- 
my's fleet,  after  hovering  on  the  shores 
of  the  Chesapeake  several  days,  in  order 
to  distract  the  attention  of  the  Ameri- 
cans, suddenly  put  about  and  headed 
towards  the  Patapsco ;  and  on  the  elev- 
enth, it  made  North  Point,  where,  on 
the  following  day,  under  cover  of  the 
small  vessels,  but  without  opposition, 
the  enemy  landed  a  heavy  force,  under 
General  Ross,^  Three  days'  provisions 
had  been  cooked ;  and  these,  with  eighty 
rounds  of  ammunition  per  man,  were 
given  to  the  soldiers,  while  every  thing 
which  could  be  spared,  was  left  on  ship- 
board, to  render  their  baggage  as  light 
as  possible.^ 

In  the  mean  time,  the  inhabitants  of 
Baltimore  and  its  vicinity  had  been 
busily  employed  in  preparing  to  defend 
the    city ;    and  under   General  Samuel 


'  Niles'  Register,  Yu.Y>.  23. — ^  Gen.  Smith  to  Sec.  of  War, 
Sept.  19,  1814 ;  Gen.  Strieker  to  Gen.  Smith,  Sept.  15, 
1814  ;  Col.  Biook  to  Earl  Bathurst,  Sept.  17, 1814  ;  Gleig's 
Narrative  (Octavo  edition),  pp.  163-170. — ^  Gleig,  p.  166. 


Smith,  of  the  Maryland  militia, — the 
hero  of  Fort  Mifflin,^  —  and  General 
William  H.  Winder,  of  the  United 
States  army,  and  General  Strieker,  of 
the  militia,  about  nine  thousand  men 
men  turned  out  to  oppose  the  invaders.^ 
Vessels  were  sunk  at  the  entrance  of 
the  harbor,  near  Foi't  McHenry;^  ex- 
tended lines  of  defence  were  thrown 
up,  on  the  route  which  the  enemy  had 
taken;*  the  treasury  of  the  city  was 
thrown  open  and  exhausted,  for  defens- 
ive purposes  ;^  and  individuals  and  the 
banks  freely  advanced  the  means  re- 
quired for  completing  the  works.^  The 
point  selected  for  the  defence  of  the 
city  was  the  heights  three  miles  in  ad- 
vance of  it,  towards  the  mouth  of  the 
Patapsco ;  and  there  the  entire  force  of 
the  citizens,  and  of  the  volunteers  from 
the  surrounding  country,  together  with 
the  regular  troops  belonging  to  that 
district,  had  assembled.^ 

Anticipating  the  debarkation  of  the 
enemy,  before  referred  to,  General 
Smith  had  detached  General  Strieker, 
on  the  evening  of  the  eleventh,' with  a 


'  Vide  Vol.  I.,  pp.  360-367.—'  The  number  behind  the 
works  is  said  to  have  been  4000  ;  to  these  add  the  garri- 
sons, iipwards  of  1000,  and  Gen.  Strieker's  command,  and 
the  result  will  be  as  stated.  Mr.  Perkins  {Hist,  of  War,  p. 
338)  says  they  numbered  fifteen  thousand  men. 

»  Col.  Brook  to  Earl  Bathurst,  Sept.  15,  1814  ;  Adm'l 
Cochrane  to  the  Admiralty,  Sept.  17  ;  Griffith's  Annals  of 
Baltimore,  p.  211. — ■•  Col.  Brook  to  Earl  Bathurst,  Sept. 
15  ;  Adm'l  Cochrane  to  the  Admiralty,  Sept.  17  ;  James' 
Mil.  Occur.,  ii.  p.  311  ;  Niles'  Register,  vii.  p.  13. 

'  Griffith's  Annals  of  Baltimore,  p.  213. 

8  The  loans  enabled  the  Committee  of  Citizens  to  ex- 
pend $79,000  on  public  account,  for  defensive  purposes. — 
Griffith's  Annals  of  Baltimo-re,  p.  213.—''  Perkins,  p.  338  ; 
Griffith's  Annals,  pp.  210,  211. 


Chap.  XC] 


THE  EXPEDITION  AGAINST  BALTIMORE. 


391 


portion  of  his  brigade,  to  observe  the 
enemy's  movements  on  the  road  leading 
to  North  Point  ;^  while,  at  the  same 
time.  Major  Randal,  of  the  Maryland 
militia,  with  a  light  corps  from  General 
Stansbury's  brigade  and  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Volunteers,  was  detached  to  the 
month  of  Bear  Creek,  with  orders  to 
co-operate  with  General  Strieker,  and 
to  check  the  debarkation,  should  any 
be  attempted  in  that  vicinity.^  On  the 
twelfth  of  September,  General  Strieker 
moved  down  to  the  meeting-house  at 
the  head  of  Bear  Creek,  near  the  junc- 
tion of  the  two  roads  leading  from  Bal- 
timore to  the  Point ;  and  at  that  place 
prepared  to  check  the  advance  of  the 
enemy  —  his  right  being  covered  by 
Bear  Creek  and  his  left  by  a  marsh  on 
the  mai-gin  of  a  branch  of  Back  River.^ 
A  detachment  of  one  hundred  and  forty 
cavalry,  under  Lieutenant^colonel  Biays, 
was  sent  down  to  Gorsuch's  farm,  three 
miles  in  advance  ;  one  hundred  and  fifty 
riflemen,  under  Captain  Dyer,  were  post- 
ed at  a  blacksmith's  shop,  one  mile  in 
the  rear  of  the  cavalry ;  the  Fifth  regi- 
ment (five  hundred  and  fifty  men),  un- 
der Lieutenant-colonel  Steret,  was  post- 
ed near  the  head  of  Lons^-loG:  Lane,  with 
its  rio^ht  restino^  on  a  branch  of  Bear 
Creek,  and  its  left  on  the  main  road  to 
the  Point ;  the  Twenty-seventh  regiment 
(five  hundred  men),  under  Lieutenant- 
colonel  Long,  was  posted  on  the  left  of 
the  Fifth,  extending  from  the  road,  be- 
fore alluded  to,  to  the  Back  River ;  the 
"  Union  Artillery,"  of  Baltimore,  sev- 
enty-five men,  with  six  four-pounders, 
under   Captain    Montgomery,   occupied 

1  Gen.  Smith  to  Sec.  of  War,  Sept.  19,  1814  ;  Geu. 
Strieker  to  Gen.  Smith,  Sept.  15,  1814;  Thomson's  Sketch- 
es, p.  340.-2  Gen.  Smith  to  Sec.  of  War,  Sept.  19. 

^  Gen.  Strieker  to  Gen.  Smith,  Sept.  15,  1814  ;  Col. 
Brook  to  Earl  Bathurst,  Sept.  17  ;  Gen.  Smith  to  Sec.  of 
War,  Sept.  19. 


the  road,  in  the  centre  of  the  first  line. 
The  Thirty-ninth  regiment  (four  hun- 
dred and  fifty  men),  under  Lieutenant- 
colonel  Fowler,  was  posted  in  a  line 
which  was  parallel  with,  and  three  hun- 
dred yards  in  the  rear  of,  the  Twenty- 
seventh  ;  the  Fifty-first  regiment  (seven 
hundred  men),  under  Lieutenant-colonel 
Amey,  occupied  a  position  on  the  right 
of  the  Thirty-ninth,  and  three  hundred 
yards  in  the  rear  of  the  Fifth.  The 
Sixth  regiment  (six  hundred  and  twen- 
ty men),  under  Lieutenant-colonel  Mc- 
Donald, as  a  reserve,  was  thrown  back 
to  Cook's  Tavern,  about  half  a  mile  in 
the  rear  of  the  second  line ;  and  in  this 
position  the  approach  of  the  enemy  was 
awaited,^ 

The  enemy  having  landed,  as  before 
stated,  the  same  arrangements  which 
had  been  so  successfully  employed  in 
the  former  expedition  were  repeated  in 
this ;  and  with  the  light  companies  of 
the  Fourth,  Twenty-first,  and  Fort}^- 
fourth  regiments,  the  entire  Eighty-fifth 
regiment,  a  battalion  of  "  disciplined 
negroes,"  and  a  company  of  marines 
(in  all  about  eleven  hundred  men), 
commanded  by  Major  Jones,  of  the 
Forty-first  regiment,  in  advance ;  fol- 
lowed by  the  artillery, — six  field-pieces 
and  two  howitzers, — drawn  by  horses ; 
the  Second  brigade — the  Fourth  and 
Fort3'-fourth  regiments  (about  fourteen 
hundred  and  fifty  men),  under  Colonel 
Brook ;  a  body  of  upwards  of  one  thou- 
sand sailors,  under  Captain  Crofton;  and 
by  the  Third  brigade — the  Twenty-first 
regiment  and  a  battalion  of  marines 
(about  fourteen  hundred  and  fifty  men), 
under  Colonel  Patterson,  he  moved 
gayly  forward  on  his  bootless  errand^ — 


'  Gen.  Strieker  to  Gen.  Smith,  Sept.  15. — «  Gleig.  pp. 
92,  164,  170,  171 ;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  ii.  pp.  3T3,  314. 


392 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II: 


the  frigates,  sloops,  and  bomb-ships, 
meanwhile,  having  moved  forward  to 
force  their  way  through  every  obstacle, 
to  obtain  possession  of  the  navigation 
of  the  river,  and  to  co-operate  with  the 
army  by  bombarding  the  place  from 
the  water .-^ 

After  advancing  an  hour,^  the  troops 
halted  "that  the  rear  might  be  well  up, 
and  the  men  fresh  and  ready  for  action;" 
and  they  "  rested,"  in  that  position,  "  for 
the  space  of  an  hour,"^  although  it  does 
not  appear  how  their  fatigv,e  could  have 
required  that  delay  after  so  short  a  march. 
The  light  parties  of  the  Americans  were 
soon  afterwards  encountei'ed;  and  they 
appear  to  have  skirmished  with  his  ad- 
vance, with  great  spirit,*  one  of  the  vic- 
tims of  their  gallantry  being  General 
Ross,  the  commander  of  the  expedition, 
who  was  shot  in  the  side  by  a  rifleman, 
and  died  before  his  bearers  could  reach 
the  boats  at  North  Point.^  Under  the 
command  of  Colonel  Brook,  of  the  Forty- 
fourth  regiment,  the  expedition  con- 
tinued to  advance;®  and  the  American 
light  parties  fell  back  on  the  main  body 
— the  riflemen  and  part  of  the  cavalry 
being  ordered  to  cover  the  right  flank 
of  the  first  line^  (the  riglit  of  the  Fifth 
reghnerd). 

Soon  after  noon,  the  enemy  approached 
"the  well-chosen"  position  occupied  by 
the  American  troops;^  and  as  the  sev- 
eral brigades  came  up,  they  filed  off  to 

>  Gleig,  p.  166;  Adtn'l  Cockbum  to  Adm'l  Cochrane, 
Sept.  15^  1814.-2  Gleig,  g.  171.—=  Ibid.,  p.  172. 

<  Gen.  Smith  to  Sec.  of  War,  Sept.  19  ;  Gen.  Strieker 
to  Gen.  Smith,  Sept.  15  ;  Col.  Brook  to  Earl  Bathurst, 
Sept.  17  ;  Adm'l  Cocliburn  to  Adm'l  Cochrane,  Sept.  15  ; 
Gleig,  pp.  172,  173,  175,  176.—^  Col.  Brook  to  Earl  Bath- 
urst, Sept.  17  ;  Adm'l  Cochrane  to  the  Admhalty,  Sept. 
17  ;  Thomson,  p.  341  ;  Gleig,  pp.  171-175. 

«  Col.  Brook  to  Earl  Bathurst,  Sept.  17;  Adm'l  Coch- 
rane to  the  Admiralty,  Sept.  17  ;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  11. 
p.  317  ;  Gleig,  p.  175.— '  Gen.  Strieker  to  Gen.  Smith, 
Sept   15  ;  Col.  Brook  to  Earl  Bathurst,  Sept.  17. 

8  Gen.  Smith  to  Sec.  of  War,  Sept.  19  ;  Gleig,  pp.  175, 176. 


the  right  and  left,  and  formed,  in  order 
of  battle,  "just  within  cannon-shot," 
while  the  Rocketeers  and  Artillery 
opened  a  brisk  fire  on  the  American 
lines.-^  The  First,  or  Light  Brigade,  in 
line,  supported  by  the  Forty-fourth,  the 
seamen,  and  the  marines,  threatened  the 
entire  front  of  the  American  position ; 
while  the  Twenty-first  remained  in  col- 
umn, as  a  reserve ;  and  the  Fourth,  by 
a  detour,  moved  off  to  the  right,  for  the 
purpose  of  turning  the  left  of  the  Amer- 
ican line ;  against  which,  also,  the  ene- 
my's artillery  played  vigorously.® 

Perceiving  the  purposes  of  the  enemy. 
General  Strickland  moved  the  Thirty- 
ninth  regiment  from  the  rear  to  the  left 
of  the  front  line,  with  two  field-pieces 
to  cover  its  left  flank ;  while,  as  addi- 
tional security,  the  Fifty-first  was  or- 
dered to  form,  in  line,  at  right  angles 
with  the  first  line,  and  with  its  i-ight 
resting  near  the  left  of  the  Thirty-ninth. 
Some  confusion  was  created  by  the  ex- 
ecution  of  the  last  order ;  but  through 
the  exertions  of  some  of  the  General's 
staff,  it  was  overcome,  and  the  order 
was  executed.^ 

During  two  hours  the  fire  was  con- 
tinued on  both  sides  with  spirit  and  ef- 
fect.* Volley  succeeded  volley,  and  shout 
responded  to  shout,  during  that  time ;  ** 
and  yet,  as  the  enemy  himself  has  ad- 
mitted, the  Americans,  inexperienced 
and  undisciplined  as  they  may  have 
been,  "maintained  themselves  with  great 
determination,  and  stood  to  receive  the 
fire  of  the  enemy  until  scarcely  twenty 
yards  divided  them."®     At  length  the 

1  Gleig,  p.  177  ;  Niles'  Register,  vii.  p.  23.-2  Col.  Brook 
to  Earl  Bathurst,  Sept.  17  ;  Gleig,  p.  177.—=  Gen  Strieker 
to  Gen.  Smith,  Sept.  15  ;  Thomson,  p.  341. 

<  Gen.  Strieker  to  Gen.  Smith,  Sept.  15,  1814 ;  Gleig, 
pp.  180,  181.  Col.  Brook  calls  it  a  ''short  but  brilliant 
affair,"  and  intimates  it  lasted  only  fifteen  minutes. 

'  Gleig,  p.  179.—"  Ibid.,  pp.  179,  180. 


u 


S:   @ 


.^ 


Chap.  XC] 


THE  EXPEDITION  AGAINST  BALTIMORE. 


393 


Fourth  (^Britisli)  regiment  "began  to 
sho\y  itself  upon  the  brink  of  the  water 
which  covered  the  left  flank"  of  the 
American  line,  and  made  an  effort  to 
cross  over,  when  the  Fifty-first  (^Ameri- 
ca/i)  regiment,  which  had  heen  thrown 
back  at  right  angles  with  the  first  line, 
for  the  protection  of  that  flank,  sudden- 
ly and  disgracefully  gave  way,  and  in 
such  perfect  disorder  did  it  fall  back, 
that  no  efforts  of  the  ofiicers  could  rally 
it.-*  This  unaccountable  and  disastrous 
defection  not  only  exposed  the  left  of 
the  Thirty-ninth  to  the  assault  of  the 
enemy,  but  it  dispirited  many  of  the 
troops  belonging  to  the  latter  regiment, 
and  a  few  gave  way ; ^  yet  the  greater 
part  stood  firm,  and  gallantly  resisted 
eveiy  effort  of  the  enemy  to  drive  them 
from  their  position.^ 

At  length,  after  continuing  the  action 
until  a  quarter  before  four  o'clock,  and 
finding  that  the  greatly  superior  force 
of  the  enemy  could  no  longer  be  kept 
in  check,  General  Strieker  ordered 
the  line  to  fall  back  on  the  reserve  ;  and, 
with  few  exceptions,  the  order  was 
obeyed  with  coolness  and  in  good  or- 
der.* Soon  afterwards  the  entire  detach- 
ment fell  back  to  AVorthington's  mill;^ 
and  on  the  next  day  (^Tuesday^  Sept. 
13),  the  retreat  was  continued  to  the 
main  body.^ 

Without  continuing  the  pursuit,  with 
any  spirit,  beyond  the  battle-ground, 
the  enemy  was,  "  of  necessity^  content 
with  the  success  which  he  had  obtained; 
and  having  collected  the  stragglers,  and 


■  Gen.  Strieker  to  Gen.  Smith.  Sept.  1-5,  1814  ;  Gen. 
Smith  to  Sec.  of  War,  Sept.  19  ;  Gleig,  p.  180  ;  Thomson, 
pp.  3-11.  342.-2  Gen.  Striclver  to  Gen.  Smith,  Sept.  15; 
Gen.  Smith  to  Sec.  of  War,  Sept.  19  ;  Thomson,  p.  342. 

3  Gen.  Smith  to  Sec.  of  War,  Sept.  19  ;  Thomson,  p.  342. 

•*  Gen.  Strieker  to  Gen.  Smith.  Sept.  1-5  ;  Gen.  Smith  to 
Sec.  of  War.  Sept.  19  ;  Niles'  Register,  vii.  p.  24. 

=  Gen.  Strieker  to  Gen.  Smith.  Sept.  1.5  ;  Perkins,  p.  339. 

«  Gen.  Smith  to  Sec.  of  War,  Sept.  19 ;  Thomson,  p.  342. 
Vol.   II.— iO 


called  in  the  pursuers,  it  was  resolved 
to  pass  the  night  in  this  situation."  The 
night  was  a  wet  and  dreary  one ;  and, 
without  any  covering,  the  men  bivou- 
acked on  the  field  until  morning,  when 
the  line  of  march  was  resumed;  and, 
soon  afterwards,  came  in  sigfht  of  the 
works.^ 

In  the  mean  time,  the  squadron  of 
frigates,  small  vessels,  and  bomb-ketches, 
under  Admiral  Cochrane,^  had  moved 
up  the  Patapsco,  and  at  nine  o'clock  in 
the  morning  of  the  twelfth  of  Septem- 
ber, they  anchored  off  Fort  McHenry, 
but  beyond  the  range  of  its  guns — the 
bomb  and  rocket  vessels  anchorins:  in  a 
position  from  which  they  could  act  on 
the  lines  which  covered  the  army,  as 
well  as  on  the  fort ;  while  the  frigates 
took  their  stations  outside  of  all.^ 

At  this  time  Fort  McHenry  was  gar- 
risoned with  one  company  of  the  Second 
regiment  of  United  States  Artillery, 
under  Captain  Evans ;  two  companies 
of  Sea  Fencibles,  under  Captains  Bun- 
bury  and  Addison;  the  "Washington 
Artillery,"  of  Baltimore,  Captain  John 
Berry ;  "  The  Baltimore  Independent 
Artillerists,"  Captain  Charles  Penning- 
ton ;  "  The  Baltimore  Fencibles,"  Cap- 
tain Josh.  H.  Nicholson ;  a  detachment 
of  flotilla-men,  under  Lieutenant  Kod- 
man ;  and  detachments  from  the  Twelfth, 
Fourteenth,  Thirty-sixth,  and  Thirty- 
eighth  regiments  of  regular  troops, 
under  Lieutenant-colonel  Stuart  and 
Major  Lane — the  whole  numbering 
about  one  thousand  eflective  men,  com- 
manded by  Lieutenant-colonel  Armis- 
tead,   of  the  United  States  Artillery. 

»  Col.  Brook  to  Earl  Bathurst,  Sept.  15  ;  Adm'l  Coek- 
hurn  to  Adm'l  Cochrane,  Sept.  15 ;  Gleig,  pp.  182,  185- 
187. — ^°  Adm'l  Cochrane  to  the  Admiraltj'.  Sept.  17. 

s  Gen.  Smith  to  Sec.  of  War,  Sept.  19  ;  Lieut.-Col. 
Armistead  to  same,  Sept.  24,  1814  ;  James'  Mil.  Occm-., 
ii.  p.  322  ;  Niles'  Register,  vii.  pp.  23,  24. 


394 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


Fort  Covington  was  manned  with  a 
party  of  sailors,  under  Lieutenant  New- 
corab,  of  the  Navy;  and  the  six-gun 
battery  was  manned  with  flotilla-men, 
under  Lieutenant  Webster,  of  that  ser- 
vice.^ 

At  an  early  hour  on  the  thirteenth,  a 
heavy  fire  was  opened  on  Fort  McHenry, 
the  Star-fort,  and  the  water-batteries, 
which  was  promptly  and  steadily  re- 
turned, notwithstanding  the  range  of 
the  enemy's  guns  was  still  greater  than 
those  on  the  works,  and  prevented  the 
latter  from  being  as  effective  as  they 
would  otherwise  have  been.^  At  about 
three  in  the  afternoon,  tired  of  the  use- 
less employment  on  which  they  had  been 
engaged.  Admiral  Cochrane  ordered  the 
bomb  and  rocket  vessels  to  weigh  an- 
chor and  stand  in  nearer  to  the  fort ; 
when  an  opportunity  was  afforded  to 
the  garrison  to  prove  its  character  and 
abilities,  as  well  as  its  bravery.^  The 
result  of  the  temerity  of  these  vessels 
was  soon  apparent  in  their  precipitate 
return  to  their  former  anchorage,  half 
an  hour  afterwards ;  *  while  the  Erebus^ 
rocket-ship,  was  so  much  injured  that 
the  Admiral  was  obliged  to  send  a  di- 
vision of  boats  to  tow  her  beyond  the 
range  of  the  fire  of  the  Fort.^  After 
resuming  their  former  stations,  the  ves- 
sels bombarded  the  works  more  vigor- 
ously than  ever,  until  the  morning  of 
the  fourteenth,  when  they  retired,  with 
the  army  with  which  it  had  been  in- 
tended they  should  co-operate.® 

'  Lieut. -Col.  Armistead  to  Sec.  of  War,  Sept.  24  ;  Thom- 
son's Sketches,  p.  339. — "  Gen.  Smith  to  Sec.  of  War,  Sept. 
19;  Adm'l  Cochrane  to  the  Admiralty,  Sept.  17  ;  Lieut.-Col. 
Aimistead  to  Sec.  of  War,  Sept.  24;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  ii. 
p.  322.-3  Qen.  Smith  to  Sec.  of  War,  Sept.  19  ;  Lieut.- 
Col.  Armistead  to  same,  Sept.  24 ;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  ii.  pp. 
322,  323  ;  Perljins,  p.  340.—*  Gen.  Smith  to  Sec.  of  War, 
Sept.  19  ;  Lieut.-Col.  Armistead  to  same,  Sept.  24  ;  James' 
Mil.  Occur.,  ii.  p.  323.— '  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  ii.  p.- 323. 

°  Gen.  Smith  to  Sec.   of  War,  Sept.  19  ;    Lieut.-Col. 


While  the  squadron  was  thus  busily 
employed  in  bombarding  the  works  at 
the  entrance  of  the  harbor,  the  enemy 
moved  cautiously  and  slowly  forward 
until  he  came  within  sight  of  the  Ameri- 
can lines,  when  he  halted  to  reconnoitre.-' 
He  appears,  tlien^  for  the  first  time,  to 
have  entertained  doubts  of  his  ability 
to  accomplish  what  he  had  undertaken ; 
and  he  wisely  sought  the  counsel  of  the 
Admiral,  who,  as  has  been  seen,  had 
learned,  before  the  works  at  the  en- 
trance of  the  harbor,  that  it  was  "im- 
practicable to  afford  any  essential  co- 
operation to  the  army  by  sea."^  The 
latter,  as  the  result  of  his  observation, 
informed  Colonel  Brook — who  had  be- 
come the  commander  of  the  land-forces, 
by  the  death  of  General  Ross — that  he 
"  considered  that  an  attack  on  the  ene- 
my's (^American's)  strong  position  by 
the  army  only,  with  such  disparity  of 
force,  tliougli  confident  of  success^  might 
risk  a  greater  loss  than  the  possession 
of  the  town  ivould  compensate  for^  while 
holding  in  view  the  ulterior  operations 
of  this  force  in  the  contemplation  of 
His  Majesty's  government,"  and  he  ad- 
vised, and  Colonel  Brook  approved, 
with  the  advice  of  a  council  of  officers,® 
an  immediate  withdrawal  of  the  united 
forces  from  before  the  works,  and  their 
return  to  the  fleet.* 

"Accordingly,"  in  the  words  of  an 
English  officer,  who  was  present,  "  about 
three  hours  after  midnight,  the  troops 
were  formed  upon  the  road,  and  began 

Armistead  to  same,  Sept.  24  ;  James'  Military  Occur- 
rences, ii.  pp.  323,  324. 

'  Gen.  Smith  to  Sec.  of  War,  Sept.  19 ;  Col.  Brook  to 
Earl  Bathurst,  Sept.  15  ;  Adm'l  Cockburn  to  Adm'l  Coch- 
rane, Sept.  15  ;  Gleig,  pp.  186-188.— '  Col.  Biook  to  Earl 
Bathurst,  Sept.  17  ;  Adm'l  Cochrane  to  the  Admiralty, 
Sept.  17  ;  James'  Mil.  Occur,  ii.  pp.  325,  326. 

3  Gleig,  p.  192.—*  Col.  Brook  to  Earl  Bathurst,  Sept. 
17  ;  Adm'l  Cochrane  to  the  Admiralty,  Sept.  17  ;  James' 
Military  Occurrences,  ii.  p.  326. 


Chap.  XC] 


THE  EXPEDITION^  AGAINST  BALTIMORE. 


395 


their  retreat,  leaving  the  pickets  to  de- 
ceive the  enemy  (Americans)^  and  to 
follow  as  a  rear-guard;"^  and  in  this 
important  movement — although  it  does 
not  appear  why  this  great  caution  was 
necessary,  if  the  Admiral's  opinion  of 
the  relative  strength  of  the  two  armies 
was  correct — the  enemy  appears  to  have 
been  exceedingly  successful,  as  "  he  was 
so  favored  by  the  extreme  darkness 
and  a  continued  rain,  that  the  Ameri- 
cans did  not  discover  the  movement 
until  daylight,"^  when  all  attempts  at 
pursuit  were  unavailing,  and  he  gained 
his  shipping  during  the  same  day  and 
the  succeeding  morning.^ 

In  the  action  at  the  Long-log  Lane, — 
or,  as  it  is  sometimes  called,  at  North 
Point, — General  Strieker's  original  force 
was  three  thousand  one  hundred  and 
eighty-five  men;*  but  as  the  Fifty-first 
regiment  {-seven  linndred  Tneri)^  and  part 
of  the  Second  battalion  of  the  Thirty- 
ninth  regiment,  had  run  away,  and  the 
reserve — the  Sixth  regiment  (six  hun- 
dred and  tiuenty  ffien)^  with  three  com- 
panies from  the  Fifth  regiment  {Cap- 
tains Levering's^  Howard^s.^  and  Sad- 
tler''s)^  and  Captain  Aisquith's  company 
of  riflemen,  which  had  been  sent  for- 
ward  to    check   the    enemy,    and   had 


1  Gleig,  p.  193.  See  also  Thomson,  p.  343 ;  Perkins, 
p.  339.—'  Gen.  Smith  to  Sec.  of  War,  Sept.  19  ;  Thom- 
son, p.  343  ;  Armstrong,  ii.  p.  136. 

'  Gen.  Smith  to  Sec.  of  War,  Sept.  19  ;  James'  Military 
Occurrences,  ii.  p.  326  ;  Gleig,  pp.  195.  196. 

*  Gen.  Striclier  to  Gen.  Smith,  Sept.  15 ;  Niles'  Register, 
vii.  p.  23. 


fallen  into  the  rear  of  the  lines,  for 
temporary  repose,  as  they  came  up — 
had  not  been  brought  into  the  action, 
the  force  actually  engaged,  on  the 
American  lines,  was  only  about  four- 
teen hundred  men  ;^  while  that  of  the 
enemy  was  not  less  than  "  five  thousand 
fighting  men,"^  exclusive  of  officers,  ar- 
tillery drivers,  and  others  of  a  similar 
character.  The  loss  of  the  former  was 
twenty-four  Icilled^  one  hundred  and 
thirty-nine  luounded^  and  fifty  prisoners^ 
with  two  field-pieces;^  that  of  the  lat- 
ter was  was  General  Ross,  Lieutenant 
Gracie,  and  thirty-seven  men  hilled^  and 
eleven  officers  and  two  hundred  and 
forty  men  wounded.^ 

In  the  attack  on  the  forts  by  the 
squadron,  the  relative  strength  of  the 
assailants  and  the  garrisons — although 
the  former  was  much  greater,  numeri- 
cally, than  the  latter — is  not  known. 
The  loss  of  the  former  was  Lieutenant 
Claggett  and  three  men  Mlled^  and 
twenty -four  men  wounded;^  while  the 
enemy  reports  no  loss,  either  of  life  or 
limb. 

'  Gen.  Strieker  to  Gen.  Smith,  Sept.  15. 

'  Gleig,  p.  164.  That  the  statement  of  Lieut.  Gleig  is 
not  far  from  the  truth  may  be  seen  from  the  statements  of 
the  strength  of  the  enemy  during  his  attack  on  the  troops 
at  Bladensburg  : — First  brigade,  1100  men  ;  Second  bri- 
gade, 1460  men  ;  Third  brigade,  1460  men  ;  artillerists 
and  drivers.  200  men  =  4220  men.  To  these  add  1000 
seamen,  under  Capt.  Edward  Crofton,  and  deduct  those 
disabled  at  Bladensburg, — 64  killed  and  185  wounded, — the 
result  will  show  "  about  five  thousand  fighting  men." 

'  Report,  signed  "  L.  Fkailey,  late  Brigade-major." 

*  Report,  signed  "Henry  Debbeig,  Major,"  appended 
to  Col.  Brook's  Dispatch. 

'  Lieut.-Col.  Armistead  to  Sec.  of  War,  Sept.  24. 


CHAPTER    XCI 


September  36  and  27,  1S14. 

THE    LOSS    OF    THE    PRIVATEER    GENERAL    ARMSTRONG. 


Reference  has  been  made,  in  former 
chapters  of  this  work,  to  the  enterprise 
and  gallantry  of  the  privateer  service ; 
and  the  exploits  of  the  brig  General 
Armstrong^  of  New  York,  have  been 
made  the  subject  of  a  chapter.^ 

After  several  successful  cruises,  the 
General  Armstrong^  commanded,  at  that 
time,  by  Captain  Samuel  C.  Reid,  left 
New  York  early  in  September,  1814  ; 
and  on  the  twenty-sixth  of  the  same 
month  she  anchored  in  the  harbor  of 
Fayal,  one  of  the  Azores  or  Western 
Islands,  belonging  to  the  King  of  Por- 
tugal. In  the  evening  of  the  same  day, 
a  squad i-on  of  British  vessels  of  war — 
the  Plantagenet^  of  seventy-four  guns ; 
the  Rota^  of  forty-four  guns ;  and  the 
Carnation^  of  eighteen  guns — anchored 
in  the  same  port;  and  it  appears  that 
hostile  intentions  were  manifested,  as 
Captain  Reid  entertained  doubts  of  his 
safety,  and,  after  having  cleared  for  ac- 
tion, he  determined  to  haul  in  nearer 
the  shore.^ 

When  the  design  of  Captain  Reid 
was  noticed  the  Carnation  cut  her  ca- 
ble, made  sail,  and  dispatched  four 
boats  in  pursuit  of  the  Ai^mfistrong ; 
when  the  latter  anchored,  with  springs 
on  her  cables,  and  prepared  to  receive 
them.  The  moon  shone  brightly ;  and 
as  the  boats  approached,  they  were 
hailed,  but  gave  no  answer ;  and,  as 
they  dashed  forward  with  greater  speed, 
they  were  soon  ."cleverly  alongside"  the 

'  Vide  Chap.  XLII.— =  Capt.  Eeid's  Letter,  Oct.  4, 1814; 
Memorial  of  Jenliins  and  Havens,  presented  to  the  Senate, 
Jan.  23, 1817  ;  Consul  Dabney  to  Sec.  of  State,  Oct.  5, 1814. 


little  brig.  At  that  moment  the  guns 
of  the  Armstrong  opened  their  fire, 
which  was  immediately  returned,  and  a 
short  conflict  ensued,  which  resulted  in 
the  i-epulse  of  the  assailants,  with  a 
heavy  loss — the  brig,  at  the  same  time, 
losing  one  man  (^Burton  Loyd^  hilled^ 
and  her  first-lieutenant  (Frederick  A. 
Worth)  wounded} 

The  boats  having  returned  to  the 
ships,  the  Armstrong  immediately  haul- 
ed in  close  to  the  beach,  and  moored 
head  and  stern  within  half  pistol-shot 
from  the  castle ;  and  again  prepai-ed 
for  action.  At  nine  o'clock,  the  same 
evening,  the  Carnation  weighed,  and 
stood  in  towards  the  privateer,  towing 
the  boats  of  the  squadron  ;  and  after 
some  time  spent  in  manoeuvring,  at 
about  midnight,  the  latter  moved  to 
the  attack  in  one  direct  line,  in  close 
order  —  twelve  boats  being  distinctly 
visible.  As  soon  as  they  had  come 
within  proper  distance,  the  Armstrong 
opened  her  fire,  a  second  time,  which  was 
promptly  returned  by  the  enemy,  both 
with  his  small-arms  and  his  carronades. 
Although  the  privateer's  long  gun  ap- 
peared to  stagger  them,  the  assailants 
moved  forwai'd  with  great  gallantry, 
cheering  as  they  advanced ;  and  they 
soon  reached  the  bows  and  starboard 
quarter  of  the  brig,  when  orders  were 
given  to  "  board."  From  that  moment 
the  conflict  became  close  and  desperate. 
Relying,  altogether,  on  their  small-arms, 

'  Capt.  Reid's  Letter,  Oct.  4,  1814 ;  Jenkins  and  Ha- 
ven's Memorial;  Protest  of  the  general  Armstrong's  offi- 
cers, Sept.  27,  1814. 


Chap.  SCI.]       LOSS  OF  THE  PRIVATEER  GEXERAL  ARMSTROXG. 


397 


pikes,  and  cutlasses,  the  crew  met  the 
assailants  wherever  they  showed  them- 
selves; and,  with  the  greatest  resolu- 
tion, the  latter  were  kept  from  the 
deck  of  the  hvis-.  At  lens^th,  after  sus- 
taining  a  conflict  of  about  forty  minutes, 
and  suffering  a  very  heavy  loss,  both  of 
boats  and  men,  the  enemy  again  retired, 
leaving  two  of  the  JRofa's  boats  in  the 
hands  of  the  privateer's  crew.  In  this 
second  attack  the  A.rmstrong  suffered 
consideral)ly,  several  of  her  cariiages 
beinof  broken,  her  "lono-  Tom"  dis- 
mounted,  and  some  of  her  crew  havino^ 
left  the  vessel.  No  time  was  lost,  how- 
ever, in  preparing  the  brig  for  still  far- 
ther resistance,  should  any  be  offered ; 
and,  although  the  second -lieutenant 
(^Alexander  O.  William-^)  had  been 
killed,  and  the  third-lieutenant  {Robert 
John-soil)  wounded,  in  the  last  attack, 
there  appeared  to  be  no  hesitation 
among  the  crew  in  its  devotion  to  the 
vessel.^ 

During  the  night  Captain  Reid  re- 
ceived a  letter  from  J.  B.  Dabney,  Esq., 
consul  of  the  United  States  at  Fayal, 
infoi'mino;  him  that  althoufifh  the  For- 
tuguese  authorities  had  remonstrated 
against  a  repetition  of  the  assault,  the 
enemy  had  sent  for  answer  that  he  was 
detei'mined  to  seize  the  privateer  at 
every  hazard  ;  and,  considering  the  safe- 
ty of  the  brig  as  no  longer  certain, 
the  Captain  returned  and  ordered  the 
wounded  and  dead,  together  with  the 
effects  of  the  crew,  to  be  taken  ashore, 
without  farther  delay.  While  thus  en- 
gaged, at  about  daylight,  the  Carnation 


1  Capt.  Eeid's  Letter,  Oct.  4,  1814;  Jenkins  and  Ha- 
ven's Memorial;  Consul  Dabney  to  Secretary  of  State, 
Oct.  5,  1814. 


stood  close  in,  and  opened  her  fire  on 
the  devoted  brig ;  yet  the  crew  of  the 
latter,  with  a  degree  of  coui-age  which 
contrasts  finely  with  the  timidity  dis- 
played by  the  enemy,  returned  it  with 
spirit  and  steadiness — cutting  up  the 
I'ijyofino:  of  the  Carnation,  woundinof  her 
fore-tojiraast,  hulling  hei',  and  finally, 
compelling  her  to  withdraw  for  re- 
pairs.^ 

Soon  afterwards  the  enemy  retui'ned, 
and  anchored  close  to  the  privateer, 
with  the  evident  intention  of  attempt- 
ino-  to  crush  tiie  latter  bv  mere  weis^lit 
of  metal ;  and  Captain  Reid,  considei-ing 
farther  resistance  useless,  scuttled  her, 
and  with  his  crew,  went  ashore.  The 
enemy  immediately  sent  his  boats  on 
board  of  the  sinkino*  vessel  and  set  her 
on  fire  ;  and,  by  the  combined  effoi'ts 
of  the  enem}%  the  flames,  and  the  waters 
of  the  harbor,  the  General  Arm-strong 
soon  afterwards  ceased  to  exist.^ 

As  the  reader  will  recollect,  the  pri- 
vateer was  a  briof  of  two  hundred  and 
forty-six  tons,  mounting  seven  guns, 
with  a  crew  of  ninety  men.^  Her  loss 
Avas  one  officer  and  one  man  Tcilled^  and 
three  officers  and  four  men  wounded?' 
The  strength  of  the  enemy  has  been  al- 
ready noticed ;  his  loss  was  said  to  have 
been  one  hundred  and  twenty  killed, 
and  one  hundred  and  thirty  wounded, 
besides  the  boats  which  were  lost.^ 

'  Capt.  Reid's  Letter,  Oct.  4,  1814  ;  Jenkins  and  Ha- 
ven's Memorial ;  Letter  to  Wm.  Cobbett,  signed  H.  R.  F., 
Fayal,  Oct.  15,  1814.—'  Capt.  Reid's  Letter,  Oct.  4,  1814  ; 
Jenkins  and  Haven's  Memorial ;  Consnl  Dabney's  Letter, 
Oct.  5,  1814. — °  Report  of  Naval  Committee  of  House  of 
Representatives,  March  4,  1818. — ••  Capt.  Reid's  Letter, 
Oct.  4,  1814  ;  Consul  Dabney  to  Secretary  of  State,  Oct. 
5,  1814;  Protest  of  officers,  &c.,  Sept.  27,  1814. 

^  Capt.  Reid's  Letter,  Oct.  4,  1814;  Jenkins  and  Ha- 
ven's Memorial  ;  Naval  Committee's  Report,  March  4, 
1818  ;  Consul  Dabney's  Letter,  Oct.  5,  1814. 


CHAPTER     XCII 


October  19,  1S14. 

THE     ACTION      AT     LYONS'      CREEK,    U.  C. 


The  movement  of  General  Izard,  with 
the  right  division  of  the  army,  from 
Plattsburg  to  the  Niagara  frontier,  has 
been  noticed  in  a  preceding  chapter  of 
this  work;^  and,  on  his  arrival  at  that 
part  of  the  frontiers,  he  superseded 
General  Brown  in  the  command  of  the 
army.^ 

Soon  after  his  arrival  at  Fort  Erie, 
information  was  received  that  a  heavy 
supply  of  stores  had  been  collected  near 
Cook's  Mills,  on  a  branch  of  the  Chip- 
pewa named  Lyons'  Creek ;  and,  on  the 
eighteenth  of  October,  he  detached  Gen- 
eral Bissell,  with  nine  hundred  men  from 
his  brigade,  a  company  of  riflemen 
under  Captain  Irvine,  and  a  party  of 
dragoons,  under  Lieutenant  Anspaugh,^ 
with  orders  to  seize  and  destroy  them.* 

The  detachment  encountered  many 
obstructions  on  its  march,  and  reached 
the  Mill  only  in  season  to  encamp  for 
the  night,  after  having  driven  a  picket 
of  regular  troops  and  one  of  militia  from 
the  post,  the  latter  with  the  loss  of  its 
commander.  To  insure  his  own  safety. 
General  Bissell  threw  out  a  picket  of 
two  select  companies,  under  Captain 
Dorman  and  Lieutenant  Horrel,  and  the 


'  Vide  Chap.  LXXXIX.— »  Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  328. 

s  The  language  of  Gen.  Bissell  has  been  strangel}'  per- 
verted by  many  authors,  in  speaking  of  the  strength  of 
the  detachment.  The  greater  part  consider  900  men  em- 
braced the  entire  detachment,  while  the  General  expressly 
refers  to  the  dragoons  and  riflemen,  in  addition  to  that 
number  of  infantry.  On  the  other  hand,  Mr.  Ingersoll 
{Hist,  of  War,  iv.  p.  154)  supposes  the  5th,  14th,  15th,  and 
16th  regiments,  together  with  the  riflemen  and  the  dra- 
goons, were  in  addition  to  the  nine  hundred;  instead  of  being 
the  parties  which,  united,  formed  that  aggregate. 

*  General  Orders,  Oct.  23,  1814. 


riflemen  under  Captain  Irvine,  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  creek;  while  still 
more  advanced,  on  the  Chippewa  road. 
Lieutenant  Gassaway  was  posted  with  a 
small  party. 

During  the  night,  this  picket  was  at- 
tacked by  a  detachment  of  Glengarry 
Light  Infantry,  which  was  repulsed  with 
the  loss  of  one  man  only ;  and,  on  the 
following  morning  {Oct.  19,  1814),  the 
attack  was  renewed  by  Colonel  Murray,^ 
with  a  select  body  of  troops,  embracing 
detachments  from  the  Eighty-second, 
Eighty-seventh,  One  Hundredth,  and 
One  Hundred  and  fourth  regiments  of 
the  line,  and  the  Glengarry  Light  Infant- 
ry, a  small  party  of  dragoons,  one  of  rock- 
eteers, and  one  field-piece.^  The  picket 
gallantly  maintained  its  ground  against 
this  overwhelming  force,  without  falter- 
ing, upwards  of  fifteen  minutes ;  when 
the  main  body,  which  had  formed,  and 
been  brought  to  its  support,  joined  in 
the  engagement. 

The  detachment  from  the  Fifth  regi- 
ment, under  Colonel  Pinckney,  by  a  de- 
tour, moved  against  the  enemy's  right 
flank,  and  threatened  his  field-piece ; 
while  the  Fourteenth,  under  Major 
Bernard,  moved  against  his  front,  and 
supported  the  light  troops ;  and  the 
Fifteenth  and  Sixteenth  were  held  in 
reserve  in  the  rear.     When  the  Fifth 


•James'  Mil.  Occur.,  ii.  p.  239;  Auchinleck,  p.  339. 
Gen.  Bissell,  in  his  Keport,  and  others,  after  him,  have 
supposed  the  Marquis  of  Tweedale  commanded ;  but  it 
appears  he  was  still  an  invalid  at  Kingston. 

"  Mr.  James  (Mil.  Occur.,  ii.  p.  238),  by  implication,  de- 
nies that  the  87th  and  104th,  the  dragoons,  rocketeers, 
or  field-piece,  was  present. 


Chap.  XCIII.] 


THE  INVASION  OF  LOUISIANA. 


399 


had  turned  his  flank,  the  light  com- 
panies and  riflemen  poured  in  a  deadly 
fire,  which  was  followed  up  with  a  charge 
by  the  Fourteenth,  when  the  enemy  fell 
back  in  great  confusion,  leaving  behind 
him  his  killed,  many  of  his  wounded, 
and  some  prisoners. 

The  Americans  pursued  the  fugitives 
some  distance  ;  and  the  latter  continued 
their  flight  to  Chippewa,  while  the  for- 
mer destroyed  some  two  hundred  bush- 
els of  wheat  which  were  found  at  the 
Mill — a  sorry  reward  for  so  severe  a 
struggle. 


The  loss  of  the  Americans  was 
twelve  men  Mlled^  five  ofiicers  and 
forty-nine  men  wounded^  and  one  man 
taken  :^  the  enemy  reports  his  loss  at 
nineteen  Tcilled  and  wounded^  while 
the  Americans  claim  that  he  lost  near 
two  hundred  killed,  wounded,  and  pris- 
oners.^ 

[Note. — This  chapter  has  been  based  on  Gen- 
eral Bishop's  Report  to  General  Izard,  October 
22,  1814,  and  on  General  Izard's  "General  Or- 
ders," October  23,  1814;  and  where  no  other 
reference  is  given,  these  have  been  my  only 
authorities.] 


CHAPTER     XCIII. 

December  10,  1S14,  to  January  IS,  1§15. 

THE      INVASION      OF      LOUISIANA 


The  plan  of  the  campaign  of  1814 
(as  displayed  by  the  enemy  in  his 
oSicial  communication  with  the  Secre- 
tary of  State,^  in  his  systematic  plunder 
of  farm-houses  and  sacking  of  villages,^ 
in  his  robbery  of  tobacco-warehouses,^ 
and  in  his  carrying  off,  to  a  West  India 
market,  of  the  slaves  of  the  planters*) 
was  extended  as  the  winter  approached ; 
and  the  conquest  of  the  queen  city  of 
the  Southwest,  the  value  of  her  well- 
filled  warehouses, — groaning  under  the 
weight  of  three  unsold  annual  crops,^— 
and  the  agreeable  climate  which  it  of- 
fered, during  the  winter  season,  ap- 
peared to  invite  him  to  that  quarter  as 
a  proper  scene  for  his  next  adventure. 

In  the  prosecution  of  this  plan  the 
enemy  had  endeavored  to  foment  an- 

'  Adm'l  Cochrane  to  Mr.  Madison,  Aug.  18,  1814. 

=  Vide  Chaps.  XLVI.,  LV.,  LXX.,  LXXXVII. 

'  The  robbery  of  tobacco- warehouses  was  the  principal 
source  of  the  enemy's  gain  in  prize-money. — ''  Niles'  Regis- 
ter, vii.  p.  54  — ^  Jam&s'  Mil.  Occur.,  ii.  p.  340;  Latour's 
War  in  Florida  and  Louisiana,  p.  9  ;  Auchinleck,  p.  387. 


other  Indian  war  in  the  Southwest ; 
and,  by  his  emissaries,  had  made  Pensa- 
cola  the  centre  of  his  operations — 
hoping  there})y  to  divert  the  attention 
of  the  Georgians,  the  Mississippi ans, 
the  Tennesseans,  and  the  Kentuckians, 
whose  rifles  he  so  much  dreaded.*  He 
had  also  sent  a  heavy  force  against 
Fort  Bowyer,  near  the  entrance  to  the 
harbor  of  Mobile;^  and  he  had  opened 
negotiations  with  Lafitte,  the  head  of  a 
gang  of  smugglers,  who  had  infested 
the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  for  the  services  of 
his  band  of  outlaws  as  guides  and  aux- 
iliaries.®    The  first  of  these  designs,  by 


>  Eeturns  appended  to  Gen.  Bissell's  Dispatch,  Oct.  22, 
1804. — ^  James'  Military  Occurrences,  ii.  p.  239  ;  Auchin- 
leck, p.  339.—=  Sketches  of  the  War,  p.  385. 

*  Proclamation  of  Lieut.-Col  Nicholls,  Pensacola,  Aug. 
29, 1814  ;  Gen.  Jackson  to  Gov.  Claiborne,  July  20,  1814  ; 
Armstrong's  Notices,  ii.  pp.  156,  159-162  ;  Latour,  p.  11. 

»  Armstrong's  Notices,  ii.  pp.  157,  158  ;  Auchinleck, 
pp.  387,  388;  Sketches  of  War,  p.  451.—"  Lieut.-Co). 
Nicholls  and  Capt.  Percy,  E.  N.,  to  Mr.  Lafitte,  Aug.  31, 
1814,  and  his  subsequent  correspondence  with  them  ; 
James'  Mil.  Occur.,  ii.  p.  341 ;  Latour,  pp.  11-25. 


400 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


the  prompt,  but  illegal,  movement  of 
General  Jackson,  had  been  frustrated, 
and  Pensacola  itself  was  garrisoned 
with  American  troops.^  The  second 
design,  by  the  gallantry  of  the  little 
garrison  who  occupied  the  fort,  had  also 
failed ;  and  discomfited,  and  with  the 
loss  of  one  of  his  ships,  he  had  retired 
from  before  it.^  The  third  resulted 
even  more  disastrously  than  the  others, 
as  the  smugglers  not  only  did  not  fulfil 
their  engagements  with  the  invader, 
but  his  entire  plan  of  operations,  and 
all  his  correspondence  with  them,  were 
regularly  and  promptly  submitted  to 
the  authorities  of  Louisiana,  and  the  lat- 
ter were  thereby  enabled  to  act  with 
greater  certainty  for  his  overthrow.^ 

At  length,  on  the  second  of  Decem- 
ber, 1814:,  General  Jackson  reached  New 
Orleans,  and  measures  were  immediate- 
ly taken  for  its  defence.  The  military 
companies  were  reviewed  and  inspect- 
ed ;  a  committee  of  the  Legislature  ap- 
pointed to  provide  for  the  safety  of  the 
State,  but  wholly  inactive  before  his 
arrival,  now  showed  signs  of  life  and 
vigor ;  disputes  between  different  fac- 
tions were  quieted  ;  the  works  of  de- 
fence were  examined  and  repaired,  and 
others  were  erected  where  they  were 
found  necessary ;  and  in  the  minds  of 
the  people  despondency  gave  way  to 
confidence,  and  determination  succeeded 
despair.^ 

At  daybreak,  on  the  tenth  of  Decem- 
ber, the  enemy's  fleet  was  discovered  at 


'  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  ii.  pp.  345,  346  ;  Latoiiv,  pp.  44- 
51  ;  Sketches  of  the  War,  pp.  452-454  ;  Claiborne's  Notes, 
pp.  52,  53. — -  James"  Mil.  Occur.,  ii.  pp.  342-345  ;  Latour, 
pp.  30-44 ;  Armstrong,  ii.  pp.  157,  158  ;  Auchinleck,  p. 
388  ;  Claiborne's  Notes,  pp.  50,  51.— «  Mr.  Lafitte  to  Mr. 
Blauque,  Sept.  4  and  7  ;  Same  to  Gov.  Claiborne  (no  date) ; 
Latour,  pp.  11-25;  .James'  Mil.  Occur.,  ii.  p.  341. 

*  Latour,  pp.  52-57  ;  Perkins,  pp.  409,  410  ;  Eaton's 
Jackson,  pp.  260-275. 


anchor  in  the  channel  between  Cat  and 
Ship  Islands,  near  the  entrance  to  Lake 
Borgne ;  and  its  strength  gradually  in- 
creased until  the  thirteenth,  when  it 
numbered  not  less  than  sixty  sail.^ 
The  approach  of  this  force  had  been 
communicated,  anonymously,  from  Pen- 
sacola, to  Commander  Pattei'son,  the 
naval  commandant  on  that  station,  a 
few  days  previous  to  its  arrival;^  and 
he  had  dispatched  five  gunboats,  a  ten- 
der, and  a  dispatch-boat,  under  Lieuten- 
ant Thomas  Ap  Catesby  Jones,  to  the 
Mariana  and  Christiana  passes,  with  in- 
structions to  observe  the  enemy's  move- 
ments ;  to  advise  him  (the  Coimnandei')^ 
as  frequently  as  possible,  of  the  progress 
and  purposes  of  the  enemy;  and,  if  neces- 
sary, to  fall  back  and  to  check  his  ad- 
vance as  much  as  possible.^ 

On  the  twelfth  of  December  the  ene- 
my's strength,  off  Ship  Island,  had  been 
increased  so  much  that  it  was  no  longer 
safe  or  prudent  for  the  gunboats  to  con- 
tinue in  that  part  of  the  lake ;  and,  in 
the  afternoon  of  the  thirteenth,  Lieuten- 
ant Jones  fell  back  to  a  position  near 
the  Malheureux  Islands,  where  he  await- 
ed the  pleasure  of  the  enemy — the 
schooner  Seahorse.,  and  a  quantity  of 
stores  which  had  been  collected  in  the 
Bay  of  St.  Louis,  having  been  destroyed, 
to  prevent  the  enemy  from  seizing 
them.* 

In  the  mean  time,  on  the  morning  of 
the  thirteenth,  a  flotilla  of  forty-two 
heavy  launches  and  gun-barges,  and 
three  gigs,  mounting  forty-three  heavy 
guns,  and  manned  with  twelve  hundred 


1  Thomson's  Sketches,  p.  347  ;  Capt.  Cooke's  Narrative 
(London,  1835),  p.  178  ;  Niles'  Register,  vii.  p.  279. 

2  "jsfsssj"  to  Com.  Patterson,  Pensacola,  Dec.  5,  1814 ; 
James'  Mil.  Occur.,  ii.  p.  347.— ^  Latour,  pp.  57,  58 ;  In- 
gersoU,  iii.  p.  112. — ♦  Lieut.  Jones  to  Com.  Patterson, 
March  12,  1815  ;  Latour,  p.  59. 


Chap.  XCIIL] 


THE  INVASION  OF  LOUISIANA. 


401 


men/  under  Captain  Lock3-er,  of  the 
Sojyhia^  left  the  enemy's  fleet,  and,  hy 
way  of  the  Christiana  Pass,  entered  the 
lake  in  pursuit  of  the  gunboats.  On 
liis  way  the  enemy  pursued  and  cap- 
tured the  Alligator^  the  tender  before 
referred  to  ;  and  at  about  ten  in  the 
morning  of  the  fourteenth,  he  came 
to  a  grapnel,  and  took  his  bi-eakfast. 
Immediately  afterwards,  in  thi-ee  col- 
umns, commanded  by  Captains  Lockyer, 
Montresor,  of  the  Mavley,  and  Roberts, 
of  the  Meteor^  he  weighed,  and  again 
stai'ted  in  the  pursuit.^ 

As  there  was  but  little  wind,  and  a 
strong  ebb-tide  setting  through  the  pass, 
it  was  not  possible  for  Lieutenant  Jones 
to  retire  through  the  channel;  and  he 
determined  to  put  himself  in  the  most 
advantageous  position,  and  to  give  the 
enemy  as  warm  a  reception  as  possible. 
The  commanders  of  the  several  boats 
were  ordered  on  board  ISFnmher  One 
liwidred  and  fifty-six^  the  flag-boat  of 
the  squadron,  to  receive  their  orders; 
and  the  whole  were  anchored,  by  their 
sterns,  in  a  close  line,  abreast,  across  the 
channel  and  in  front  of  the  passage,  a 
low  mai'sh  covered  with  reeds,  flanking 
the  line  on  either  hand.  The  flag-boat, 
Nvmher  One  Tiiindred  and  fifty-six^ 
mounting  five  guns,  with  forty-one  men, 
was  in  the  centre  ;  and  Number  Five^ 
Sailing-master  Ferris,  mounting  five 
guns,  with  thirty-five  men,  Nnmher 
Twenty -three^  Lieutenant  McKeever, 
mounting  five  guns,  with  thirty-nine 
men.  Number  One  Inmdred  and  sixty- 
two^  Lieutenant  Spedden,  mounting 
five    guns,    with    thirty-five    men,    and 


1  statement  of  the  British  forces,  appenrled  to  Lieut. 
Jones'  Dispatch.  March  12,  1815;  IngevsoU,  iii.  p.  113. 

»  Lieut.  Jones   to   Com.   Patterson,    March    12,  '1815  ; 
Capt.  Lockyer  to  Ailm'l  Cochrane.  Dec.  18.  1814;  Latour, 
pp.  60.  61  :  Naval  Chronicle,  xxxiii.  p.  485. 
Vol.  IL-51 


Numher  One  hundred  and  sixty-three^ 
Sailinof-m aster  Ulrick,  mountins:  three 
guns,  with  thirty-one  men,  were  formed 
on  either  hand ;  while  the  dispatch- 
boat  laid  astern.^ 

At  half-past  ten,  as  befoi-e  stated,  the 
enemy  weighed,  and  rowed  towards  the 
American  line,  from  which  a  heavy  and 
destructive  fire  was  opened  as  he  ap- 
proached. At  ten  minutes  before  eleven 
Captain  Lockyer,  in  the  Seah  arse's 
barge,  aided  by  her  first  bai'ge  and  by 
the  boats  of  the  Tonnant^  attacked  the 
flag-boat  {Nninher  One  Inindred  and 
fifty-six^^  while  the  greater  part  of  the 
enemy's  flotilla  appears  to  have  concen- 
trated its  effbi;ts  on  Numbers  One  hun- 
dred and  sixty-two  and  One  hundred 
and  sixty-three.  The  crew  of  the  flag- 
boat  fought  manfully,  and  succeeded  in 
repulsing  their  assailants  with  heavy 
loss ;  while  their  associates,  under  Lieu- 
tenant Spedden  and  Master  Ulrick,  re- 
sisted the  enemy  with  great  determina- 
tion. Immediately  afterwards,  the  ene- 
my's flag-ofiBcer  returned  to  the  attack 
on  Numher  One  hundred  and  ffty-^ix 
with  a  reinforcement ;  and  Lieutenant 
Jones,  badly  wounded,  was  driven  from 
the  deck.  Master's-mate  Parker  having 
assumed  the  command,  the  defence  was 
continued  with  great  gallantry  until  he, 
too,  was  wounded,  and  compelled  to  re- 
tire ;  and  soon  afterwards,  at  ten  min- 
utes past  twelve  o'clock,  the  enemy,  by 
force  of  numbers,  gained  the  deck  and 
overpowered  the  crew,  turning  the  guns 
of  the  prize  on  her  consorts,  who  were 
still  battling  with  the  enemy.  NumJjers 
One  hundred  and  sixty-two  and  One 
hundred  and  sixty-three  were  the  next 


'  Lieut.  Jones  to  Com.  Patterson.  March  12.  1815  ;  Map 
IV.,  in  Latour's  Atlas.  Capt.  Lockyer,  in  his  Report, 
makes  the  American  flotilla  much  stronger,  both  in  guns 
and  men. 


402 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  IL 


to  surrender,  but  only  after  a  most  des- 
perate struggle;  and  the  fire  of  the 
three  prizes,  in  support  of  the  enemy's 
flotilla,  was  then  turned  on  JV'itmhers 
Five  and  Twenty-three^  which  were  still 
engaged.  The  overwhelming  force  of 
the  enemy,  aided  by  the  captured  gun- 
boats, could  not  be  effectually  resisted, 
any  length  of  time,  and  at  about  half- 
past  twelve  the  flag  of  Nuniber  Tioenty- 
tlvvee — the  last  of  the  squadron — was 
lowered.-' 

The  strength  of  the  opposing  flotilla 
has  been  already  noticed  ;  the  loss  of 
the  Americans  was  six  hilled  and  thirty- 
five  wounded  '"^  that  of  the  enemy  has 
been  variously  stated  at  from  ninety- 
four  killed  and  wounded^  to  four  hun- 
dred;* the  probability  being  that  it 
was  about  three  hundred. 

The  conduct  of  the  young  comman- 
dant, and  his  ofScers  and  crews,  in  this 
gallant  opposition,  has  been  hailed  as  a 
triumph  throughout  the  entire  country; 
and,  in  the  service,  even  a  participation 
in  this  defeat  has  always  secured  as 
much  credit  as  that  of  a  signal  vic- 
tory. 

The  intelligence  of  this  affair,  and  of 
the  approach  of  the  enemy,  soon  reached 
General  Jackson ;  and  he  immediately 
detached  the  battalion  of  free  "  men  of 
color,"  commanded  by  Major  Lacoste, 
and  the  Feliciana  dragoons,  with  two 
field-pieces,  to  the  confluence  of  the 
Bayou  Sauvage  and  the  river  of  Chef- 
Menteur,  with  orders  to  throw  up  a 
close  redoubt,  surrounded  with  a  fosse, 
to  cover  the  road  to  the  city  on  that 


'  Lieut.  Jones  to  Com.  Patterson,  March  12,  1815  ; 
Capt.  Lockyer  to  Adm'l  Cochrane,  Dec.  18, 1814  ;  Latour, 
p  61  ;  Cooper,  ii.  pp.  143, 144;  James'  Naval  Occurrences, 
p   888. — 2  Latour,  pp.  60,  61. 

=  Returns  appended  to  Capt.  Lockyer's  Dispatch,  Dec. 
18,  1814.— ••  Niles'  Register,  vii.  p.  280. 


side,  and  to  watch  the   movements   of 
the  enemy.-' 

As  it  was  not  known  what  the  enemy 
intended  to  do,  it  became  necessary  to 
protect  every  assailable  point ;  and  the 
General  and  the  people  acted  with 
promptitude  and  perseverance  in  the 
emergency  which  had  arisen.  Captain 
JSTewman,  who  commanded  the  fort  of 
Petites  Coquilles,  at  the  entrance  of 
Lake  Pontchartrain,  was  positively  or- 
dered to  defend  his  post  to  the  last  ex- 
tremity, and,  if  compelled  to  do  so,  to 
spike  his  guns,  blow  up  his  magazine, 
and  fall  back  on  the  Chef-Menteur, 
where  Major  Lacoste  had  been  posted:^ 
Captain  P.  Jugeaut  was  authorized  to 
organize  the  Choctaw  Indians  for  actual 
service :  General  Coffee,  with  his  Ten- 
nessee riflemen,  then  near  Baton  Rouge, 
General  Carroll,  also  from  Tennessee, 
with  his  command,  and  General  Thomas, 
with  the  Kentucky  Volunteers,  then  on 
their  way  towards  New  Orleans,  were 
advised  of  the  loss  of  the  gunboats,  and 
urged  to  hasten  forward:^  General  Win- 
chester, commanding  at  Mobile,  was  di- 
rected to  exercise  every  precaution  in 
the  defence  of  that  place :  *  the  Federal 
authorities  were  urged  to  send  forward 
arms  and  supplies,  which  had  been  or- 
dered months  before:^  a  second  battal- 
ion of  free  men  of  color  was  organized, 
under  Maj  or  Daquin:®  the  armed  vessels, 
then  in  the  Mississippi,  were  got  ready 
for  service,  and  an  embargo  for  three 
days  was  laid  by  the  Legislature,  in 
order  that  crews  might  be  obtained  for 
them  :^  all  kinds  of  stock,  provisions, 
horses,  &c.,  were  removed  from  the  plan- 


'  Latour,  p.  64  ;  Brackenridge,  pp.  339. — ^  Latour,  pp. 
64,  65;  Eaton's  Jackson,  pp.  284,  285. — ^  ingersoU,  iii. 
p.  114;  Latour,  p.  65. — ■■  Latour,  p.  65;  Eaton's  Jackson, 
pp.  282,  283.—'  Latour,  p.  65.— «  Ibid  ,  pp.  66,  67  ;  Brack- 
enridge, p.  339. — '  IngersoU,  iii.  p.  119. 


Chap.  XCIIL] 


THE  INVASION  OF  LOUISIANA. 


403 


tations  in  front  of  the  city:^  the  out- 
posts were  strengthened:^  the  public 
prisoners,  in  many  instances,  were  lib- 
erated from  confinement,  on  the  prom- 
ise to  assist  in  the  defence  of  the  city:* 
and,  finally,  on  the  fifteenth  of  Decem- 
ber, martial-law  was  proclaimed  by  the 
commanding  General.*  With  this  event, 
new  life  was  imparted  to  the  operations ; 
and  the  entire  people  moved  and  acted 
as  with  one  mind.  The  guard  of  the 
city  was  intrusted  to  the  corps  of  veter- 
ans and  the  firemen;^  the  smugglers  of 
Barataria,  under  Captain  Lafitte,  were 
received  into  the  service  of  the  govern- 
ment, and  their  offences  forgiven — part 
of  them  under  Captains  Dominique  and 
Beluche,  serving  in  the  lines,  as  will, 
hereafter,  be  noticed  ;  and  others,  under 
Captains  Songis,  Lagaud,  and  Colson, 
serving  with  equal  honor  in  the  Forts 
Petites  Coquilles,  and  St.  Philip,  and 
at  the  Bayou  St.  John.^ 

The  situation  of  affairs,  within  the 
city,  at  this  time,  has  been  very  graph- 
ically described  by  a  distinguished  offi- 
cer who  was  present ;  and  the  reader 
will  learn  from  him,  more  readily  than 
from  me,  the  character  and  sentiments 
of  those  among  whom  the  enemy  was 
seeking  to  thrust  himself :  "  All  classes 
of  society,"  he  says,  "  were  now  animated 
with  the  most  ardent  zeal.  The  young, 
the  old,  men,  women,  and  children,  all 
breathed  defiance  to  the  enemy,  firmly 
resolved  to  oppose,  to  the  utmost,  the 
threatened  invasion.  General  Jackson 
had  electrified  all  hearts ;  all  were  sensi- 
ble of  the  approaching  danger ;  but 
they  waited   its   presence   undismayed. 


'  General  Order,  Dec.  18. — '  IngersoU,  iii.  p.  114  ;  La- 
tour,  p.  69. — '■'  Latour,  pp.  69,  70  ;   Brackenridge,  p.  339. 

*  General  Orders,  Dec.  16,  1814  ;  Claiborne's  Notes,  p. 
55;  Latour,  pp.  70,  71. — "IngersoU,  iii  p.  124;  Latour, 
p.  71. — "  IngersoU,  iii.  pp.  121,  124 ;  Latour,  pp.  71,  72. 


They  knew  that,  in  a  few  days,  they 
must  come  to  action  with  the  enemy, 
yet,  calm  and  unalarmed,  they  pur- 
sued their  usual  occupations,  interrupt- 
ed only  when  they  tranquilly  left  their 
homes  to  perform  military  duty  at  the 
posts  assigned  to  them.  It  was  known 
that  the  enemy  was  on  our  coast, 
within  a  few  hours'  sail  of  the  city, 
with  a  presumed  force  of  between  nine 
and  ten  thousand  men  ;  while  all  the 
forces  we  had  to  oppose  him  amounted 
to  no  more  than  one  thousand  reo-u- 
lars,  and  from  four  to  five  thousand 
militia. 

"These  circumstances  were  publicly 
known,  nor  could  any  one  disguise  to 
himself,  or  to  others,  the  dangers  with 
which  we  were  then  threatened.  Yet, 
such  was  the  universal  confidence,  in- 
spired by  the  activity  and  decision  of 
the  commander-in-chief,  added  to  the 
detestation  in  which  the  enemy  was 
held,  and  the  desire  to  punish  his  au- 
dacity, should  he  presume  to  land,  that 
not  a  single  warehouse  or  shop  was 
shut,  nor  were  any  goods  or  valuable 
effects  removed  from  the  city.  At  that 
period  New  Orleans  presented  a  very 
affecting  picture  to  the  eyes  of  the 
patriot,  and  of  all  those  whose  bosoms 
glow  with  the  feelings  of  national 
honor,  which  raise  the  mind  far  above 
the  vulgar  apprehension  of  personal 
danger.  The  citizens  were  preparing 
for  battle  as  cheerfully  as  if  it  had  been 
a  party  of  pleasure,  each  in  his  vernac- 
ular tongue  singing  songs  of  victory. 
The  streets  resounded  with  Yankee 
Doodle^  the  3farseilles  Hymn^  the  Cliant 
dii  Depart^  and  other  martial  airs,  while 
those  who  had  been  long  unaccustomed 
to  military  duty,  were  furbishing  their 
arms  and  accoutrements.  Beauty  ap- 
plauded valor,  and  promised,  with  her 


404 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  IL 


smiles,  to  reward  the  toils  of  the  brave. 
Though  inhabiting  an  open  town,  not 
above  ten  leagues  from  the  enemy,  and 
never,  until  now,  exposed  to  war's 
alarms,  the  fair  sex  of  New  Orleans 
were  animated  with  the  ardor  of  their 
defenders,  and  with  cheerful  serenity, 
at  the  sound  of  the  drum,  presented 
themselves  at  the  windows  and  bal- 
conies, to  applaud  the  troops  going 
through  their  evolutions,  and  to  en- 
courage their  husbands,  sons,  fathers, 
and  brothers,  to  protect  them  from  the 
insults  of  our  ferocious  enemies,  and 
prevent  a  repetition  of  the  hori'ors  of 
Hampton."^ 

Amons'  other  means  of  defence  which 
were  adopted  by  General  Jackson,  was 
the  obstruction  of  the  many  bayous  and 
canals  which  furnished  facilities  for  ap- 
proaching the  city  fi'om  Lakes  Borgne 
and  Pontchartrain  ;^  yet,  strange  as  it 
may  appear,  one  of  the  most  important 
of  these,  the  Bayou  Bienvenu,  and  its 
principal  branch,  the  Bayou  Mazant, 
were  left  unobstructed;^  and,  by  an 
equally  strange  coincidence,  a  picket, 
which  had  been  posted  near  the  mouth 
of  the  former,  was  surprised  by  the  ene- 
my when  he  moved  against  the  city.* 
When  it  is  considered  that  as  early  as 
the  eighteenth  of  December,  the  enemy 
had  reconnoitred  this  passage,  and  sat- 
isfied himself  that,  by  water-carriage, 
through  these  bayous,  and  the  canals 
on  Laronde's,  Lacoste's,  and  Villei'e's 
plantations,  which  communicated  with 
them,  a  perfect  line  of  communication 
could  be  obtained  to  the  Mississippi,  in 
front  of  the  city;^  that  a  settlement  of 

'  Latour,  pp.  72,  73. — "  Eaton's  Jackson,  pp.  295,  306  ; 
Latour,  pp.  77,  78. — '  Eaton's  Jackson,  p.  306  ;  McAfee, 
p.  509. — *  Latonr,  pp.  77,  78,  82-85  ;  Ingeisoll,  iii.  pp. 
131,  132;  Capt.  Cooke's  Narrative,  p.  183;  Gleig's  Nar- 
rative, pp.  273,  274. — s  Gen.  Keane  to  Gen.  Packenham, 
Dec.  26,  1814;  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  it.  p.  358. 


Spanish  fishermen,  near  the  mouth  of 
the  Bienvenu,  had  furnished  him  with 
a  body  of  most  competent  guides  ;^  and 
that  the  loss  of  the  gunboats  had  se- 
cured the  approach  of  the  enemy,  with- 
out hazard  of  discovery,  the  mystery  of 
the  oversight  through  which  this  pas- 
sage was  left  open  to  the  enemy  will  be 
perceived  and  understood. 

At  length,  on  the  morning  of  the 
twenty-second  of  December,  the  First, 
and  part  of  the  Second,  division  of  the 
enemy's  force  were  transferred  to  boats 
and  small  vessels,  and  moved  towards 
the  city.^  The  light  brigade  —  em- 
bracing the  Fourth,  Eighty-fifth,  and 
Ninety-fifth  regiments  of  infantry,  a  de- 
tachment of  rocketeers,  and  two  three- 
pounders,  about  eighteen  hundi-ed  rank 
and  file^ — was  the  division  which  thus 
led  the  column ;  and  after  a  most  un- 
comfortable trip  from  the  Isle  of  Peas, 
— where  the  enemy's  land-forces  had 
rendezvoused,* — the  American  outpost, 
which  had  been  stationed  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Bayou  Bienvenu,  was  surprised 
while  deeping  in  afi-shermaii'-s  liut^  and 
the  landing  was  effected.^  The  scene, 
at  this  unfrequented  spot,  surrounded 
by  marshes,  and  without  a  sign  of  life, 
was  new  to  the  half-frozen  scjldiers  who 
had  been  left  at  the  landing ;  yet  it  was 
well  adapted  to  the  secret  service  on 
which  the  brigade  had  been  detached  ; 
and  the  urgency  of  the  deserters  who 
had  accompanied  the  brigade,  their  as- 


1  Latour,  pp.  82,  83;  Ingersoll,  iii.  p.  132. 

2  Adm'l  Cochrane  to  the  Admiralty,  Jan.  18,  1815  ; 
Naval  Chronicle  {London.  1815),  xxxiii.  p.  485. 

3  Gen.  Keane  to  Gen.  Packenham,  Dec.  26,  1814;  Adm'l 
Cochrane  to  the  Admiralty,  Jan.  18.  1815  ;  Latour,  p.  86  ; 
James'  Mil.  Occur.,  ii.  p.  355. — "  Gen.  Keane  to  Gen. 
Packenham,  Dec.  26,  1814;  Letter  frpm  an  officer,  Jan. 
30,  1815,  in  Naval  Chronicle,  xxxiii.  p.  386. 

^  Gen.  Jackson  to  Sec.  of  War,  Dec.  27  ;  Adm'l  Coch- 
rane to  the  Admiralty,  Jan.  18, 1815  ;  Latour,  pp.  84,  85  ; 
Gleig,  pp.  273,  274. 


Chap.  XCIII.] 


THE  INVASION  OF  LOUISIANA. 


405 


surance  of  the  weakness  of  tlie  city  and 
of  the  disaffection  of  the  masses  of  the 
people,  and  their  statements  of  the  want 
of  preparation  for  defence,  induced  Col- 
onel Thornton,  who  commanded  the 
biigade,  and  General  Keane,  who  ac- 
companied it,  to  advance  through  the 
swamps  towards  the  city.^  Under  the 
guidance  of  these  deserters,  or  of  the 
recreant  fishermen,  therefore,  on  the 
morning  of  the  twenty-fourth,  the  ene- 
my moved  forward,  and  occupied  a  po- 
sition, on  the  plantations  of  MM.  Villere, 
Lacoste,  and  Jumonville,  on  the  eastern 
bank  of  the  Mississippi,^  captui-ing  a 
company  of  militia  which  had  been 
posted  there.^ 

Not  a  soul  was  to  be  seen  in  any  di- 
rection, and  it  appeared  that  the  desei't- 
ers  had  spoken  truly,  when  they  said 
the  country  offered  no  adequate  means 
of  defence.  After  obtaining  as  good  a 
position  as  the  level  country  afforded, 
however,  the  enemy  halted,  and  await- 
ed the  arrival  of  the  remainder  of  the 
forces.*  It  was  about  noon  when  the 
weary  advance  threw  itself  on  the  grass, 
near  the  levee  ;  or  wandered  through 
the  neighboring  plantations,  in  quest  of 
"hams,  fowls,  and  wines  of  various  de- 
scriptions," with  which  to  satiate  its 
hunger ;  or  refreshed  itself  by  bathing 
in  the  waters  of  the  noble  I'iver  which 
flowed  steadily  past  its  bivouac.^  A 
scout  from  the  city,  about  three  o'clock, 
had  excited  a  momentary  alarm ;  but  it 
had  disappeared;*  and  the  insolent  sol- 

'  Gen.  Keane  to  Gf)n.  Packenham,  Dec.  26,  1814;  Gleig, 
pp.  274-276  ;  Ingevsoll,  iii.  p.  133.—'  Gen.  Keane  to  Gen. 
Packenham,  Dec.  26,  1814  ;  Com.  Patterson  to  Sec.  of 
Navy,  Doc.  28  ;  Gen.  Jackson  to  Sec.  of  War,  Dec.  27  ; 
Gleig,  pp.  275-278;  Latour,  p.  88;  Map  VI.,  in  Latour's 
Atlas. — '  Gen.  Jackson  to  Sec.  of  War,  Dec.  27  ;  Latouv, 
p.  87  ;  Gleig,  p.  277  ;  Capt.  Cooke's  Narrative,  p.  185. 

*  Gen,  Keane  to  Gen.  Packenham,  Dec.  26,  1814. 

'  Gleig,  pp.  282,  283.—"  Latour,  p.  88  ;  Cooke,  pp. 
188,  189. 


diery,  fresh  from  the  fields  of  Bladens- 
burg  and  Long-log  Lane,  returned  to 
their  former  occupations,  "  remarking 
that  as  the  Americans  had  never  yet 
dared  to  attach^  there  was  no  great 
probability  of  their  doing  so  on  the 
present  occasion."^  The  fires  blazed 
brightly,  the  evening  meal  had  been 
taken,  and  the  troops  had  been  pre- 
paring for  their  night's  repose,  when,  at 
half-past  seven  o'clock,  a  large  vessel 
dropped  quietly  down  the  river,  let  go 
her  anchor  opposite  the  enemy's  bivouac, 
and  furled  her  sails.  She  was  hailed, 
but  she  returned  no  answer ;  and  the 
impression  that  she  was  a  British  cruis- 
er, which  had  come  to  cover  the  move- 
ment, began  to  prevail.  Muskets  were 
fired  at  her,  but  she  still  preserved  the 
secret  of  her  mission ;  and  her  sails 
were  furled  with  perfect  coolness,  and 
her  broadside  swung  around  on  the 
bivouac,  in  the  presence  of  hundreds  of 
anxious,  but  confident,  spectators.  Sud- 
denly a  voice  on  her  deck  was  heard 
ordering  her  crew  to  "  Give  them  this 
for  the  honor  of  America  ;''^'^  and  "the 
words  were  instantly  followed  by  the 
flashes  of  her  guns,  and  a  deadly  shower 
of  grape  swept  down  numbers  in  the 
carap."^  It  was  the  schooner  Carolina^ 
which  had  been  detached  for  this  pur- 
pose by  Commander  Patterson ;  and 
against  the  fire  of  her  nine  guns,  loaded 
with  grape  and  canister,  the  enemy's 
three-pounders  could  offer  no  resistance ; 
while  her  distance  prevented  his  mus- 
ketry from  reaching  her  with  any  effect, 
and  his   rockets   deviated  so  far  from 


'  Gleig,  pp.  288,  284.  See  also  a  Letter  from  an  ofiScer, 
Jan.  80,  1815  ;  Claiborne's  Notes,  p.  59. — ^  Gen.  Keane  to 
Gen.  Packenham,  Dec.  26,  1814  ;  Com.  Patterson  to  Sec. 
of  Navy,  Dec.  28  ;  Latour,  p.  95  ;  Gleig,  p.  284  ;  Cooke, 
pp.  190.  191.^3  Gleig,  p.  284.  See  also  Gen.  Keane  to 
Gen.  Packenham,  Dec.  20, 1814  ;  Cooper's  Naval  History, 
ii.  p.  145. 


406 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


their  object  tliat  they  became  the  sub- 
jects of  contempt  and  ridicule.  Huddled 
together  behind  the  levee,  or  in  the 
negro-huts  on  M.  Lacoste's  plantation,  or 
behind  any  object  whicli  ojffered  the 
least  shelter,  the  astonished  and  morti- 
fied soldiery  was  held  in  check  by  the 
gallant  schooner ;  and  the  camp-fires 
were  suffered  to  go  out,  or  were  hastily 
smothered,  with  the  hope  of  securing, 
in  the  more  intense  darkness  of  the 
night,  the  safety  which  the  flickering  of 
the  former  tended,  somewhat,  to  exclude 
from  the  bivouac.^ 

While  the  shivering  invaders  were 
thus  learning  that  the  Americans  could 
attack,  as  well  as  defend,  a  position  ; 
and  were  seeking  a  shelter  from  the 
gi-ape-shot  which  penetrated  every  part 
of  their  position,  —  "unable  to  move 
from  his  ground,  or  to  offer  any  oppo- 
sition to  those  who  kept  him  there,"  as 
one  of  his  own  officers  describes  his 
situation,® — a  straggling  fire  of  musket- 
ry, among  his  picket-guards,  betokened 
the  approach  of  new  and  unknown  dan- 
gers. It  was  true,  every  tree  might  be 
mistaken  for  an  American  by  the  half- 
terrified  sentries ;  and  the  exposure  of 
the  troops  to  the  fire  of  the  schooner, 
unnecessarily,  might  be  productive  of  a 
heavy  and  uncalled-for  loss  of  life.  It 
was  not  many  minutes,  however,  before 
"the  heavens  were  illuminated,  on  all 
sides,  by  a  semicircular  blaze  of  musket- 
ry ;  and  that  no  alternative  remained, 
but  to  surrender  at  discretion,  or  to 
beat  back  the  assailants,"  by  whom  they 
were  surrounded.® 

It  appears,  in  explanation  of  the  m5^s- 
tery  which  surrounded  the  movements 


'  Gen.  Keane  to  Gen.  Packenham,  Dec.  26, 1814 ;  Com. 
Patterson  to  Sec.  of^avy,  Dec.  28;  Adm'l  Cochrane  to 
the  Admiralty,  Jan.  18  ;  Latour,  p.  95  ;  Gleig,  pp.  284, 
285  ;  Cooke,  pp.  191, 192.— ^  Gleig,  p.  285.-3  Ibid.,  p.  286. 


of  the  Americans,  that  when  the  enemy 
surpi'ised  the  company  of  militia  on  the 
plantation  of  M.  Villere,  his  son,  Major 
Villere,  escaped,  crossed  the  river,  and 
hastened  to  the  city  with  intelligence  of 
the  enemy's  movements.-^  Commander 
Patterson  immediately  determined  to 
employ  the  naval  force,  which,  he  com- 
manded, against  the  invaders ;  and,  for 
this  purpose,  he  ordered  the  Louisiana^ 
Lieutenant-commander  Thompson,  and 
the  schooner  Carolina^  Commander  John 
D.  Henley, — one  of  Captain  Macdon- 
ough's  gallant  associates,  in  the  victory 
off  Plattsburg,® — to  drop  down  with  the 
current,  to  anchor  off  the  enemy's  posi- 
tion, and  to  open  a  fire  on  his  flank ; 
while  the  army,  moving  against  him  in 
fi'ont,  was  expected  to  co-operate,  by 
taking  advantage  of  his  confusion.  The 
former  of  these  vessels  did  not  reach 
her  position  until  the  next  morning ; 
while  Commander  Henley,  taking  ad- 
vantage of  his  sweeps,  moved  into  his 
designated  position,  and,  with  the  cool- 
ness which  had  been  displayed  by  his 
distinguished  chief  in  Lake  Champlain, 
he  opened  his  fire  on  the  astonished  in- 
vaders, as  already  related,  with  terrible 
effect.® 

At  the  same  time,  General  Jackson 
received  the  intelligence,  and  the  drums 
were  beat  to  arms  throughout  the  city. 
Leaving  General  Carrol's  Tennesseans 
and  the  New  Orleans  militia  on  the 
Gentilly  road,  to  guard  the  approach  to 
the  city,  in  that  direction,*  at  five  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon  of  the  twenty-third,  he 
moved  down  to  attack  the  enemy  in  his 
bivouac.  His  force  embraced  the  Mis- 
sissippi  dragoons,  under  Major  Hind  ; 


■  Latour,  p.  87.—=  Vide  p.  383.— ^  Com.  Patterson  to 
Secretary  of  Navy,  Dec.  28. 

'^  Gen.  Jackson  to  Secretary  of  War,  Dec.  27  ;  McAfee, 
p.  510  ;  Eaton's  Jackson,  p.  309. 


Chap.  XCIIL] 


THE  INVASION  OF  LOUISIANA. 


407 


General  Coffee's  brigade  of  mounted 
Tennessee  riflemen  ;  parts  of  tlie  Sev- 
enth and  Forty-fourth  regiments  of  the 
line ;  the  uniformed  companies  of  New- 
Orleans  militia,  under  Major  Planche  ;^ 
the  Second  battalion  of  free  men  of 
color,  under  Major  Daquin ;  and  a  de- 
tachment of  artillery,  with  two  six- 
pounders,  under  Lieutenant-colonel  Mc- 
Ree^ — the  whole  numbering  about  fif- 
teen hundred  men ;  ^  and  at  about  seven 
o'clock  he  reached  the  vicinity  of  the 
enemy's  lines.  General  Coffee,  with  his 
mounted  riflemen,  Captain  Beale's  com- 
pany of  "  Orleans  Hiflemen^''  and  part 
of  the  Mississippi  dragoons, — seven  hun- 
dred and  thirty-two  men  in  all,* — was  or- 
dered to  turn  the  enemy's  right,  and  for 
this  pui'pose,  with  Colonel  de  la  Ronde 
as  a  guide,  he  moved  to  the  edge  of  the 
marsh,  dismounted,  and  left  his  horses 
in  charge  of  a  detachment  of  his  bri- 
gade ;^  while,  at  the  same  time.  General 
Jackson,  in  person,  with  the  remainder 
of  the  forces,  moved  against  the  front 
of  the  enemy's  position.®  In  this  order, 
both  wings  of  the  land  forces  awaited 
the  movement  of  the  Carolina — whose 
first  gun  was  the  appointed  signal  for 
the  engagement.  As  has  been  seen, 
that  signal  was  not  long  withheld ;  and 
with  its  earliest  echo  both  wings  were 
in  motion,  eager  for  the  fray. 

The  first  movement  was  made  by  a 
company  of  the  Seventh  regiment,  un- 
der Lieutenant  McClelland,  which  ad- 


1  Latonr  says  the  following  companies  composed  this 
battalion  : — The  Carbiniers,  Capt.  Roche,  86  men  ;  Dra- 
goons, Maj.  St.  Genie,  78  men  ;  Louisiana  Blues,  Capt. 
AVhite,  31  men  ;  Le  Francs,  Capt.  Hudry,  33  men  ;  and 
the  Chasseurs,  Capt.  Guibert,  59  men. 

2  Gen.  Jackson  to  Sec.  of  War,  Dec.  27  ;  Latonr,  p.  89  ; 
IngersoU,  iii.  pp.  138,  139. — '  Gen.  Jackson  to  Sec.  of 
War,  Dec.  27.  Maj.  Latour  (p.  105)  says  it  numbered 
2131  men.—"  Latour,  pp.  91,  105.—^  Ibid.,  pp.  97,  98; 
McAfee,  p.  511. — ^  Gen.  Jackson  to  Sec.  of  War,  Dec.  27; 
lilcAfee,  p.  511 ;  Eaton's  Jackson,  p.  811. 


vanced  from  the  gate  of  La  Ronde's 
plantation,  down  the  main  road,  to  the 
boundary  of  Lacoste's  plantation,  where 
one  of  the  enemy's  outposts  was  sta- 
tioned, drove  it  in,  and  occupied  the 
position.  A  heavy  reinforcement  was 
moved  to  the  support  of  the  picket ; 
and,  at  the  same  time,  the  entire  Sev- 
enth regiment,  by  heads  of  companies, 
moved  to  the  support  of  Lieutenant 
McClelland, — both  parties  joining  in  a 
very  close  and  spirited  fire.  Imme- 
diately afterwards  the  Forty -fourth 
regiment  came  up  and  supported  the 
Seventh,  forming  on  its  left, — while 
the  artillery,  also,  was  put  in  batteiy 
on  the  road,  on  the  right  of  the  Sev- 
enth ;  and  the  marines,  on  the  right  of 
the  artillery,  prevented  the  enemy  from 
turning  the  right  of  the  line,  below  the 
levee.  Along  the  entire  extreme  right 
of  the  line,  therefore,  the  fire  was  close 
and  well  directed ;  while  the  enemy,  in 
the  midst  of  the  darkness,  rallied  as  he 
was  best  able,  to  repel  the  assailants. 
The  Eighty-fifth  and  Ninety-fifth  regi- 
ments had  been  moved  to  support  the 
pickets,  while  the  Fourth,  "  stealing  to 
the  rear,  formed  close  column,  and  re- 
mained as  a  reserve."  It  was  soon 
found,  however,  that  the  enemy's  right 
outflanked  the  left  of  the  American 
Forty-fourth  regiment,  and  supposing 
he  had  got  the  victory  within  his  grasp, 
he  pushed  forward  to  secure  it.  Un- 
fortunately for  him,  however,  while  he 
was  "  advancing  silently  in  the  dark," 
with  this  intention,  he  suddenly  and 
unexpectedly  fell  within  pistol-shot  of 
Major  Daquin's  battalion  of  free  colored 
men,  which  was  on  the  left  of  the 
American  right  wing,  and  was  received 
with  a  close  and  destructive  fire.  On 
hearing  the  alarm  on  its  left,  where  the 
colored  battalion  was  engaged,  the  bat- 


408 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


talion  of  uniformed  companies,  under 
Major  Plancbe,  which  was  on  the  left 
of  the  centre,  also  moved  forward ;  and 
along  the  entire  line — forming  a  curve 
from  the  Mississippi  River,  near  the 
boundary  between  the  plantations  of 
MM.  La  Ronde  and  Lacoste,  to  the 
mansion  of  the  former — the  fire  was  as 
warm,  and  the  action  as  animated,  as 
the  darkness  and  uncertainty  with 
which  every  thing  was  surrounded 
would  admit.-^ 

In  the  mean  time,  while  the  action 
was  thus  going  on,  on  the  right  of  the 
line.  General  Coffee  and  his  command, 
in  open  order,  were  moving  silently  but 
certainly  against  the  extreme  right  of 
the  enemy's  position.  Having  dismount- 
ed his  Tennesseans,  and  ordered  them 
to  "  fire  at  will,"  taking  aim  with  their 
utmost  sJcill^  it  was  not  long  before  the 
unerring  rifles  sent  to  the  enemy  the 
most  unwelcome  intelligence.  "Long 
practice  had  enabled  these  men  to  keep 
up  a  very  brisk  fii-e,  the  more  destruc- 
tive, as  not  a  man  discharged  his  piece 
without  doing  execution."  As  the  di- 
vision advanced,  the  enemy  fell  back, 
until  the  circuit  was  made,  when  it  con- 
fronted the  Eighty-fifth  in  front  of  La- 
coste's  plantation,  and  gave  it  a  most 
destructive  fire.  Unused  to  such  op- 
ponents, the  veteran  regulars  did  not 
wait  for  a  repetition  of  the  fire,  but  fell 
back,  in  confusion,  at  once,  behind  the 
old  levee,  towards  their  own  bivouac. 
The  negro-quarters  on  M.  Lacoste's  plan- 
tation were  next  cleared ;  and,  soon  af- 
terwards, the  division  took  a  position  in 
front  of  the  old  levee,  nearM.LaRonde's 
boundary,  and  assisted  the  right  wing  in 


■  Gen.  Jackson  to  Secretary  of  War,  Dec.  27  ;  Gen. 
Keane  to  Gen.  Packenham,  Dec.  26;  Latour,  pp.  95-97; 
Claiborne's  Notes,  p.  59  ;  Eaton's  Jackson,  pp.  315-317. 


consummating  the  victory  in  that  quar- 
ter.^ 

The  action  had  now  raged  nearly  two 
hours  ;  the  darkness  was  intense,  and 
the  flashes  of  the  fire-arms  were  the 
principal  guides  for  the  movements  of 
the  troops.  In  the  American  lines 
there  was  more  order,  from  the  fact 
that  there  was  less  effort  made  to  pre- 
serve it.  The  individuality  of  the  sol- 
dier was  more  completely  preserved, 
although  the  necessity  for  concert  of 
action  was  fully  understood  and  recog- 
nized. In  the  enemy's  ranks,  as  one  of 
his  officers  has  said,  "all  order,  all  disci- 
pline were  lost.  Each  ofiicer,  as  he  was 
able  to  collect  twenty  or  thirty  men 
around  him,  advanced  into  the  middle 
of  the  enemy  (^Americans) ^  wlien  they 
fought  hand  to  hand,  bayonet  to  bayo- 
net, and  sword  to  sword,  with  all  the 
tumult  and  ferocity  of  one  of  Homer's 
combats."  "Attacked  unexpectedly,  and 
in  the  dark,"  he  continues,  "surrounded 
by  enemies  before  any  arrangements 
could  be  made  to  oppose  them,  it  is  not 
conceivable  that  order,  or  the  rules  of 
disciplined  war,  could  be  preserved. 
We  (the  Britisli^  were  mingled  with 
the  Americans,  frequently  before  we 
could  tell  whether  they  were  friends  or 
foes,  because,  speaking  the  same  lan- 
guage with  ourselves,  there  was  no 
mark  by  which  to  distinguish  them,  at 
least  none  whose  influence  extended  be- 
yond the  distance  of  a  few  paces.  The 
consequence  was,  that  more  feats  of  in- 
dividual gallantry  were  performed  in 
the  course  of  that  night,  than  many 
campaigns  might  have  afforded  an  op- 
portunity of  performing ;  while  viewing 


•  Gen.  Jackson  to  Secretary  of  War,  Dec.  27  ;  Gen. 
Keane  to  Gen.  Packenham,  Dec.  26  ;  Latour,  pp.^7-100  ; 
Eaton's  Jackson,  pp.  312-315. 


Chap.  XCIII.] 


THE  INVASION  OF  LOUISIANA. 


409 


the  affair  as  a  regular  actiou,  none  can 
be  imagined  more  full  of  blunders  and 
confusion.  No  man  could  tell  what  was 
going  forward  in  any  quarter,  except 
where  he  himself  chanced  immediately 
to  stand ;  no  one  part  of  the  line  could 
bring  assistance  to  another,  because,  in 
truth,  no  line  existed.  It  was,  in  one 
word,  a  perfect  tumult^  resembling,  ex- 
cept in  its  fatal  consequences,  those 
scenes  which  the  night  of  an  Irish  fair 
usually  exhibits,  much  more  than  an 
engagement  between  two  civilized  ar- 
mies."^ 

While  the  action  was  still  pending,  a 
strong  detachment  from  the  First  and 
Second  {Britisli)  brigades  came  up 
from  the  fleet  and  engaged  the  Ameri- 
cans^— increasing  the  number  of  com- 
batants and  the  confusion  which  pre- 
vailed on  the  field  of  battle ;  yet  even 
this  accession  did  not  secure  the  victory 
or  maintain  the  position.  After  driving 
the  enemy  back  to  General  Villere's 
plantation.  General  Jackson  fell  back 
on  that  of  M.  La  Konde,  where  he  re- 
mained until  four  o'clock  the  next 
morning,  when  he  retired  to  the  left 
bank  of  Hodriguez's  canal,  about  two 
miles  behind  the  field  of  battle.^ 

The  number  of  combatants  engaged 
in  this  action  has  been  well  ascertained. 
The  advance  of  the  enemy — which  first 
engaged  —  numbered  about  nineteen 
hundred  and  fifty  men;*  while  of  the 
reinforcements,  there  were  not  less  than 
four  hundred  ^men.^  The  strength  of 
the  Americans,  in  the  aggregate,  was 


1  Gleig,  pp.  286,  287,  291,  292.—'  Latour,  p.  100  ; 
James'  Mil.  Occur.,  ii.  pp.  361,  362.-3  Latour,  p.  113. 

*  Mr.  James  {Mil.  Occur.,  ii.  p.  355)  says  it  numbered 
1688  rank  and  file.  The  4th  regiment  numbered  800  men, 
the  85th  numbered  350  men,  the  six  companies  of  the 
95th  numbered  600  men,  the  sappers  and  miners,  &c., 
100,  and  rocketeers  and  artillerists,  100. 

'  James'  Military  Occurrences,  ii.  p.  362. 
Vol.  II.— 52 


two  thousand  one  hundred  and  thirty- 
one  men,-^  but  two  companies  of  Tennes- 
seans  and  the  Mississippi  dragoons  were 
not  brought  into  action,^  and  the  actual 
force  engaged,  therefore,  did  not  exceed 
fifteen  hundred  men.^  The  reported  loss 
of  the  former  was  five  ofiicers  and  forty- 
one  men  hilled^  twelve  officers  and  one 
hundred  and  fifty-five  men  wounded^ 
and  three  officers  and  sixty-one  men 
missing.'^  An  intelligent  officer  who 
was  present,  observes,  however,  "  Our 
loss  was  enormous.  Not  less  than  five 
hundred  men  had  fallen,  many  of  whom 
were  our  finest  soldiers  and  best  officers, 
and  yet  we  could  not  but  consider  our- 
selves fortunate  in  escaping  from  the 
toils,  even  at  the  expense  of  so  great  a 
sacrifice,"^  The  loss  of  the  Americans 
was  twenty-four  hilled^  one  hundred  and 
fifteen  wounded.^  and  seventy-four  mis-s- 
ing.^ 

As  already  stated,  the  Americans  fell 
back  on  Rodriguez's  canal,  where,  at 
"  Camp  Jackson,"  they  commenced  to 
intrench,  in  oi'der  to  check  the  enemy's 
movement  against  the  city.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  enemy  continued  to 
press  forward  his  forces  through  the 
Bienvenu,  and  before  dark,  on  the 
twenty-fourth  of  December,  the  whole 
army  was  in  position  on  the  bank  of 
the  Mississippi' — the  advance-guard  be- 
low M.  La  Ronde's  plantation,  while  the 
main  body  occupied  the  field  of  battle.^ 
Still,  notwithstanding  his  strength,  the 
schooner  Carolina  and  the  ship  Louisi- 
ana.^ which  had  also  I'eached  the  scene. 


'  Latour,  p.  105  ;  Ingersoll,  iii.  p.  188. — =  Latour,  pp. 
105, 106! — 3  Although  the  greater  number  of  writers  con- 
sider the  force  was  stronger,  I  have  not  felt  at  liberty  to 
dispute  Gen.  Jack.son's  positive  statement. 

■■  Returns  appended  to  Gen.  Keane's  Dispatch,  Dec.  26, 
1814  — *  Gleig,  p.  292.—°  Returns  of  loss,  appended  to 
Gen.  Jackson's  Dispatch,  Dec.  27,  1814.—'  Gleig,  p.  299. 

"  Map  v.,  in  Latour' s  Atlas. 


410 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


kept  him  in  check ;  and  no  attempt  was 
made  either  to  extricate  himself  or  to 
drive  the  vessels  from  their  positions, 
uutil,  on  the  evening  of  the  twenty-fifth, 
when  Sir  Edward  Packenham  and  Gen- 
eral Gibbs,  two  experienced  officers,  un- 
expectedly reached  the  camp,  and  as- 
sumed the  command  of  the  army.-^  They 
had  been  dispatched  from  Europe,  on 
receipt  of  the  intelligence  of  the  death 
of  General  Ross,  and  after  a  very  short 
trip,  with  strong  reinforcements,  they 
had  reached  the  scene  of  strife. 

After  examining  the  position  of  the 
schooners,  Sir  Edward  ordered  a  detach- 
ment of  heavy  pieces  to  be  transported 
from  the  mouth  of  the  Bayou  Bienvenu ; 
and  working  parties  were  ordered  out 
to  erect  a  battery,  from  which,  at  day- 
break on  the  morning  of  the  twenty- 
seventh,  a  heavy  fire  of  red-hot  shot 
was  poured  on  her.  The  second  ball  is 
said  to  have  set  her  on  fire  ;  and,  in 
little  more  than  an  hour  she  blew  up ; 
while  the  Louisiana^  with  the  assistance 
of  her  boats,  was  carried  beyond  the 
range  of  his  fire,  and  escaped  without 
injury  .2 

The  remainder  of  the  day  {Dec.  27) 
was  spent  by  the  enemy  in  bringing  up 
stores  and  heavy  guns  from  his  shi|> 
ping;^  and  he  appears  to  have  been 
greatly  harassed  by  small  parties  of 
riflemen,  who  were  sent  down  by  Gen- 
eral Jackson,  and  through  whose  vigi- 
lance the  enemy's  outposts  and  sentries 
were  kept  in  constant  alarm,  while  the 
main  body  was  prevented  from  ob- 
taining any  sound  or  refreshing  sleep. 
"  Scarcely  had  the  troops  lain  down," 
one   of  the   enemy's   officers  observes, 

1  Gleig,  p.  301.— 2  Capt.  Henley  to  Capt.  Patterson, 
Dec.  28  ;  Gen.  Jackson  to  Secretary  of  War,  Dec.  29. 

2  Adm'l  Cochrane  to  the  Admhalty,  Jan.  18,  1815  ; 
Gleig,  p.  305. 


"  when  they  were  roused  up  by  a  sharp 
firing  at  the  outposts,  which  lasted  only 
till  they  were  in  order,  and  then  ceased  ; 
but  as  soon  as  they  had  dispersed,  and 
had  once  more  addressed  themselves  to 
repose,  the  same  cause  of  alarm  re- 
turned, and  they  were  again  called  to 
their  ranks.  Thus  was  the  entire  night 
spent  in  watching,  or,  at  best,  in  broken 
and  disturbed  slumbers,  than  which 
nothing  is  more  trying,  both  to  the 
health  and  spirits  of  an  army."^ 

While  the  enemy  was  thus  harassed 
by  the  riflemen,  and  "  kept  stationary," 
by  a  little  schooner,  on  the  twenty-fifth 
of  December,  General  Morgan,  who  oc- 
cupied a  position  on  the  "English  Turn" 
of  the  river  {Detour  des  Anglais)^  was 
ordered  to  leave  a  small  corps  of  ob- 
servation at  that  point ;  to  remove 
the  artillery  to  Fort  St.  Leon ;  and  to 
occupy  a  position  on  the  west  bank  of 
the  river,  opposite  Camp  Jackson,  and 
covering  its  right  flank ;  and  in  accord- 
ance with  these  orders  Flood's  planta- 
tion was  occupied,  and  works  were 
thrown  up.^ 

Having  removed  the  schooner  which 
had  so  long  kept  his  force  in  a  state  of 
siege,^  on  the  afternoon  of  the  same  day 
{Dec.  2*7),  the  enemy  prepared  to  move 
against  the  American  lines ;  and  in  the 
evening  his  light  troops  drove  in  the 
American  outposts  which  had  occupied 
the  plantation  of  M.  La  Ronde.'*  At 
daybreak,  on  the  morning  of  the  twen- 
ty-eighth, his  pickets  wei-e  called  in,  and 
the  several  regiments  which  composed 
his  army  were  formed  in  order  of  at- 
tack. His  right  wing,  commanded  by 
General  Gilpbs,  embraced  the  Fourth, 
Twenty -first,    and    Forty -fourth    regi- 


1  Gleig,  pp.  305,  306.— "  Latour,  p.  117.—=  Capt.  Cooke, 
pp.  199,  207.— «  Latour,  p.  119. 


CiiAP.  XCIII.] 


THE  INVASION  OF  LOUISIANA. 


411 


ments  of  the  line,  and  a  regiment  of 
negroes,  and  took  post  near  the  edge  of 
the  marsh  which  flanked  the  position 
occupied  by  both  the  armies ;  while  the 
left  wing,  with  which  moved  the  artil- 
lery, under  General  Keane,  embraced 
the  Eighty-fifth,  Ninety-third,  and  Nine- 
ty-fifth regiments  of  the  line,  and  anoth- 
er of  negi'oes,  and  was  formed  with  its 
left  on  the  bank  of  the  Mississippi — a 
line  of  riflemen,  in  open  order,  uniting 
the  two  wings,  and  covering  their  flanks. 
As  these  columns  advanced,  the  Ameri- 
can light  troops  fell  back ;  and  the  Lou- 
isiana^ at  anchor  in  the  river,  received 
the  attention  of  his  artillery — an  atten- 
tion which,  in  due  time,  was  fully  and 
terribly  reciprocated.^ 

The  ignorance  of  the  army  concern- 
ing the  character  of  the  service  in  which 
it  was  moving  has  been  graphically  de- 
scribed by  Lieutenant  Gleig ;  and  it  ap- 
pears that  as  the  American  light  troops 
fell  back  without  ofi'ering  much  opposi- 
tion, the  future  was  not  "  a  matter  of 
much  anxiety.  Their  spirits,  in  spite  of 
the  troubles  of  the  night,  already  re- 
ferred to,  were  good,  and  their  expecta- 
tions of  success  were  high ;  consequent- 
ly, many  rude  jests  were  bandied  about, 
and  many  careless  words  spoken."^  But 
they  did  not  yet  know  what  adversary 
they  had  to  contend  with ;  and  the 
flankiuQ^  fire  which,  soon  afterwards, 
was  thrown  into  his  left  by  the  Louisi- 
ana^ conveyed  the  first  tidings  of  the 
preparations  which  had  been  made  to 
receive  him.  His  own  artillery  was 
quickly  silenced ;  and  when  a  cross-fire 
was  thrown  in,  on  his  front,  from  the 


'  Capt.  Patterson  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Dec.  29, 1814 ;  James' 
Mil.  Occur.,  ii.  p.  368  ;  Latour,  pp.  119,  120  ;  Cooke's 
Narrative,  pp.  207,  208  ;  Gleig,  pp.  307,  308. 

2  Gleig.  pp.  307,  308.  See  also  Latour,  p.  120  ;  Eaton's 
Jackson,  pp.  839,  840. 


breastwork  behind  the  canal  Rodrisfuez, 
his  loss  was  exceedingly  severe.-^  "  That 
the  Americans  are  excellent  shots,  as 
well  with  artillery  as  with  rifles,"  says 
Lieutenant  Gleig,  "we  have  had  fre- 
quent cause  to  acknowledge ;  but,  per- 
haps, on  no  occasion  did  they  assert 
their  claim  to  the  title  of  good  artillery- 
men more  effectually  than  on  the  pres- 
ent. Scarce  a  bullet  passed  over,  or 
fell  short  of  its  mark,  but  all  striking 
full  into  the  midst  of  our  ranks,  occa- 
sioned terrible  havoc.  The  shrieks  of 
the  wounded,  therefore,  the  crash  of 
firelocks,  and  the  fall  of  such  as  were 
killed,  caused,  at  first,  some  little  con- 
fusion ;  and  what  added  to  the  panic, 
was  that  from  the  houses  beside  which 
we  stood,  bright  flames  suddenly  burst 
forth."  "  The  scene  was  altogether  very 
sublime,"  he  continues.  "A  tremendous 
cannonade  mowed  clown  our  ranks  and 
deafened  us  with  its  roar ;  while  two 
large  chateaux  and  their  outbuildings 
almost  scorched  us  with  the  flames,  and 
blinded  us  with  the  smoke  which  they 
emitted."^ 

"With  an  indiscreet,  if  not  a  fool- 
hardy, rashness, — as  if  for  the  purpose 
of  intimidating  the  Americans  with  a 
display  of  the  close  columns  of  his  vet- 
eran troops, — Sir  Edward  Packenham 
moved  his  columns  to  the  very  edge  of 
the  canal,  and  exposed  them  to  the 
deadly  fire  which  Lieutenant  Gleig  has 
described,  without  affording  the  least 
means  of  crossins'  or  the  smallest 
amount  of  shelter.^  The  victims  of  this 
ignorant  self-conceit — it  can  be  called 
nothing  less  than  that — stood  on  the 
outer  brink  of  the  canal  and  received 


1  Latour,  pp.  120,  121 ;  Cooke's  Narrative,  p.  208  ; 
Eaton's  Jackson,  pp.  340,  341.— =  Gleig,  pp.  809,  310. 
See  also  Cooke's  Narrative,  p.  208  ;  Eaton's  Jackson,  p. 
341.— '  Cooke' s  Narrative,  p.  208  ;  Gleig,  p.  810. 


412 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II, 


the  murderous  fire,  or  crouching,  sought 
to  avoid  it,  until  Sir  Edward  discovered 
that  his  Peninsular  experience  had  not 
prevented  him  from  making  mistakes; 
when  a  retreat  was  ordered,  and  other, 
and  not  less  difiicult,  troubles  were  pre- 
sented. To  remove  the  troops,  in  the 
face  of  such  a  fire,  was  a  task  which  re- 
quired more  skill  for  its  execution  than 
that  which  had  placed  them  in  their 
present  position  ;  while  the  dismounted 
guns — the  eflPects  of  the  Louisiana's 
fire— could  not  be  left  on  the  field, 
without  tarnishing,  too  greatly,  the  es- 
cutcheon of  the  army. 

At  length  a  party  of  sailors  were 
sent  for ;  and  these,  "  running  forward 
to  the  spot  where  the  guns  laid,  lifted 
them  up,  in  spite  of  the  whole  of  the 
enemy's  (^AmericaTi)  fire,  and  bore  them 
off  in  triumph."^  As  soon  as  this  had 
been  done,  "  regiment  after  regiment 
stole  away — not  in  a  body,  but  one  by 
one,  under  the  same  discharge  which 
saluted  their  approach;"^  and,  about 
two  miles  below,  wiser,  if  not  better 
men,  they  halted. 

In  this  rash  adventure,  the  enemy  Q^e- 
2Jorted  a  loss  of  one  officer  and  fifteen 
men  hilled^  three  officers  and  thirty-five 
men  ivounded^  and  two  men  Tnissiiig^ 
The  loss  of  the  Americans,  on  the  Lovr 
isiana^  was  one  man  wounded j'^  and  in 
the  lines.  Colonel  Henderson  and  eight 
men  hilled^  and  two  officers  and  six  men 
wounded^ 

During  the  twenty-ninth,  thirtieth, 
and  thirty-first  of  December,  the  enemy 
was  busily  employed  in  bringing  up 
from  the  fleet  his  heavy  guns  and  the 


'  Gleig,  p.  311. — "^  Ibid. — ^  Returns  of  casualties,  signed 
"Fred.  Stovin,  Lieut. -Col.  Dtp. -Adj. -Gen." 

*  Capt   Patterson  to  Secretary  of  Navy,  Dec.  29. 

'  Returns  appended  to  Adj  -Gen.  Butler's  letter  to  Gen. 
Parker,  Jan.  16,  1815. 


stores  necessary  for  their  use,  and  in 
erecting  batteries  on  which  to  employ 
them^ — in  which  latter  work  the  hogs- 
heads of  sugar  on  the  neighboring 
plantations  were  pressed  into  the  ser- 
vice.^ At  the  same  time  the  Ameri- 
cans were  busily  employed  in  complet- 
ing the  lines  at  Camp  Jackson  and  on 
Flood's  plantation, — Camp  Journeay, — 
on  the  opposite  side  of  the  Mississippi.^ 
Commander  Patterson,  of  the  navy,  also 
erected  a  battery  on  the  west  side  of 
the  river,  which  he  manned  with  sail- 
ors ;  and  with  it  he  commanded  the 
left  flank  of  the  enemy's  camp,  com- 
pelling him  to  fall  back  from  his  ad- 
vanced position;*  the  First  regiment  of 
Louisiana  militia,  under  Colonel  Dejau, 
was  ordered  to  take  a  position  in  a 
wood  near  the  canal  which  connected 
M.  Pierna's  plantation — in  the  rear  of 
Camp  Jackson — with  the  Bayou  Bien- 
venu,  through  which,  it  was  feared,  the 
enemy  might  ascend  with  schooners, 
and  attack  the  city;^  new  lines  were 
also  thrown  up — similar  to  that  at  Camp 
Jackson  —  on  the  plantations  of  MM. 
Dupre  and  Montreuil,  also  in  the  rear 
of  Camp  Jackson,  behind  which  the 
troops  might  rally,  in  case  they  were 
driven  from  the  latter  defences  ;®  and 
outposts  and  pickets  were  posted  where- 
ever  it  was  thought  possible  an  enemy 
might  force  a  passage,'^ 

At  length,  having  completed  his  ar- 
rangements, at  an  early  hour  on  the 
first  of  January,  1815,  the  enemy  re- 
newed his  attack  on  the  line  at  Camp 
Jackson,  by  a  heavy  fire  from  his  bat- 


'  Journal  of  A.  Q.  M.  G.  Forrest ;  Gleig.  p.  313  ;  Eaton's 
Jackson,  p.  352. — ^  Gleig,  p.  315  ;  Ingersoll.  iii.  pp.  184, 
185.— »  Latour,  pp.  126, 127  ;  Jour,  of  A.  Q  M.  G.  Forrest. 

*  Latour,  p.  126;  Cooke's  Narrative,  p   210. 

'  Latour,  p.  129. — «  Map  V.,  in  Latour's  Atlas. 

'  Latour,  pp.  126-131. 


Chap.  XCIII.] 


THE  INVASION  OF  LOUISIANA. 


413 


teries,  accompanied  with  a  cloud  of  Con- 
greve  rockets.^  One  battery,  near  the 
road,  mounting  two  twelve-pounders ; 
another,  farther  to  the  right,  containing 
eight  eighteen's  and  twenty-four-pound 
carronades ;  a  third,  towards  the  edge 
of  the  marsh,  also  mounting  eight  pieces 
of  artillery ;  and  three  others,  mounting 
twelve  guns,  in  other  parts  of  the  field, 
simultaneously  opened  their  fire — the 
two  former  being  directed  mainly  against 
the  American  head-quarters,  compelled 
General  Jackson  to  seek  shelter  in  some 
less-exposed  place.^  The  fire  was  fu- 
rious and  well-directed, — the  enemy  evi- 
dently intending  to  breach  the  line, — 
which  was  returned,  both  from  the  bat- 
teries within  the  lines  and  from  those 
on  the  west  side  of  the  rivei',  with  pre- 
cision and  steadiness.^  As  the  enemy's 
guns,  either  by  being  dismounted  or 
from  a  lack  of  ammunition,  began  to 
drop  their  fire,  that  of  the  Americans 
was  redoubled — the  guns  from  the  ves- 
sels in  the  river  being  landed  for  that 
purpose;^  and  "they  soon  convinced 
the  enemy,"  Lieutenant  Gleig  says, 
"  that  all  endeavors  to  surpass  them,  in 
this  mode  of  fighting,  would  be  use- 
less."^ The  enemy,  therefore,  retired 
again  from  the  American  lines,  covered 
with  defeat,  mortification,  and  disgrace, 
and  leaving  his  heavy  guns  to  their 
fate — a  circumstance  of  which  General 
Jackson  appears,  unaccountably,  to  have 
taken  no  advantage,  notwithstanding 
many  of  his  men  left  the  lines  to  look 
at  them;®  and  working  parties  were 
afterwards    sent,    under    cover    of   the 


'  Latour,  pp.  132,  133  ;  Gleig,  p.  316  ;  Ingersoll,  iii.  p. 
184. — 2  Latour,  p.  132  ;  Eaton's  Jackson,  p.  353. 

'  A.  Q.  M.  G.  Forrest's  Journal  ;  Gleig,  p.  31"  ;  Clai- 
borne's Notes,  pp.  67,  68  ;  Ingersoll,  iii.  p.  185. 

*  Gleig,  p.  317.—^  Ibid. 

«  Latour,  pp.  135,  136,  138  ;  Gleig,  p.  317  ;  Armstrong, 
ii.  p.  169. 


darkness  of  night  to  recover  and  re- 
move them  to  the  enemy's  camp.^ 

In  this  afiaii"  the  Americans  lost 
eleven  hilled  and  twenty-three  wound- 
ed ;'^  that  of  the  enemy  was  reported  at 
three  officers  and  twenty-nine  men  Icilled^ 
four  officers  and  forty  men  wounded^  and 
two  men  missing? 

While  the  enemy  was  thus  engaged. 
General  Thomas,  commanding  the  Sec- 
ond division  of  Louisiana  militia,  came 
down  from  Baton  Rouge,  and  encamped 
within  the  Dupre  line ;  and  t^o  days 
later,  twenty -two  hundred  and  fifty 
Kentuckians,  many  of  whom  were  ivith- 
ont  rifles^  also  joined  the  army  ;*  while 
on  the  sixth,  the  enemy  was  strength- 
ened by  the  arrival  of  two  splendid 
regiments  from  Europe.^  Both  armies, 
during  the  succeeding  week,  were  also 
actively  engaged  in  prepaiing  for  anoth- 
er struggle — the  enemy  under  the  ex- 
perienced eyes  of  Generals  Packenham, 
Gibbs,  Keane,  and  Lambert ;  the  Ameri- 
cans under  "Andrew  Jackson,  Esquire," 
— as  an  English  writer,  attempting  to  be 
witty,  has  styled  him,® — and  Generals 
Coffee,  Carroll,  Thomas,  Adair,  Hum- 
bert, and  Morgan.  The  former  added 
a  square  redoubt  to  his  offensive  works, 
near  the  American  lines,  besides  recon- 
structing those  batteries  which  had  been 
destroyed  on  the  first  of  January ;  and, 
having  determined  to  attack  the  lines 
on  the  west  bank  of  the  river,  in  order 
to  enfilade  Camp  Jackson,  he  had  ex- 
tended the  Canal  Villere  to  the  Mis- 
sissippi, in  order  that  his  boats  might 
be  employed  in  that  important  under- 

'  Gleig,  p.  317  ;  A.  Q.  M.  G.  Forrest's  Journal ;  Cooke's 
Narrative,  p.  211. — 2  Returns  appended  to  Adj. -Gen.  But- 
ler's letter  to  Gen.  Parker,  Jan.  16,  1815. 

'  '■Return  of  casualties,"  &c.,  signed  "Fred.  Stovin, 
Luui.-Col.  Dep.-Adj.-6en." — ■•  Latour,  pp.136, 141 ;  Eaton's 
Jackson,  p.  360. — '  Adm'l  Cochrane  to  the  Admiralty, 
Jan.  18. — '  Cooke's  Narrative,  p.  188. 


414 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


taking:^  the  latter  had  strengthened 
their  several  works,  and  reinforced  the 
parties  which  defended  them,  through- 
out his  entire  works.^ 

At  this  time  {Jan.  8)  the  works  and 
forces  of  both  armies  may  be  said  to 
have  been  completely  organized.  Camp 
Jackson,  the  principal  defence  of  the 
Americans,  as  has  been  stated,  was  on 
the  northern  side  of  Rodriguez's  canal, 
and  extended  from  the  Mississippi  on 
the  right  to  the  marsh  on  the  left — a 
distance  of  about  one  thousand  yards, 
and  thence  into  the  marsh  about  a  third 
of  a  mile,  makino^  the  entire  lens'th 
about  a  mile.  By  great  exertions  an 
earthen  breastwork  had  been  thrown 
up — the  neighboring  fences  being  em- 
ployed to  line  the  parapet  and  to  pre- 
vent the  light  alluvial  soil  from  sliding 
into  the  canal ;  and  along  the  extended 
but  almost  perfectly  straight  line,  scarce 
five  feet  high  and  of  various  thickness, 
the  lines  afforded  shelter,  not  only  from 
the  enemy's  musketry,  but  also  from  his 
cannon.  On  the  extreme  left,  the  line 
was  extended  into  the  wood  and  marsh 
upwards  of  a  third  of  a  mile,  and  there 
the  defences  were  composed  of  logs  and 
earth,  perfectly  musket-j^roof.®  On  the 
right  of  the  line,  seventy  feet  from  the 
Mississippi,  two  brass  twelve-pounders 
and  a  six-inch  howitzer  were  in  battery 
— -the  former  manned  by  a  detachment 
of  United  States  Artillery,  the  latter 
by  the  volunteer  dragoons  under  Major 
St.  Geme — the  whole  commanded  by 
Captain  Humphreys,  of  the  former ; 
ninety  yards  east  from  the  last  {Nwin- 
her  One)  was  Battery  JSfumher  Two^ 
mounting  one  twenty-four-pounder,  un- 

'  Gen  Jackson  to  Sec.  of  Wiiv.  J;in.  9. 1815  ;  Latouv,  p. 
144;  Gl«ig,  p.  320;  Eaton's  Jackson,  p.  362. 

2  Latour,  p.  144.—^  Ibid.,  pp.  145-147  ;  Map  V,,  in  La- 
tour's  Atlas. 


der  Lieutenant  Norris  of  the  navy,  and 
manned  with  part  of  the  crew  of  the 
late  schooner  Garolina  ;  fifty  yards  east 
from  the  latter,  also  in  the  line,  was 
Battery  Number  Three.,  mounting  two 
twenty-four-pounders,  manned  with  Bar- 
atarian  smugglers,  under  their  captains, 
Dominique  and  Bluche ;  twenty  yards 
east  from  the  latter  was  Battery  Nurrh- 
her  Four.^  mounting  one  thirty-two- 
pounder,  manned  by  part  of  the  crew 
of  the  late  schooner  Carolina.,  under 
Lieutenant  Crawley  of  the  navy ;  one 
hundred  and  ninety  yards  east  from  the 
last,  also  in  the  line,  was  Battery  Nurrir 
her  Five^  mounting  two  six-pounders, 
under  Colonel  Perry ;  thirty-six  yards 
from  the  last,  was  Battery  Numher  Six, 
a  brass  twelve-pounder,  manned  by  a 
detachment  from  the  volunteer  com- 
pany of  "  Francs,"  under  General  Flau- 
jeac  and  Lieutenant  Bertel ;  one  hun- 
dred and  ninety  yards  east  from  the 
last,  also  in  the  line,  was  Battery  JSfum- 
her Seven.,  a  long  eighteen  and  a  six- 
pounder,  manned  with  regular  artiller- 
ists under  Lieutenants  Spotts  and  Cheau- 
veau ;  and  sixty  yards  from  the  last 
was  Battery  Number  Figlit^  a  small  car- 
ronade,  manned  with  a  detachment  of 
militia,  under  a  corporal  whose  name  is 
not  given. ^  The  "  New  Orleans  Rifles," 
a  volunteer  company,  about  thirty  in 
number,  occupied  the  extreme  right, 
between  the  river  and  Battery  Number 
One  ;  the  Seventh  regiment  of  militia, 
four  hundred  and  thirty  in  number,  un- 
der Major  Peire,  occupied  the  lines  be- 
tween Number  One  and  Number  Three' 
the  New  Orleans  uniformed  companies, 
two  hundred  and  eighty-nine  in  num- 
ber, under  Major  Blanche,  and  the  First 
battalion  of  free  men  of  color,  two  hun- 

'  Latour,  pp.  147,  148. 


Chap.  XCm.] 


THE  INVASION  OF  LOUISIANA. 


415 


dred  and  eighty  in  number,  under  Ma- 
jor Lacoste,  occupied  the  interval  be- 
tween Number  Three  and  JSrwnher 
Four  •  the  Second  battalion  of  free  men 
of  color,  one  hundred  and  fifty  men,  un- 
der Major  Daquin,  and  the  Forty -fourth 
regiment,  two  hundred  and  forty  men, 
under  Captain  Baker,  manned  the  lines 
between  Number  Four  and  Number 
Six'  the  space  between  Number  Six 
and  the  edge  of  the  swamp  was  defend- 
ed by  General  Carroll's  Tennesseans, 
supported  by  General  Adair's  Kentuck- 
ians — both  corps  numbering  about  six- 
teen hundred ;  while  the  remainder  of 
the  line  was  manned  by  General  Cof- 
fee's Tennesseans,  about  five  hundred  in 
number^ — the  entire  force  07i  duty^  on 
the  liiie^  therefore,  being  not  more  than 
thirty-two  hundred  men.^ 

On  the  western  bank  of  the  Missis- 
sippi, the  quota  of  Louisiana — tw^o  hun- 
dred and  sixty  men — under  General 
Morgan,  was  posted  on  Raguet's  old 
canal — having  fallen  back  from  Flood's 
plantation  —  and  formed  the  extreme 
right  of  the  line ;  on  its  left,  forming 
the  centre  of  the  line,  was  the  Second 
regiment  Louisiana  militia— one  hun- 
dred and  seventy-six  men — under  Col- 
onel Cavelier;  and  still  farther  to  the 
left,  forming  the  extreme  left  of  the 
line,  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  was  the 
First  res'iment  of  Louisiana  militia — 
one  hundred  and  ten  men — the  whole 
being  commanded  by  General  jMorgan, 
and  on  the  evening  of  the  seventh  a  de- 
tachment of  five  hundred  Kentuckians 
was  sent  over,  under  Colonel  Davis,  to 
strengthen  the  garrison.  Works  of  de- 
fence had  been  thrown  up,  along  the 
bank  of  the  canal,  about  two  hundred 
yards  in  length,  leaving  eighteen  hun- 

1  Latour,  pp.  150,  151. — -  Ibid.,  p.  152. 


di'ed  yards  extent,  on  the  right  of  the 
position,  entirely  unprotected.^ 

Against  these  works  the  enemy  had 
assembled  the  Fourth  {eight  htindred 
meii)^  Seventh  {eight  hundred  and  fifty 
meix)^  Twenty-first  {eight  hundred  men)^ 
Forty-third  {eight  hundred  and  'fifty 
meii)^  Forty-fourth  {four  hundred  and 
twenty-seven  men),  Eighty-fifth  {three 
hundred  and  fifty  meri),  Ninety-third 
{niiine  hundred  men),  Ninety-fifth  {^six 
hundred  meii)  regiments  of  infantry, 
the  Fourteenth  regiment  light-dragoons 
{two  hundred  and  ninety  five  mere),  the 
First  and  Second  West  India  regiments 
of  negroes  {eo/ih  eight  hundred  men),  a 
detachment  of  Royal  Artillery  {fwe 
hundred  and  seventy  men),  a  coi-ps  of 
sappers  and  miners  {ninety-eight  men), 
general  staff  {fifty-seven  men),  and  a 
body  of  twelve  hundred  seamen  and 
marines  —  in  all  about  nine  thousand 
four  hundred  men,  exclusive  of  officers.^ 

As  already  stated,  an  effort  had  been 
made,  by  the  enemy,  to  extend  the  Vil- 
lere  canal  to  the  Mississippi,  in  order 
that  the  boats  designed  for  the  trans- 
portation of  the  troops  to  the  opposite 
bank  of  the  river  mio-ht  be  brouo;ht 
through  from  the  Bayou  Bienvenu.  In 
this  work,  however,  although  a  very 
large  party  of  troops  was  employed,  he 
was  not  entirely  successful ;  and  the 
boats  ran  aground,  detaining  the  expe- 
dition beyond  its  appointed  time,  and 
throwing  the  entire  proposed  opera- 
tions into  confusion.^ 

It  had  been  designed  to  attack  the 
Americans  on  the  western  bank  of  the 


1  Latour,  pp.  165, 166. — "  James'  Mil.  Occur.,  ii.  p.  373. 
It  is  proper  to  remarli,  however,  that  the  strength  of 
these  several  regiments,  as  given  in  the  list,  although 
taken  from  the  statements  of  British  officers  who  were  in 
the  battle,  are  not  in  agreement  with  those  given  by  Mr. 
James. — '  Gen.  Lambert  to  Earl  Bathurst,  Jan.  10 ;  James' 
Mil.  Occur.,  ii.  p.  374 ;  Gleig,  p.  321  ;  Cooke,  p.  243. 


416 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  H. 


river  fit  an  early  hour ;  and  while  the 
fire  from  these  works  would  be  divert- 
ed, and  wliile  the  attention  of  the  troops 
in  Camp  Jackson,  also,  to  some  extent, 
at  least,  would  be  directed  towards  that 
flank,  the  main  body  of  the  enemy  was 
to  move  forward  and  assault  the  lines.^ 
This  bold,  but  well- arranged,  plan  of 
operations, — worthy  of  the  school  in 
which  Sir  Edward  Packenham  had 
studied  the  art  of  war, — intrusted,  for 
its  execution,  to  a  body  of  the  finest 
troops  ever  seen  in  America,  there  need 
be  little  wonder  that  the  expectations 
of  the  assailants  ran  veiy  high,  even 
while  the  more  experienced  eye  of  their 
commander  detected  causes  which  led 
him  to  forebode  a  disastrous  result.^ 

Measures  had  been  taken  to  transport 
fourteen  hundred  troops  to  the  opposite 
side  of  the  river, — the  Eighty-fifth  regi- 
ment, the  marines,  and  a  detachment  of 
sailors  being  designated  for  that  ser- 
vice,— and  they  were  to  form  and  push 
forward,  "  so  as  to  carry  all  the  batter- 
ies, and  point  the  guns  (o?i  the  Jlcmh  of 
Camp  Jacksoii)  before  daylight" — a 
rocket  thrown  up  by  this  party,  when 
they  were  ready  to  strike  the  first  blow, 
being  also  the  signal  for  the  attack,  by 
the  main  body,  on  the  front  of  the  lines 
at  the  canal  Rodriguez.*  Unfortunately 
for  the  plan  and  its  designers,  however, 
the  canal  was  not  dug  deep  enough,  and 
the  boats  grounded ;  so  that,  even  after 
great  personal  exertions  by  the  detach- 
ment, ouly  boats  sufficient  to  convey 
three  hundred  and  fifty  men  were 
dragged  through,  and  brought  into  the 

>  Gen.  Lambert  to  Earl  Bathurst,  Jan.  10 ;  Gleig,  p.  319. 

^  "Sir  E.  Packenham  augured  an  ominous  result,  and 
every  officer  and  soldier  in  the  bivouac  heard  these  opin- 
ions, which -were  given  in  no  measured  terms.  The  happy 
moment  had  passed,  but  was  not  irretrievably  lost" — Cooke's 
Narrative,  p.  203— »  Gleig,  pp.  321,  322 ;  Cooke's  Narra- 
tive, pp.  243,  244 ;  Ingersoll,  iii.  207. 


Mississippi;^  and  with  this  small  force, 
just  before  dawn  of  day,  several  hours 
behind  the  appointed  time.  Colonel 
Thornton  pushed  off.  But  even  then 
the  troubles  of  the  expedition  did  not 
forsake  it.  Without  considering  the 
strength  of  the  current,  the  boats  head- 
ed for  the  desired  landing-place  ;  but, 
on  striking  the  opposite  shore,  it  was 
found  that  they  had  been  borne  a  con- 
siderable distance  down  the  stream,  and 
were  four  miles  below  the  lines  at  the 
canal  Raguet.  After  debarking  his  lit- 
tle force,  without  oppositon.  Colonel 
Thornton  moved  rapidly  up  the  road 
towards  the  city,  driving  before  him  a 
party  of  observation,  under  Major  Ar- 
naud,  who  had  been  sent  down  to  op- 
pose his  landing.  When  the  enemy 
reached  Mayhew's  canal,  a  mile  in  ad- 
vance from  the  line  at  Raguet's,  he  was 
met  by  Colonel  Davis,  with  the  five 
hundred  Kentuckians,  to  whom  refer- 
ence has  been  made ;  yet,  strange  as  it 
may  appear,  although  the  two  parties 
under  Colonel  Davis  and  Major  Arnaud, 
combined,  greatly  exceeded  in  number 
the  enemy's  force,  they  fled  after  deliv- 
ering two  or  three  volleys,  and  formed 
on  the  right  of  General  Morgan,  in  the 
open  space  between  the  latter  and  the 
marsh.  Pursuing  the  fugitives  as  rap- 
idly as  possible,  along  the  main  road, 
the  enemy  pressed  forward,  while  the 
American  artillery  played  vigorously  on 
him  as  he  approached,  and,  as  he  came 
within  range,  the  small-arms,  also,  open- 
ed on  the  head  of  his  column.  He  was 
not  long,  however,  in  perceiving  the 
weakness  of  the  American  right ;  and, 
wisely  turning  from  the  front,  he  moved 
to  his  left,  and  attacked  that  part  of  the 


'  Gen.  Lambert  to  Earl  Bathurst,  Jan.  10 ;   Gleig,  pp. 
321,  322  ;  Cooke,  p.  243. 


Chap.  XCm.] 


THE  INVASION  OF  LOUISIANA. 


417 


line.  Having  quickly  turned  the  right 
flank  of  the  American  line,  the  victory 
had  been  won,  the  Kentuckians  falling 
back  in  great  confusion ;  and,  soon  after- 
wards, after  spiking  their  guns,  both 
General  Morgan  and  Commander  Pat- 
terson, with  their  respective  commands, 
also  retired — the  latter  to  the  Louisi- 
ana^ the  former  along  the  road  towards 
New  Orleans.^ 

In  the  mean  time  the  main  body  had 
met  the  Americans  and  been  defeated. 
The  several  regiments  had  been  formed 
under  cover  of  the  darkness  and  the 
fog — the  Forty-fourth,  under  Lieuten- 
ant-colonel Mullens,  having  been  in- 
trusted with  the  fascines  and  the  scal- 
ing-ladders—  and  in  the  stillness  of 
early  dawn  awaited  for  the  signal- 
rocket  on  the  west  side  of  the  river.^ 
From  causes  which  have  been  already 
noticed,  that  signal  was  not  thrown  up 
at  the  appointed  time;  nor  was  the 
main  body  itself,  at  that  time,  properly 
formed  or  prepared  for  the  assault. 
The  engineers  had  not  attended  to 
their  duties  properly;  and  the  Forty- 
fourth  had  passed  the  redoubt  where 
the  fascines  and  ladders  had  been  de- 
posited, without  finding  any  one  ready 
to  attend  to  their  delivery;®  the  differ- 
ent advance-guards,  or  forlorn-hopes, 
were  without  their  proper  columns  of 
support,  and  many  of  them  without 
any  orders  to  regulate  their  move- 
ments ;  and  every  preparation  had  been 
made  without  judgment  and  without 
order.  In  this  condition,  shivering  in 
the  cold  fog  which  surrounded  them, 
the  troops  stood  awaiting  the  expected 

'  Col.  Thornton  to  Gen.  Packenham,  Jan.  8,  1815  ; 
Adm'l  Cochrane  to  the  Admhaltj^,  Jan.  18  ;  Gen.  Jackson 
to  Sec.  of  War,  Jan.  9,  1815  ;  Capt.  Patterson  to  Sec.  of 
Navy,  Jan.  13.  1815  ;  Latour,  pp.  165-175  ;  Ingersoll,  iii. 
pp.  207,  212. — °  Gleig,  p.  324  ;  Cooke's  Narrative,  pp. 
225-229.—'  Cooke's  Narrative,  p.  247. 
Vol.  II.— 53 


rocket,  but  no  rocket  ascended  until  Sir 
Edward,  out  of  patience,  and  without 
knowing  his  own  want  of  preparation, 
threw  one  up  himself.^ 

At  this  moment  the  column  on  the 
riarht — moving  ao^ainst  the  left  of  the 
American  line — was  headed  by  the  For- 
ty-fourth regiment,  to  whose  care  the 
fascines  and  ladders  had  been  intrusted, 
and  it  marched  forward  witliout  its  al- 
lotted hurdens^  to  the  very  edge  of  the 
canal,  without  appreciating  the  serious 
character  of  its  error.  The  consequence 
of  this  mishap  was  a  perfect  repetition, 
on  the  left,  of  the  scene  which  was  ex- 
hibited on  the  twenty-eighth  of  Decem- 
ber; and  without  being  able  to  cross  the 
ditch,  the  enemy's  troops  were  mowed 
down,  on  every  hand,  in  the  most  de- 
structive manner.®  In  the  midst  of  the 
confusion  which  this  error  had  occa- 
sioned. Sir  Edward  Packenham  gal- 
loped forward,  and  meeting  Lieutenant- 
colonel  Mullens,  he  ordered  the  Forty- 
fourth  to  return  for  the  ladders  and 
fascines* — the  remainder  of  the  right 
column,  in  the  mean  time,  without  un- 
derstanding the  cause  of  the  halt,  and 
perplexed  by  the  want  of  orders,  being 
exposed  to  the  rifles  in  front  and  to  the 
cross-fires  from  the  several  batteries  on 
either  flank.^  At  length  the  Forty- 
fourth — assisted  on  the  left  by  the  regi- 
ment of  neo^roes® — came  staggering  un- 


'  Gen.  Lambert  to  Earl  Bathurst,  Jan.  10  ;  Latour,  p. 
154  ;  Cooke's  Narrative,  p.  229. 

*  It  has  been  seen  that  the  Engineer  Department  was 
not  ready  to  deliver  the  fascines  and  ladders  when  the 
44th  took  its  position,  although  it  had  halted  nearly  a 
quarter  of  an  hour  for  the  officer  in  charge.  It  then 
moved  forward,  and  had  been  in  position,  at  the  head  of 
the  line  three  hours,  when  it  was  called  back  as  related. 
Whether  the  regiment  was  "ahead  of  time"  over  three 
hours,  or  the  Engineers  that  space  "behind  time,"  does 
not  appear. — Cooke's  Narrative,  pp.  247,  248. 

'  Gen.  Lambert  to  Earl  Bathurst,  Jan.  10 ;  Gleig,  p.  824. 

*  Gleig,  p.  824. — '  Gen.  Lambert  to  Earl  Bathurst,  Jan. 
10.—"  Cooke's  Narrative,  pp.  231-233,  252. 


418 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


cler  the  heavy  loads  of  green  sugar-cane 
fascines,  and  of  rough  fence-rails  formed 
into  scaling-ladders ;  and  as  they  reeled 
nnder  the  weight  of  their  burdens,  or 
threw  them  down  from  their  inability 
to  carry  them,  or  fell  under  the  fire 
which  was  concentrated  on  them.  Sir 
Edward  saw  that  unless  prompt  meas- 
ures were  adopted  his  well-laid  plans 
would  all  be  frustrated.     To  prevent 
this,  if  possible — although  it  does  not 
appear  to  have  engaged  his  attention 
how  the  canal  should  be  crossed  or  the 
parapet  be  scaled — Sir  Edward  ordered 
the  right  column  to  advance^  and  throw- 
ing himself  at  its  head  they  rushed  for- 
ward.    The   Twenty-first   and   Fourth 
regiments  having  been  "  almost  cut  to 
pieces,    and   thrown   into   some   confu- 
sion,"^ the  Ninety-third  pushed  on  and 
took  the  lead,  but  halted  on  the  brink 
of  the  canal,  "  to  scale  the  parapet  with- 
out ladders  being  impossible."     "  Some 
few,"  an  eye-witness  says,   "by  mount- 
ing one  upon  another's  shoulders,  suc- 
ceeded in  entering  the  works,  but  these 
were   instantly    overpowered,    most    of 
them  killed,  and  the  rest  taken ;  while 
as  many  as  stood  without  were  exposed 
to    a  sweeping    fire,    which    cut   them 
down  by  whole  companies.     It  was  in 
vain   that  the   most  obstinate   courage 
was  displayed.     They  fell  by  the  hands 
of  men  whom  they  absolutely  did  not 
see ;    for    the   Americans,    without    so 
much  as  lifting  their  faces  above  the 
rampart,  swung  their  firelocks  by  one 
arm  over  the  wall,  and  discharged  them 
directly  upon  their  heads.     The  whole 
of  the  guns,  likewise,  from  the  opposite 
bank,  kept  up  a  well-directed  and  deadly 
cannonade  upon  their  flank;  and  thus 
were  they  destroyed  without  an  oppor- 


»  Gleig,  p.  326. 


tunity  being  given  of  displaying  their 
valor,  or  obtaining  so  much  as  re- 
venge."^ Anxious  to  check  this  car- 
nage by  enabling  the  column  to  cross 
the  canal,  and  desiring  to  hurry  for- 
ward the  fascines  and  ladders,  Sir  Ed- 
ward Packenham  rode  up  to  the  Forty- 
fourth,  which  was  returning  to  the 
front,  and  was  urging  it  forward,  when 
a  musket-ball  hit  his  knee  and  killed 
his  horse.  He  immediately  mounted 
another,  and  was  cheering  on  the  weary 
regiment,  when  a  second  ball  struck 
him  in  the  body  and  he  fell,  lifeless, 
into  the  arras  of  Major  McDougall,  his 
aid-de-camp.^ 

In  the  mean  time  three  light  compa- 
nies fj'om  the  Seventh,  Forty-third,  and 
Ninety-third  regiments,  which  led  the 
attack  on  the  left,  gallantly  rushed 
forward  and  entered  a  battery  which 
had  been  erected  on  the  extreme  right 
of  the  line ;  but  here,  as  elsewhere,  the 
advantage  was  not  maintained  in  the 
face  of  so  terrible  a  fire.  In  fact,  al- 
tliough  the  fire  on  the  left,  already  de- 
scribed by  an  eye-witness  in  the  oppo- 
site wing,  was  terribly  severe,  that  on 
the  right  was  equally  overpowering. 
On  every  hand  was  the  most  complete 
confusion — "the  misty  field  of  action," 
says  Captain  Cooke  of  the  Forty-third 
(British)  regiment,  "  was  now  inundat- 
ed with  wounded  officers  and  soldiers, 
who  were  going  to  the  rear  from  the 
right,  left,  and  centre ;  in  fact,  little 
more  than  one  thousand  soldiers  were 
left  unscathed  out  of  the  three  thousand 
that  attacked  the  American  lines,  and 
they  fell  like  the  very  blades  of  grass 
beneath    the    scythe    of    the    mower. 


1  Gleig,  pp.  325,  326.  See  also  Gen.  Lambert  to  Earl 
Bathurst,  Jan.  10. — ^  Gen.  Lambert  to  Earl  Bathurst,  Jan. 
10  ;  Test,  of  Maj.  McDougall  on  trial  of  Lieut.-Col.  Mul- 
lens ;  Cooke's  Narrative,  pp.  231,  282,  252  ;  Gleig,  p.  326. 


Chap.  XCIII.] 


THE  INVASIOJ^-  OF  LOUISIANA. 


419 


Packenliain  was  killed  ;  Gibbs  was 
mortally  wounded,  and  his  brigade  was 
dispersed  like  the  dust  before  the  whirl- 
wind."^ The  command  of  the  troops 
necessarily  devolved  on  General  Lam- 
bert, who  commanded  the  reserve, — all 
who  were  on  the  field  having  fallen.^ 
All  being  now  confusion  and  dismay, 
"  without  leaders,  ignorant  of  what  was 
to  be  done,  the  troops  first  halted,  and 
then  began  to  retire  ;  till,  finally,  the 
retreat  was  changed  into  a  flight,  and 
they  quitted  the  ground  in  the  utmost 
disorder,"^  covered  by  the  reserve  un- 
der General  Lambert. 

A  flag  was  sent  to  the  American 
lines,  on  the  morning  of  the  ninth,  and 
a  truce  was  asked,  and  granted,  for  the 
purpose  of  picking  up  the  wounded  and 
of  burying  the  dead ;  and  the  scene 
which  the  field  presented  was  truly  a 
melancholy  one.*  It  is  said  by  one  who 
saw  it,  as  he  had  seen  other  battle- 
fields,^ "  of  all  sights  I  ever  witnessed, 
that  which  met  me  there  was,  beyond 
comparison,  the  most  shocking  and  the 
most  humiliating.  Within  the  small 
compass  of  a  few  hundred  yards,  were 
gathered  together  nearly  a  thousand 
hoclies^  all  of  them  arrayed  in  British 
nnifornns.  ISTot  a  single  American  was 
among  them ;  all  were  English ;  and 
they  were  thrown  by  dozens  into  shal- 
low holes,  scarcely  deep  enough  to  fur- 
nish them  with  a  slight  covering  of 
earth.  Nor  was  this  all.  An  Ameri- 
can officer  stood  by,  smoking  a  cigar, 
and  apparently  counting  the  slain  with 
a  look  of  savage  exultation ;  and  repeat- 
ing over  and  over,  to  each  individual 

'  Cooke's  Narrative,  pp.  236,  237.  See  also  Gen.  Lam- 
bert to  Earl  Bathurst,  Jan.  10. — "  Gen.  Lambert  to  Earl 
Bathurst,  Jan.  10 ;  Gleig,  p.  334.-8  (jieig,  p.  327.  See 
also  Gen.  Lambert  to  Earl  Bathurst,  Jan.  10  ;  Cooke's 
Narrative,  p.  235.—'  Cooke's  Narrative,  pp.  262,  263. 

'  Gleig,  pp.  332,  333. 


that  approached  him,  that  their  loss 
amounted  only  to  eight  killed  and  foui-- 
teen  wounded.  I  confess,"  he  adds, 
"  that  when  I  beheld  this  scene,  I  hung 
down  my  head,  half  in  sorrow,  half  in 
anger." 

As  has  been  intimated  in  Lieutenant 
Gleig's  remarks,  the  loss  on  the  part  of 
the  great  contending  parties  was  very 
unequal,  the  Americans  reporting  theirs 
at  thirteen  Tcilled^  three  officers  and  thir- 
ty-six men  wounded^  and  nineteen  men 
missing^  of  which  only  seven  were 
hilled  and  six  wounded^  in  the  action 
before  the  lines.-^  The  enemy  reported 
General  Packenham,  Lieutenant-colo- 
nels Dale  and  Renny,  Majors  King  and 
Whitaker,  Captains  Wilkinson,  Henry, 
Hickins,  and  Mairhead ;  Lieutenants 
McDonald  and  Davies,  Ensigns  Crowe 
and  McLoskey,  and  two  hundred  and 
seventy- eight  men  Mlled ;  Generals 
Gibbs  and  Keane ;  Lieutenant-colonels 
Brooke,  Patterson,  and  Thornton ;  two 
majors,  eighteen  captains,  thirty-eight 
lieutenants,  nine  ensigns,  one  staff,  and 
one  thousand  one  hundred  and  eighty- 
nine  men  luounded  j  and  fifteen  officers 
and  four  hundred  and  sixty-nine  men 
missing'^ — although  it  is  well  known 
that  it  was  not  far  from  two  thousand 
five  hundred  in  the  aggregate. 

In  the  mean  time,  on  the  ninth  of 
January,  a  detachment  from  the  fleet 
had  approached  Fort  St.  Philip,  at 
Plaquemine,  a  work  which  commanded 
the  passage  of  the  river,  a  few  miles 
below  the  city ;  and,  on  the  same  day, 
it  commenced  to  bombard  the  fort.  At 
that  time  the  garrison  numbered  three 
hundred  and  sixty-six  men,  under  Major 
Overton,  while  gunboat  JSfumher  Sixty- 

'  Returns  appended  to  Gen.  R.  Butler,  Adj. -Gen.,  to 
Gen.  Parker,  Jan.  16, 1815. — *  Returns,  &c.,  signed  "Feed. 

Stoven,  Lieut.-Col.,  Dep.-Adj.-Gen." 


420 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


five^  whicli  had  warped  into  a  neigh- 
boring bayou,  and  rendered  good  ser- 
vice in  covering  the  rear  of  the  works, 
had  a  crew  of  fifty  men.  The  enemy's 
force  embraced  a  sloop  of  war,  a  gun- 
brig,  a  schooner,  and  two  bomb-vessels ; 
and  they  opened  a  fire  at  three  thou- 
sand nine  hundred  and  sixty  yards  dis- 
tant. 

During  the  succeeding  nine  days  the 
bombardment  was  continued,  with  but 


little  cessation,  and  inflicting  but  little 
damage,  when,  on  the  eighteenth  of 
January,  he  retired.  The  loss  inflicted 
on  the  garrison  was  two  Mlled  and 
seven  wounded} 

After  remaining  on  the  bank  of  the 
Mississippi  until  the  evening  of  the 
eighteenth,  the  enemy  retired,  under 
cover  of  the  darkness,  to  his  shipping, 
leaving  his  wounded  to  the  care  of  the 
Americans. 


CHAPTER    XCIY. 

January  16,  1813. 

THE      LOSS      OF     THE      PRESIDENT. 


On  the  fourteenth  of  January,  1815, 
the  President^  under  command  of  Cap- 
tain Stephen  Decatur,  dropped  down  to 
Sandy  Hook ;  and  during  the  night  she 
attempted  to  cross  the  bar  and  put  to 
sea.^  From  some  unexplained  cause  the 
pilots  missed  the  channel,  and  ran  the 
ship  on  one  of  the  shoals  which  ob- 
struct the  entrance  of  the  harbor  of 
New  Yoi'k  ;  and  she  was  detained  five 
hours  by  that  unexpected  misfortune.^ 
As  a  squadron  of  the  enemy's  ships 
had  been  blockading  the  harbor  several 
weeks,  and  had  been  blown  off  by  a 
gale  which  had  prevailed  on  the  pre- 
vious day,  the  opportunity  to  run  the 
frigate  out  had  been  embraced  by  Cap- 
tain Decatur,  and  the  mishap  referred 
to,  for  this  reason,  was  peculiarly  unfor- 
tunate, resulting,  as  it  probably  did,  in 
the  loss  to  the  country  of  the  fine  ship 
which  he  commanded.^ 

'  Capt.  Decatur  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Jan.  18,  1815  ;  Cooper, 
ii.  p.  235  ;  Mackenzie's  Decatur,  in  Sparks'  American  Bi- 
ography, xxl.  pp.  210,  211.— 2  Capt.  Decatur  to  Sec.  of 
Navy,  Jan.  18,  1815  ;  Niles'  Register,  viii.  pp.  44,  45  ; 
James'  Nav.  Occur.,  p.  427  ;  Mackenzie,  p.  211. 

'  Naval  Chronicle,  xxxiii.  p.  157 ;  Capt.  Hayes  to  Adm'l 


At  five  in  the  morning  of  the  next 
day  (January  15,  1815),  while  steering 
southeast  by  east,  three  strange  sail 
were  made,  within  gun-shot  of  the 
President^  and  directly  ahead ;  when 
she  was  hauled  up,  and  passed  to  the 
northward  of  them,  two  miles  distant. 
At  daylight,  however,  four  ships  were 
seen  in  chase, — two  of  them  astern,  and 
one  on  each  quarter, — the  leading  ship 
being  about  three  miles  distant.  As 
the  President  was  deeply  laden  with 
stores  for  a  long  cruise,  Captain  Decatur 
ordered  all  hands  to  lighten  the  ship ; 
and  for  that  purpose  water-casks  were 
started,  anchors  were  cut  away,  provi- 
sions, cables,  spare  spars,  boats,  and 
every  article  that  could  be  got  at  were 
thrown  overboard,  and  the  sails  were 
kept  wet,  from  the  royals  down.  The 
wind  was  light  and  bafl[ling ;  and  the 
Presidents  pursuers,  lightly  laden,  and 
favored  with   stronger  breezes,  gained 

Hotham,  Jan.  17,  1815  ;  Niles'  Register,  viii.  pp.  44,  45 ; 
Com.  Murray,  President  of  Court  of  Inquiry,  to  Secretary 
of  Navy,  April  17,  1815.—'  Gen.  Jackson  to  Sec.  of  War, 
Feh.  17  ;  Latour,  pp.  187-197. 


Chap.  XCIV.] 


THE  LOSS  OF  THE  PRESIDENT. 


421 


rapidly  on  her — tlie  nearest,  at  three 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  opening  her 
fire  from  her  bow-guns ;  and,  at  five, 
obtaining  a  position  on  her  starboard- 
quarter,  within  half  point-blank-shot  dis- 
tance, on  which  neither  her  stern  or 
quarter  guns  could  be  brought  to  bear.-^ 
After  occupying  this  position  half  an 
hour,  —  the  enemy's  fire,  meanwhile, 
having  become  quite  troublesome,  as 
every  shot  carried  away  some  of  the 
Presidents  rigging, — and  after  endeav- 
oring to  prevail  on  the  stranger  to 
i-ange  alongside,  which  was  declined. 
Captain  Decatur  determined  to  ex- 
change ships  with  her,  if  possible ;  and 
his  crew  cheerfully  received  the  infor- 
mation, and  joined  in  the  measures 
adopted  for  its  execution.^  With  this 
object,  at  half-past  five  o'clock,  while  it 
was  yet  light,  the  PresidenCs  helm  was 
put  up,  and  the  course  of  the  ship  laid 
to  the  southward,  with  the  intention 
of  closing  with  her  opponent.®  The 
stranger,  however,  appeared  to  under- 
stand the  purpose  of  Captain  Decatur ; 
and  she,  too,  at  the  same  time,  kept  off 
— the  ships  soon  afterwards  coming 
abeam  of  each  other,  and  each  deliver- 
ing her  broadside.*  During  the  succeed- 
ing two  hours  and  a  half  the  two  ships 
appear  to  have  run  off  dead  before  the 
wind,  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  apart ; 
and  every  attempt  to  close,  which  was 
made  by  the  President^  was  frustrated 
by  the  simultaneous  sheering  off  of  the 


'  Capt.  Decatur  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Jan.  18,  1815 ;  Letter 
from  an  officer  of  the  Pomone,  Jan.  29,  In  the  Naval  Chron- 
icle, xxxiii.  p.  370;  Capt.  Hayes  to  Adm'l  Hotham,  Jan. 
17. — ^  Cooper,  ii.  p.  237  ;  Mackenzie,  p.  214.  It  is  proper 
to  state  that  Com.  Decatur  makes  no  allusion  to  this  sub- 
ject.— '  Capt.  Decatur  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Jan.  18,  1815  ; 
Naval  Chronicle,  xxxiii.  p.  157 ;  Letter  from  an  officer  of 
the  Pomone,  Jan.  29,  1815. 

*  Capt.  Decatur  to  Secretary  of  Navy,  Jan.  15,  1815  ; 
Cooper,  ii.  p.  237  ;  Log-book  of  the  Endymion;  Macken- 
zie, p.  216. 


stranger.^  The  action,  therefore,  was 
altogether  with  heavy  guns  ;  and  the 
efforts  of  both  appear  to  have  been 
mainly  directed  against  the  spars  and 
rigging  of  her  opponent,  until  eight 
o'clock,  when  the  stranger  having  been 
dismantled, — "  her  sails  being  cut  from 
her  yards,"  ^ — she  dropped  astern,  and 
the  President  pursued  her  former 
course,  repairing  her  damages,  and 
seeking  to  shake  off  the  three  strangers, 
which,  with  a  brig,  which  had  also 
joined  in  the  pursuit,  still  continued 
the  chase,  and  were  also  rapidly  gain- 
ing on  her.® 

The  chase  continued  in  this  order 
until  eleven  o'clock,  when  the  four 
fresh  vessels  had  come  within  gun-shot 
of  the  President — one  of  them  (the 
Pomone)  opening  her  fire  on  her  lar- 
board-bow, within  musket-shot  distance ; 
another  (the  Tenedos)^  within  two  ca- 
bles' length  of  her  quarter ;  and  the  re- 
mainder (the  Majestic  and  the  Pes- 
patcTi)^  within  gun-shot  astern.  Thus 
surrounded  by  a  force  greatly  superior 
to  his  own,  with  his  ship  badly  crip- 
pled, and  one-fifth  of  her  crew  killed  or 
wounded,  and  with  no  chance  to  escape 
from  his  fresh  pursuers,  Captain  Decatur 
considered  it  his  duty  to  sui'render,  and 
he  hoisted  a  light  as  an  indication  of 
that  purpose.* 

The  force  of  the  President  was  thir- 
ty-two long  twenty-four-pounders,  one 


'  Capt.  Decatur  to  Secretary  of  Navy,  Jan.  18,  1815  ; 
Letter  from  officer  of  the  Pomone,  Jan.  29,  1815  ;  Capt. 
Hayes  to  Adm'l  Hotham,  Jan.  17. 

"  Naval  Chronicle,  xxxiii.  p  157  ;  Capt.  Hayes  to  Adm'l 
Hotham,  Jan.  17. — '  Capt.  Decatur  to  Secretary  of  Navy, 
Jan.  18,  1815  ;  Letter  from  officer  of  the  Pomone,  Jan. 
29;  Capt.  Decatur's  Testimony,  at  Bermuda,  Jan.  16; 
Mackenzie,  pp.  219,  220. 

*  Capt.  Decatur  to  Secretary  of  Navy,  Jan.  18,  1815  ; 
Naval  Chronicle,  xxxiii.  p.  157  ;  Letter  from  officer  of 
the  Pomone,  Jan.  29,  1815;  Capt.  Decatur's  Testimony; 
Capt.  Hayes  to  Adm'l  Hotham,  Jan.  17. 


422 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


twenty-four-pound  howitzer,  twenty  for- 
ty-two-pound carronades,  and  five  small 
pieces  in  her  tops  ;^  the  Endymion — 
with  which  the  conflict  opened — was 
rated  a  forty-gnn  ship,  but  mounted 
twenty-six  long  twenty -four -pound, 
twenty-two  thirty-two-pound,  and  one 
twelve-pound  carronades,  and  one  long- 


eighteen-/  while  of  the  Majestic^  razee, 
rated  fifty-six  guns,  the  Tenedos  rated 
thirty-eight  guns,  the  Pomone  rated  thir- 
ty-eight guns,  and  the  DespatcJi^  the  real 
strength  is  not  known.  The  loss  on  the 
President  was  twenty-four  hilled  and  fif- 
ty-six wounded  j^  that  of  the  Endymion 
was  eleven  hilled  and  fourteen  wownded? 


CHAPTER    XCY. 

February  20,  1§13. 

THE    CAPTURE    OF    THE    CYANE    AND     LEVANT. 


Ok  the  seventeenth  of  December, 
1814,  the  frigate  Constitution^  com- 
manded by  Captain  Charles  Stewart, 
sailed  from  Boston  on  a  cruise ;  and 
after  looking  into  Bermuda,  she  ran 
over  to  Madeira  and  the  Bay  of  Biscay, 
making  two  prizes  on  her  way,  one  of 
which  was  destroyed,  the  other  sent 
in.^ 

At  one  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  of 
the  twentieth  of  February,  the  Island  of 
Madeira  bearing  west-southwest,  sixty 
miles  distant,  a  strange  sail  was  made 
on  the  larboard-bow,  when  the  Consti- 
tution hauled  up  two  or  three  points, 
and  made  sail  in  chase.  Three-quarters 
of  an  hour  afterwards  a  second  sail  was 
made,  ahead ;  and  both  were  soon  ascer- 
tained to  be  ships,  standing  close  hauled, 
with  their  starboard-tacks  on  board.^ 

The  strangers  were  not  long  in  ascer- 
taining the  character  of  the  Constitu- 


'  Letter  from  officer  of  the  Pomone,  Jan.  29 ;  James' 
Kav.  Occur,  pp.  445,  446.  The  Naval  Chronicle  gives 
her  two  guns  more.  Mr.  Maclcenzie  (p.  209)  malies  no 
allusion  to  the  howitzer  or  small  top-guns. 

^  Lieut.  Ballard  to  Secretary  of  Navy,  May  2,  1814  ; 
Cooper,  ii.  p.  229. 

'  Capt.  Stewart  to  Secretary  of  Navy,  May,  1815,  and 
the  Minutes  inclosed  therein. 


tion^  although  her  strength  was  not,  at 
first,  discovered  ;*  and  at  four  o'clock 
the  weathermost  ship  made  signals  to 
her  consort,  and  bore  up  for  her — the 
Constitution^  meanwhile,  bearing  up  af- 
ter her,  setting  all  her  canvas,  and  car- 
rying away  her  mainroyal-mast  in  the 
chase.  At  five  she  opened  her  fire 
with  her  larboard  bow-guns,  but  with- 
out effect ;  and  perceiving  that  a  junc- 
tion of  the  two  strangers  could  not  be 
prevented,  at  half-past  five  she  cleared 
for  action,  being  then  four  miles  astern 
of  them.  A  few  minutes  afterwards  the 
strangers  passed  within  hail  of  each 
other,  and  hauled  by  the  wind  on  the 
starboard-tack,  hauled  up  their  courses, 
and  prepared  for  action.  A  series  of 
manoeuvres,  by  the  consorts,  for  the 
purpose  of  gaining  the  position,  occu- 
pied their  attention  until  near  six 
o'clock,  without  securing  any  benefit  to 
them ;  and  they  then  shortened  sail, 
and  at  half  cable  length  distance  from 

•  James'  Nava,l  Occurrences,  p.  444.  The  Naval  Chron- 
icle gives  her  two  guns  less. 

2  Cooper,  ii.  p.  238. 

'  Capt.  Hope  to  Capt.  Hayes,  Jan.  15.— ■•  Niles'  Segisier, 
viii.  p.  289. 


Chap.  XCV.]         THE  CAPTURE    OF  THE  CTAXE  AN'D  LEVANT. 


423 


each  other,  they  awaited  the  approach 
of  the  Constitution} 

At  five  minutes  past  six  the  frigate 
ranged  up  on  the  starboard  side  of  the 
sternmost  ship,  about  three  hundred 
yards  distant ;  and  opened  her  fire  by 
broadsides,  both  her  opponents  answer- 
ing her  with  spii'it  and  effect.  During  a 
quarter  of  an  hour  the  cannonade  contin- 
ued, when  the  fire  of  the  consorts  slacken- 
ed ;  and  the  fiigate  also  held  her  fire  to 
allow  the  smoke  to  clear  away,  and  that 
the  position  of  her  opponents  might  be 
ascertained.  Immediately  afterwards 
the  Constitution  found  that  she  was 
abreast  the  headmost  ship,  while  her 
consort  was  luffing  up  for  the  frigate's 
larboard-quarter ;  when  the  latter  gave 
the  former  a  broadside,  and  braced 
aback  her  main  mizzen-topsails,  back- 
ing astern,  under  cover  of  the  smoke, 
abreast  of  the  latter,  and  continued 
the  action.  During  the  succeedinsf 
quarter  of  an  hour  the  cannonade  con- 
tinued, when  the  enemy's  fire  again 
slackened,  and  the  headmost  ship  was 
seen,  through  the  smoke,  bearing  up, 
with  the  intention  of  crossing  the  frig- 
ate's fore-foot ;  when  the  Constitution 
filled  her  topsails,  shot  ahead,  and 
gave  her  two  raking  broadsides  over 
the  stern.  It  was  then  discovered  that 
the  sternmost  ship  was  also  wearing, 
when  Captain  Stewart  immediately 
wore  ship  after  her,  and  gave  her  a 
raking  broadside  ;  while  she  lufied,  too, 
on  the  frigate's  starboard  broadside,  and 
threw  in  her  larboard  broadside  with 
great  spirit  and  determination.  On  re- 
ceiving this  fire  the  Constitution  ranged 
up  on  the  stranger's  larboard-quarter, 
within  hail,  and  was  about  to  give  her 


'  Capt.  Stewart's  Dispatch  and  Minutes  ;  Naval  Chron- 
icle, xxxiii.  p.  466  ;  James'  Naval  Occurrences,  p.  458. 


starboard  fire,  when  the  latter  fired  a 
gun  to  leeward,  and,  at  a  quarter  be- 
fore seven,  she  surrendered.  Lieuten- 
ant Hoffman  was  immediately  sent  to 
take  possession  of  the  prize,  and  report- 
ed her  to  be  His  British  Majesty's  frig- 
ate Cyane^  Captain  Falcon,  mounting 
thirty-six  guns,  with  a  crew  of  one  hun- 
dred and  eighty  men.^ 

About  an  hour  afterwards  the  Con- 
stitution filled  away  after  the  ship  which 
had  been  driven  out  of  the  action,  but 
was  still  visible  through  the  dim  moon- 
lisfht  which  relieved  the  darkness  of  the 
night.  At  half-past  eight  the  two  ships 
met — the  stranger  gallantly  coming  up 
to  meet  the  frigate,  with  her  starboard- 
tacks  close  hauled,  her  topgallant-sails 
set,  and  her  colors  flying.  Ten  min- 
utes later  the  Constitution  ranged  close 
alongside  to  windward  of  her,  on  an 
opposite  tack ;  and  the  two  ships  ex- 
changed broadsides.  The  frigate  hav- 
ing thrown  in  her  fire,  immediately 
wore  under  the  stranger's  stern,  and 
raked  her ;  when  she  made  sail  and  en- 
deavored to  escape.  The  frigate  imme- 
diately made  sail  in  chase ;  and  at  half- 
past  nine  she  opened  a  fire  on  the 
fugitive  from  her  starboard  bow-guus, 
which  cut  her  spars  and  rigging  very 
severely.  At  ten  o'clock,  finding  she 
could  not  escape,  the  stranger  fired  a 
gun  to  leeward,  and  she,  too,  surren- 
dered— proving  to  be  the  sloop  of  war 
Levant^  Captain  Douglass,  mounting 
twenty-one  guns,  with  a  crew  of  one 
hundred  and  fifty-six  men.^ 

The  armament  of  the  Constitution^  at 
this  time,  was  fifty-two  guns,^  and  her 


1  Capt.  Stewart's  Dispatch  and  Minutes  ;  Naval  Chron- 
icle, xxxiii.  pp.  466,  467  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  230. 

"  Capt.  Stewart's  Dispatch  and  Minutes  ;  Naval  Chron- 
icle, xxxiii.  p.  467  ;  James'  Naval  Occurrences,  pp.  460, 
461.—'  Cooper,  ii.  p.  231. 


424 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


loss,  during  this  action,  was  three  hilled^ 
and  twelve  wounded i'^  the  strength  of 
the  enemy  has  been  already  noticed, 
and  his  loss,  as  near  as  can  be  ascer- 


tained, was,  on  the  Cyane^  twelve  hilled 
and  twenty-six  wounded ;  and  on  the 
Levant^  twenty-three  hilled  and  sixteen 
wounded} 


CHAPTER    XCYI. 

March  23,  1§15. 

THE  CAPTURE  OF  THE  PENGUIN, 


The  capture  of  the  President^  already 
referred  to,  in  a  preceding  chapter  of 
this  work,  being  unknown  to  the  com- 
manders of  the  other  vessels  composing 
the  squadron,  they  followed  her  to  sea 
on  the  twenty-second  of  January,  1815  ; 
and  made  the  best  of  their  way  to  the 
Island  of  Tristan  d'Acunha,  the  place 
of  rendezvous  appointed  by  Captain 
Decatur.  The  Peacock  and  Tom  Bow- 
line reached  that  place  about  the  mid- 
dle of  March  ;  and  on  the  morning  of 
the  twenty-third  of  the  same  month 
the  Hornet^  also,  arrived  at  the  same 
place.^  She  had  not  cast  anchor,  how- 
ever, when  the  men  aloft  discovered  a 
sail  to  windward,  standing  westward  ; 
when  Captain  Biddle  immediately  sheet- 
ed home  his  topsails  again,  and  making 
a  stretch  to  windward,  made  chase. 
Soon  afterwards  the  stranger  was  seen 
running  down  before  the  wind ;  and,  as 
her  character  was  apparent,  the  Hornet 
hove  to  and  waited  for  her  to  come 
down.® 

At  forty  minutes  past  one  in  the  after- 
noon, the  stranger  having  come  within 
musket-shot,  she  set  English  colors  and 
fired  a  gun ;  when  the  Hornet  lujffed  up, 

>  Returns  appended  to  Capt.  Stewart's  Dispatch. 

»  Cooper,  ii.  p.  239.—=  Capt.  Biddle  to  Capt.  Decatur, 
March  25, 1815  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  239  ;  Letter  from  an  officer 
of  the  Peacock,  April  10,  1815. 


displayed  her  colors,  and  answered  with 
a  broadside.^  During  the  succeeding 
fifteen  minutes  the  fire  of  both  vessels 
was  warm  and  effective,  the  enemy, 
meanwhile,  gradually  drifting  nearer  to 
the  Hornet  j  and,  soon  afterwards,  she 
put  her  helm  hard  up  and  I'an  down  on 
the  starboard  broadside  of  the  Hornet^ 
to  lay  her  aboard ;  and  she  succeeded 
in  passing  her  bowsprit  through  the 
starboard-quarter  of  the  latter.®  At 
that  instant  the  stranger's  foremast  and 
bowsprit  went  by  the  board,  the  for- 
mer falling  directly  on  her  larboard 
guns ;  and  her  crew,  probably  in  conse- 
quence of  this  mishap,  made  no  attempt 
whatever  to  take  advantage  of  her  situ- 
ation, but  allowed  the  vessels  to  sepa- 
rate.* An  attempt  was  made  to  bring 
the  brig  around,  in  order  to  use  her  star- 
board battery,  but  in  this,  also,  the  crew 
was  unsuccessful,  and  the  Hornet  suc- 
ceeded in  raking  her.®  Perceiving  that 
any  further  resistance  was  useless,  the 


'  Returns  appended  to  Capt.  Stewart's  Dispatch.  The 
Naval  Chronicle  (xxxiii.  p.  467)  says  the  Oyane  lost  4  killed 
and  13  wounded,  and  the  Levant  6  killed  and  16  wounded. 

^  Capt.  Biddle  to  Capt.  Decatur,  March  25, 1815  ;  Lieut. 
McDonald's  Letter,  April  6,  1815 ;  Letter  of  an  ofBcer, 
&c.,  AprillO,  1815. 

'  Capt.  Biddle  to  Capt.  Decatur,  March  25  ;  Lieut.  Mc- 
Donald's Letter,  April  6,  1815  ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  239. 

*  Lieut.  McDonald's  Letter,  April  6,  1815  ;  James' 
Naval  Occurrences,  p.  488. — °  Lieut.  McDonald's  Letter, 
April  6,  1815 ;  Cooper,  ii.  p.  240. 


Chap.  XCVI.] 


THE  CAPTURE  OF  THE  PEXGUIN". 


425 


enemy  hailed  the  Hornet^  and  surren- 
dered.^ 

An  "unfortunate  circumstance  occur- 
red immediately  afterwards,  which  for 
a  time  threatened  serious  consequences. 
Two  marines,  on  the  enemy's  deck,  see- 
ing Captain  Biddle  standing  on  the 
Hornefs  tafii'ail,  raised  their  pieces  and 
fii-ed,  inflicting  a  severe,  but  not  a  dan- 
gerous wound.  Aroused  with  indigna- 
tion at  this  instance  of  supposed  treach- 
ery— although  it  is  probable  it  was 
rather  the  result  of  the  confusion  which 
necessarily  attended  the  action — the 
Hornets  crew  was  restrained  from  sink- 
ing the  brig  only  with  the  greatest  dif- 
ficulty.^ 

The  prize  proved  to  be  His  Britannic 
Majesty's  brig  Penguin^  Captain  Dick- 
inson, mounting  nineteen  guns,  besides 
guns  in  her  tops ;  and  she  was  manned 
with  a  crew  of  one  hundred  and  thirty- 
two  hands.^  The  loss  of  the  Hornet 
was  one  man  Tcilled,  and  Captain  Bid- 
die,  Lieutenant  Conner,  and  eight  men 


'  Capt.  Biddle  to  Capt.  Decatur,  March  25, 1815  ;  Lieut. 
McDonald's  Letter,  April  6,  1815. 

^  Capt.  Biddle  to  Capt.  Decatur,  March  25, 1815  ;  James' 
Naval  Occurrences,  p.  488  ;  Niles'  Register,  viii.  p.  336. 

'  Capt.  Biddle  to  Capt.  Decatur,  March  25, 1815 ;  Cooper, 
ii.  p.  240. 

Vol.  II.— 5* 


wounded;'^  that  of  the  Penguin  was 
Captain  Dickinson,  her  boatswain,  and 
twelve  men  hilled^  the  second-lieuten- 
ant, two  midshipmen,  purser,  and  twen- 
ty-four men  wounded?  The  former  suf- 
fered little  injury,  except  in  her  sails 
and  rigging ;  the  latter  was  completely 
riddled,  her  foremast  and  bowsprit  were 
carried  away,  and  her  mainmast  was  so 
much  injured  that  it  could  not  be  se- 
cured.^ 

It  has  been  said  of  this — the  last 
"battle"  of  the  war  with  Britain — that 
"  it  was  one  of  the  most  creditable  to 
the  character  of  the  American  marine 
that  occurred  in  the  course  of  the  war. 
The  vessels  were  very  fairly  matched, 
and  when  it  is  remembered  that  an 
English  flag-officer  had  sent  the  Pen- 
guin on  especial  service  against  a  ship 
believed  to  be  materially  heavier  than 
the  vessel  she  actually  encountered,  it 
is  fair  to  presume  she  was  thought  to  be, 
in  every  respect,  an  efficient  cruiser."* 

1  Cooper,  ii.  p.  241  ;  Niles'  Register,  viii.  pp.  335,  336. 

"  Capt.  Biddle  to  Capt.  Decatur,  March  25,  1815.  The 
enemy  reports  his  killed  much  less  than  this  number. 

'  Capt.  Biddle  to  Capt.  Decatur,  March  25  ;  Cooper,  ii. 
p.  241.  Mr.  James  (Naval  Occurrences,  pp.  490,  491)  says 
the  Hornet's  hull  was  severely  injured. 

*  Cooper,  ii.  p.  241. 


CHAPTER    XCYII 


May  14  to  Aug^ust  2,  1S32. 

THE     BLACK     HAWK     WAR. 


The  acquisition  of  territory  has  always 
been  a  fruitful  source  of  trouble.  In  an- 
cient, as  well  as  in  modern  times,  the 
stronger  has  generally  overpowered  the 
weaker  nations,  appropriated  to  their  own 
use  the  territory  of  the  latter,  and  resorted 
to  arms  in  defence  of  their  enlarged  do- 
minions. In  this  no  more  fitting  example 
can  be  found  than  that  which  is  afi'orded  by 
the  United  States  in  its  intercourse  with  the 
aboriginal  tribes  whose  hunting-grounds  and 
burial-places  were  within  its  boundaries ; 
and  when  the  victims  have  mustered  cour- 
age and  numbers  sufficient  to  assert  their 
rights,  and  endeavored  to  maintain  them, 
the  entire  strength  of  the  Confederacy,  as 
well  as  those  of  the  border  States,  have  gen- 
erally been  brought  into  requisition,  and  the 
"  audacity  "  of  the  savages  has  been  visited 
with  the  severest  penalties. 

Among  those  tribes  with  whom  the  Fed- 
eral Government  has  been  in  trouble,  are  the 
Sauks  and  Foxes — powerful  nations,  whose 
homes  were  then  on  the  banks  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi, in  the  present  States  of  Wisconsin 
and  Illinois — with  some  portions  of  whom, 
on  the  third  of  ]!^ovember,  1804,  a  treaty 
was  signed  at  St.  Louis,  ceding  to  the  United 
States  a  large  district  of  their  territory.^ 
These  negotiators  had  not  visited  St.  Louis 
for  such  a  purpose,  however,  and  the  act  of 
cession  was  promptly  repudiated  by  the 
greater  part  of  both  nations.^  For  many 
years  a  series  of  troubles,  based  on  the  rival 
claims  of  the  parties,  occurred  between  the 
government    and    the    nations ;    and    these 


1  Boss'  History  of  Ogle  County,  Illinois,  p.  19  ;  Smith's 
History  of  Wisconsin,  iii.  p.  113. 

!"  Autobiography  of  Black  Hawk,  edited  by  J.  B.  Pat- 
terson, pp.  27,  28 ;  Smith's  Wisconsin,  i.  p.  258  ;  iii.  pp. 
113-117. 


troubles  increased  with  the  influx  of  settlers 
into  that  portion  of  the  mighty  West,  at  a 
later  date.^  Taking  advantage  of  this  dis- 
affection, Tecumtha  and  the  agents  of  the 
British  government,  at  an  early  day,  prompt- 
ed them  to  move,  with  other  nations  of  the 
West,  for  the  redress  of  the  grievances  un- 
der which  they  lived ;  ^  and  a  series  of 
"wars"  occurred,  of  which  the  reader  has 
been  informed  in  preceding  chapters  of  this 
volume. 

The  troubles  which  this  state  of  affairs 
produced  grew  more  and  more  serious  until 
1831,  when,  in  accordance  with  subsequent 
treaty  stipulations,  all,  including  Black 
Hawk,  removed  from  Illinois  and  settled  on 
the  western  bank  of  the  Mississippi.*  Dur- 
ing that  year,  however,  with  his  band  of 
warriors  and  his  family,  he  appears  to  have 
returned  to  his  former  home ;  and  caused 
much  annoyance  to  the  settlers,  although  he 
showed  no  disposition  to  resort  to  hostili- 
ties.* After  a  display  of  the  military  forces 
of  the  State,  under  General  Duncan,  and  of 
the  United  States,  under  General  Gaines, 
the  troubles  were  settled  by  another  treaty  ; 

'  Autobiog.  of  Black  Hawk,  pp.  28-31  ;  Smith's  Wis- 
consin, i.  pp.  258,  259  ;  iii.  pp.  112,  113  ;  Coll.  of  Wis. 
Hist.  Soc,  ii.  pp.  91,  92.— »  Autobiog.  of  Black  Hawk, 
p.  31.—'  Ibid.,  p.  36  ;  Drake's  Book  of  Indians,  Bk.  v., 
pp.  145,  146. 

*  Autobiography  of  Black  Hawk,  pp.  98-101 ;  Recol- 
lections of  Wisconsin  since  1820,  by  Col.  Ebenezer 
Childs ;  Mr.  Burnett,  Indian  Agent,  to  Gen.  Clark,  June 
13,  1831.  The  Indians  appear  to  have  injured  no  one 
beyond  that  produced  by  their  reoccupation,  quietly,  of 
their  former  homes.  They  ordered  the  inhabitants  to 
vacate  the  property  ;  put  their  furniture  out  of  doors  ; 
and  sought,  by  peaceable  means,  to  repossess  themselves  of 
their  former  homes.  Black  Hawk  also  appealed  to  the 
Indian  Agent  for  redress — by  no  means  a  hostile  step  ;  and 
there  appears  to  have  been  no  movement  whatever,  ex- 
cept those  of  a  peaceful  character. — Ford's  Illinois,  p.  Ill ; 
Smith's  Wisconsin,  i.  p.  252  ;  Autobiography  of  Black  Hawk, 
pp.  98-101.- 


Chap.  XCVH.] 


THE  BLACK  EtAWK  WAR. 


427 


and  Black  Hawk  and  Ms  party  returned  to 
their  new  homes,  west  of  the  Mississippi.^ 

ISJ'otwithstanding  the  apparent  settlement 
of  the  troubles,  in  1831,  the  emissaries  of 
the  British  government  in  Canada  appear  to 
have  continued  the  agitation  of  the  treaty 
question  among  the  Indians ;  ^  and  in  the 
spring  of  1832,  encoui'aged  by  their  prom- 
ises. Black  Hawk  prepared  for  another  visit 
to  his  former  home  in  Illinois.  Still  he  as- 
sumed no  warlike  attitude;  but  with  his 
band  of  warriors  on  horseback,  and  their 
families  and  property  in  canoes,  they  crossed 
the  Mississippi  at  the  Yellow  Bank,  on  the 
sixth  of  April,  and  moved  slowly  towards 
Rock  River.^  It  is  difficult  to  conceive  how 
such  a  cavalcade  could  have  been  considered 
an  Indian  invasion^  especially  since  the 
squaws  and  children  never  accompanied 
war-parties  on  their  excursions ;  yet  the 
people  of  Illinois  considered  it  in  that  light, 
and  treated  their  visitors  as  enemies.  The 
Governor  called  for  Volunteers  to  repel  the 
invaders ;  *  General  Atkinson,  then  on  his 
way  up  the  river  with  six  companies  of  the 
Sixth  infantry,  to  demand  some  murderers 
from  the  Sauks,  joined  in  the  crusade  ;^  thi-ee 
companies  of  the  Fii'st  infantry  were  ordered 
from  Fort  Crawford;®  the  militia  of  North- 
western Illinois  and  of  Michigan  were  oi*- 
dered  to  be  held  in  readiness  for  active 
duty ;'  the  co-operation  of  the  Dahkotas 
and  Menomonees  —  hereditary  enemies  of 
the  Sauks  —  was  solicited  by  the  Federal 
authorities;^   and  stores  and  supplies  were 

»  Autobiog.  of  Black  Hawk,  pp.  101-106  ;  Smith's  Wis- 
consin, i.  pp.  253,  254  ;  Ford's  Illinois,  p.  112  ;  Drake, 
Bk.  v.,  pp.  146.  147. — •  Autobiog.  of  Black  Hawk,  pp. 
108-111  ;  Smith's  Wisconsin,  i.  pp.  255.  259. 

2  Autobiog.  of  Black  Hawk,  pp.  112,  113  ;  Gen.  Atkin- 
son to  Gov.  Eeynolds,  April  13,  1882;  Smith's  Wiscon- 
sin, i.  p.  260. 

'  Child's  Recollections  ;  Smith's  "Wisconsin,  i.  p.  260  ; 
Wakefield's  History  of  the  War,  pp.  7,  10. 

'  Autobiog.  of  Black  Hawk,  pp.  113,  114  ;  Smith's  Wis- 
con.sin,  i.  p.  260;  Drake.  Bk.  v.,  p.  147;  Col.  Backus's 
Paper  on  this  subject,  read  before  the  Mich.  Hist.  Soc, 
March  1,  1860. 

"  Col.  Backus's  Paper. — ■"  Ibid. 

'  Gen.  Atkinson  to  Gen.  Street,  Indian  Agent,  May  23, 


ordered  from  St.  Louis,  to  be  in  readiness 
for  the  campaign.^  In  the  mean  time,  the 
Indians  pursued  their  way  quietly.,  but  stead- 
ily ;  interfering  with  no  one ;  and  without 
inflicting  any  injury  on  the  settlers.  To  the 
messengers  who  were  sent  after  them,  they 
repKed,  "  they  would  not  go  back,  as  they 
were  acting  peaceably ; "  and  when  the  mes- 
sages became  more  urgent, — threatening  to 
drive  them  back, — they  were  infoi-med,  if 
General  Atkinson  "wished  to  fight, '^  he  could 
"  come  on,"  as  they  were  determined  never 
to  be  driven,  and  equally  so,  '■'■not  to  make 
the  first  attackr"^ 

"While  the  cavalcade,  under  Black  Hawk, 
was  thus  pursuing  its  way  up  the  Bock 
River,  Governor  Reynolds  and  General 
Whitesides,  with  about  eighteen  hundred 
Volunteers,  were  mustered  into  the  service 
of  the  United  States,^  when  General  Atkin- 
son detached  them  in  pm-suit  of  the  Indians  ; 
while,  with  his  regulars  and  the  stores,  he 
followed,  in  boats,  in  the  rear,  but  at  too 
great  a  distance  to  afi'ord  any  support  to  the 
former.*  On  the  twelfth  of  May  this  de- 
tachment, eager  for  action,  reached  Dixon's 
Ferry,  where  it  was  joined  by  Major  Still- 
man,  with  two  hundred  and  seventy-five 
men  from  the  northern  counties.^  The  Ma- 
jor, considering  his  command  an  indepen- 
dent one,  declined  to  join  General  White- 
sides'  brigade ;  and,  on  the  next  day,  he  so- 
licited from  the  Governor,  as  commander- 
in-chief,  an  order  to  go  out  on  a  scout.  In 
accordance  with  that  request,  with  Major 
Bailey,  he  received  orders  to  march  to  the 


1882  ;  Gen.  Street  to  T.  P.  Burnett,  May  30,  1832  ;  T.  P. 
Burnett's  Report  to  Gen.  Street,  July,  1832. 

'  Col.  Backus's  Paper. 

=  Autobiography  of  Black  Hawk.  pp.  114, 115.  See  also 
Smith's  Wisconsin,  i.  p.  260  ;  Drake,  Bk.  y.,  p.  148  ; 
Wakefield,  p.  12.— ^  Wakefield,  pp.  13,  14  ;  Smith's  Wis- 
consin, i.  p.  260  ;  Boss's  Ogle  County,  pp.  87,  38  ;  Col. 
Backus's  Paper. 

^  Smith's  Wisconsin,  i.  p.  261  ;  Drake,  Bk.  v.,  p.  148. 
Col.  Backus  says  Gen.  Atkinson,  in  consequence  of  the 
impatience  of  the  volunteers,  '' amsenied"  to  this  move- 
ment "  with  great  reluctance." 

'  Wakefield,  pp.  16,  17  ;  Boss's  Ogle  County,  p.  38. 


428 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


Old  Man's  Creek,'  and  to  ascertain,  if  possi- 
ble, the  movements  of  the  Indians ;  ^  and  the 
two  battalions,  after  wading  through  un- 
usually muddy  roads,  encamped  in  compa- 
ny, but  independent  of  each  other,  some 
eight  or  ten  miles  from  the  ferry.  On  the 
following  morning  {May  14),  the  two  battal- 
ions were  temporarily  placed  in  command 
of  Major  Stillman,  and,  under  his  orders, 
they  continued  the  pursuit  until  sunset, 
when  they  encamped  in  front  of  a  small 
creek,  known  as  the  Kish-wau-kee  (since 
then  known  as  ^^ Stillman' s  Run^^),  in  the 
vicinity  of  Sycamore  Creek,  and  about  thir- 
ty miles  above  Dixon. ^ 

In  the  mean  time  Black  Hawk  had  learned 
that  the  promised  assistance  of  the  British 
would  not  be  available,  and  he  began  to  re- 
lent.* At  the  same  time  intelligence  of  the 
approach  of  the  two  battalions  under  Majors 
Stillman  and  Bailey  reached  him ;  and  he 
"  immediately  started  three  young  men,  with 
a  flag,"  to  meet  them  and  conduct  them  to 
his  camp,  that  a  council  might  be  held,  and 
that  he  might  descend  Rock  River  again, 
probably  with  the  design  of  returning  to  the 
western  bank  of  the  Mississippi.^  Five 
others  were,  soon  afterwards,  detached  after 
the  former  messengers,  as  a  party  of  obser- 
vation.® The  first  party,  it  is  said,  reached 
Major  Stillman's  encampment  in  safety  and 
were  taken  prisoners,  notwithstanding  their 
flag ;  ^  and  when  the  second  party  came  in 
sight,  also  with  a  flag — with  their  guns  held 
horizontally  over  their  heads,  and  knocking 
the  priming  out,  as  a  signal  of  peace* — they 

1  "  Now  '  Stillman's  Run,'  a  small  stream,  which  rises  in 
White  Rock  Grove,  in  Ogle  Co.,  and  empties  into  Kock 
Eiver,  near  Byron." — Boss's  Ogle  County,  p.  38. 

=  Smith's  Wisconsin,  i.  p.  261 ;  Drake,  Bk.  v.,  p.  148  ; 
Wakefield,  p.  17. 

3  Child's  Recollections  ;  Smith's  Wisconsin,  i.  p.  261 ; 
Wakefield,  p.  18. 

*  Autobiography  of  Black  Hawk,  pp.  116-118. 

6  Ibid.,  p.  118  ;  Smith's  Wisconsin,  i.  p.  261  ;  Drake, 
Bk.  v.,  p.  148.— »  Autobiography  of  Black  Hawk,  p.  118  ; 
Smith's  Wisconsin,  i.  p.  261. 

'  Autobiography  of  Black  Hawk,  pp.  118-121  :  Smith's 
Wisconsin,  i.  p.  261  ;  Drake,  Bk.  v.,  p.  148. 

^  Col.  Backus' s  Paper. 


were  pursued,  and  two  of  them  were  killed.' 
On  the  arrival,  at  Black  Hawk's  camp,  of 
the  three  messengers  who  had  escaped,  all 
ideas  of  flags  and  truces  ended.  Blood  had 
been  shed  by  the  whites  while  the  victims 
were  extending  assurances  of  peace ;  and 
those  who,  before,  had  merely  travelled  over 
the  soil  of  Illinois  without  committing  any 
ofiience,  were  instantly  changed  into  active 
and  determined  enemies. 

At  this  time  Black  Hawk  had  only  about 
forty  men  with  him,  the  greater  part  of  his 
party  being  ten  miles  distant,  and  with  this 
small  force  he  started  back  to  meet  the  as- 
sailants.^ There  is  no  evidence  whatever 
that  the  chief  had  either  desired  to  engage 
in  hostilities,  or  expected  the  whites  would 
do  so ;  and  it  is  equally  clear  that  in  this 
"invasion"  the  first  act  of  aggression  was 
committed  by  those  among  whom  the  In- 
dians moved.^  What  wonder,  then,  need 
there  be,  when  his  flag  had  been  disregarded 
and  its  bearers  seized  as  prisoners,  when  his 
messengers  of  peace,  subsequently  dispatch- 
ed, had  been  shot  down  or  pursued  with 
that  intent,  that  Black  Hawk,  with  the  forty 
who  were  with  him,  should  turn  on  his  pur- 
suers, sound  the  war-whoop,  and  sell  their 
lives  as  dearly  as  possible  ?  Pie  did  so,  and 
he  did  that  only  which  any  one,  unless  the 
veriest  poltroon,  would  have  done  under  the 
same  circumstances. 

Rushing  upon  the  cowardly  pursuers  of 
the  peaceful  embassy,  with  his  handful  of 


1  Col.  Backus's  Paper  ;  Drake,  Bk.  v.,  pp.  148,  149  ; 
Autobiog.  of  Black  Hawk,  p.  118  ;  Smith's  Wisconsin,  i. 
pp.  261,  262.  Mr.  Boss  {Ogk  Co.,  p.  38)  says  three  were 
killed,  and  Mr.  Wakefield  (p.  18)  agrees  with  him. 

'  Autobiog.  of  Black  Hawk,  p.  118  ;  Drake,  Bk.  v.,  p. 
149  ;  Smith's  Wisconsin,  i,  p.  262.  Mr.  Boss  (Ogle  Co.,  p. 
38)  says  the  chief  rallied  with  seven  hundred  men ;  evidently 
following  Mr.  Wakefield  (p.  19),  who  considered  them  as 
"■'six  or  eight  hundred."  Maj.  P.  Parkison,  jr.  (Strictures 
on  Gov.  Ford's  Hist.),  says  he  was  "  most  shamefully  de- 
feated by  a  force  much  inferior  to  his  own ; ' '  and  J.  W.  Biddle 
(Pittsburg  Chronicle,  Ncm.  12,  1856)  uses  the  same  lan- 
guage. 

3  See  also  Drake's  Book  of  the  Indians,  Bk.  v.,  p.  149  ; 
Smith's  Wisconsin,  i.  pp.  262,  263  ;  Col.  Whittlesey's 
Recollections  of  a  Tour  through  Wisconsin  in  1832. 


Chap.  XCVII.] 


THE  BLACK  HAWK  WAR. 


429 


braves,  and  sending  the  shrill  war-whoop 
into  their  ranks  in  advance  of  his  rifle-balls 
or  tomahawks,  the  indignant  Black  Hawk 
accomplished,  in  a  few  minutes,  what  had 
been  considered  the  work  of  a  host — he 
scattered  them  in  every  direction,  and  filled 
their  minds  with  the  greatest  alarm.  A  few 
minutes  afterwards  the  main  body  of  Major 
Stillman's  command  also  came  in  sight — 
having  followed  in  pursuit  of  the  fugitive 
embassy — when  the  chief  concealed  his  forty 
braves  among  "  some  bushes,"  and,  in  con- 
cealment, awaited  its  approach,  shrewdly 
"intending  to  have  the  first  fire^'' — knowing 
its  effect  on  militia — "  when  it  approached 
close  enough."  As  Major  Stillman  halted 
on  the  prairie  before  he  came  within  gun- 
shot distance  of  the  ambuscade,  it  is  proba- 
ble he  had  discovered  the  Indians  ;  but  the 
latter  did  not  wait  for  a  development  of  his 
plans  or  for  his  fire.  Giving  another  of  their 
terrible  yells,  the  chief  and  his  little  party 
rushed  from  their  hiding-places,  and  charged 
on  the  irregular  mass  of  mounted  men,  and 
that  also — unnerved  by  the  injustice  of  the 
cause  in  which  it  was  engaged,  and  magnify- 
ing every  Indian  warrior  tenfold — also  turn- 
ed and  fled  in  the  greatest  confusion.^  The 
Indians,  of  course,  pursued  them ;  but,  al- 
though twenty-five  of  his  braves  continued 
it,  the  chief  "  found  it  useless  to  follow,  as 
they  rode  so  fast ; "  and,  after  returning  to 
his  encampment,  he  "  lighted  his  pipe,  and 
sat  down  to  thank  the  Great  Spirit  for  what 
he  had  done."  ^ 

On  the  following  day,  incited  by  the  terri- 
ble stories  of  the  fugitives,  as  they  reached 
Dixon,  after  a  flight  of  fifty  miles,  Governor 
Reynolds  issued  a  proclamation  calling  for 
an  additional  force  of  two  thousand  mounted 
Volunteers ;  ^  and  throughout  the  entire  West 
the  exaggerated  stories  of  Major  Stillman 


1  Smith's  Wisconsin,  i.  p.  262  ;  iii.  p.  172  ;  Ford's  Illi- 
nois, p.  172  ;  Col.  Backus's  Paper  ;  Autobiog.  of  Black 
Hawk,  pp.  119-123  ;  Wakefield,  pp.  19,  20  ;  Drake,  Bk. 
v.,  p.  149. 

2  Autobiography  of  Black  Hawk,  p.  119. 

3  Proclamation,  Dixon's  Ferry,  May  15,  1832. 


and  his  followers — enlarged  in  the  "  Procla- 
mation" of  Governor  Reynolds,  and  in- 
creased, in  horrible  incidents,  in  every  sub- 
sequent version — were  creating  the  greatest 
alarm.^ 

On  the  day  after  the  battle,  after  burying 
the  two  Indians,  belonging  to  the  second 
party,  who  had  been  shot,  and  one  of  the 
first  party,  who  had  shared  the  same  fate. 
Black  Hawk  visited  the  deserted  camp  of 
Major  Stillman's  party,  and  found  "arms, 
ammunition,  and  provisions,  all  of  which, 
especially  the  latter,  he  was  in  want  of" — 
the  empty  whiskey  kegs  which  he  found 
there,  creating  the  greatest  surprise,  as  he 
"  had  understood  that  all  the  pale-faces  be- 
longed to  the  temperance  societiesP^ 

In  this  action — "  t?ie  hattle  at  Stillman^ s 
Run,''''  May  fourteenth,  1832 — and  in  the 
pursuit  which  followed  it,  the  Indians  lost 
none ;  the  Yolunteers  lost  Major  Perkins, 
Captain  Adams,  and  nine  men,  and  perhaps 
twenty  horses  killed,  and  five  men  were 
wounded.^  On  the  morning  of  the  fifteenth. 
General  Whitesides,  with  his  brigade  of  Vol- 
unteers— fifteen  hundred  in  mimber — moved 
forward  to  the  battle-ground  on  Stillman's 
Run,  and  buried  the  dead ;  when  he,  too, 
without  venturing  beyond  the  bounds  of 
acknowledged  safety,  returned  to  Dixon — 
the  troops,  in  the  mean  time,  having  become 
"  dissatisfied,  and  wished  to  be  discharged 
from  the  service."*  On  the  seventeenth 
General  Atkinson  reached  Dixon's  Ferry, 
with  his  regulars  and  a  supply  of  provisions ; 
and  on  the  nineteenth,  with  the  entire  army 
— two  thousand  four  hxindred  in  number — 
he  also  advanced  up  the  Rock  River  to- 
wards the  scene  of  the  late  battle.^  The  dis- 
affection of  the  Volunteers  continued,  how- 


1  Col.  Parkison's  Pioneer  Life  in  Wisconsin  ;  Smith's 
Wisconsin,  i.  pp.  263,  264;  Wakefield,  p.  21. 

2  Autobiog.  of  Black  Hawk,  p.  1 22 ;  Smith's  Wisconsin, 
iii.  p.  172  ;  Col.  Backus's  Paper. — °  Smith's  Wisconsin,  iii. 
p.  172;  Col.  Backus's  Paper  ;  Wakefield,  p.  20  ;  Drake, 
Bk.  v.,  p.  149. — *  Smith's  Wisconsin,  iii.  p.  173  ;  Col. 
Backus's  Paper  ;  Wakefield,  pp.  22,  24. 

°  Col.  Backus's  Paper  ;  Wakefield,  p.  24. 


430 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


ever,  and  on  the  twenty-seventli  and  twenty- 
eighth  of  May  they  were  disbanded  and  dis- 
charged at  Ottawa,  by  Governor  Reynolds,^ 
leaving  the  defence  of  the  frontiers  with  the 
regular  troops,  and  with  a  small  body  of  citi- 
zens who  volunteered,  temporarily,  for  that 
purpose.^ 

In  the  mean  time  the  Indians  were  waging 
the  war  in  accordance  with  their  usages. 
The  settlements  were  visited  and  destroyed  ; 
tlie  settlers  and  their  families  were  butchered 
or  carried  away  captive ;  and,  as  has  been 
said  elsewhere,  "  the  Indians  had  now  shown 
themselves  to  be  a  courageous,  active,  and 
enterprising  enemy.  They  had  scattered 
their  war-parties  over  all  the  north,  from 
Chicago  to  Galena,  and  from  the  Illinois 
River  into  the  Territory  of  "Wisconsin ;  they 
occupied  every  grove,  waylaid  every  road, 
hung  around  every  settlement,  and  attacked 
every  party  of  white  men  that  attempted  to 
penetrate  the  country."^ 

Among  those  who  temporarily  volunteer- 
ed to  defend  the  frontiers,  on  the  discharge 
of  the  troops  at  Ottawa,  was  Adam  M.  Sny- 
der, to  whom  was  assigned  the  command  of 
a  company.  In  the  night  of  the  seventeenth 
of  June,  while  he  was  encamped  near  Burr 
Oak  Grove,  thirty-five  miles  east  from  Ga- 
lena,* he  was  fired  on  by  the  Indians ;  and, 
on  the  following  morning  {June  18),  he  went 
in  pursuit  of  them.  After  a  spirited  chase 
he  overtook  them — -four  in  number — and 
after  a  warm  engagement  and  a  vigorous 
charge,  he  succeeded  in  killing  all  of  them, 
with  the  loss  of  one  of  his  own  command.' 
It  appears,  however,  that  later  in  the  day, 
while  Captain  Snyder's  company  was  re- 
turning to  its  encampment,  the  action  was 


1  Smith's  Wisconsin,  iii.  p.  173  ;  Col.  Backus's  Paper; 
Wakefield,  p.  25.  It  does  not  appear  by  what  authority 
the  troops,  which  had  been  mustered  into  the  Federal 
service,  were  discharged  by  the  Stale  authorities. 

2  Smith's  Wisconsin,  iii.  p.  175  ;  Wakefield,  p.  25. 

'  Ford's  Illinois,  p.  128.     See  also  Autobiog.  of  Black 
Hawk,  pp.  125,  126;  Drake,  Bk.v.,  pp.  150,  151. 
♦  Smith's  Wisconsin,  iii.  p.  176  ;  Wakefield,  p.  28. 
0  Ibid.;  Drake,  Bk.  v.,  p.  152. 


renewed  by  a  larger  body  of  Indians — sev- 
enty or  eighty,  it  is  said — two  "  gentlemen  " 
of  Captain  Snyder's  command  being  killed, 
and  one  wounded,  at  the  first  fire.  The  sud- 
denness of  the  attack  and  the  loss  which  the 
company  experienced  filled  it  with  alarm, 
and  many  of  the  men,  terror-stricken,  com- 
menced a  retreat.  The  captain,  with  great 
presence  of  mind,  halted,  "  and  endeavored 
to  form  them  for  action  ; "  but  so  complete- 
ly were  they  overcome  with  fear,  that  it  was 
only  after  General  Whitesides — who  was  act- 
ing as  z,  private  in  the  company — had  threat- 
ened to  shoot  the  first  man  who  attempted 
to  run  away,  that  any  thing  like  order  could 
be  restored.^  At  length  they  formed,  and 
taking  to  the  trees,  as  the  Indians  had  done 
before  them,  the  action  was  carried  on  with 
great  warmth,  imtil  the  fall  of  the  leader  of 
the  Indians  dispirited  them  and  they  retired. 
Besides  the  loss  referred  to — one  killed — the 
Indians  appear  to  have  sustained  no  loss  in 
this  afi'air ;  while  the  whites,  besides  the  two 
"  gentlemen "  who  were  killed,  are  said  to 
have  had  one  wounded.^  Captain  Snyder 
immediately  marched  to  head-quarters  {Fort 
Wilbourne),  and  as  the  new  levy,  under 
Governor  Eeynolds'  "  Proclamation,"  had 
assembled  and  was  ready  for  duty,  the  tem- 
porary force  of  Yolunteers,  of  which  Captain 
Snyder's  company  was  part,  was  disbanded.^ 
While  these  proceedings  of  the  temporary 
volunteer  force,  in  the  vicinity  of  Kellogg's 
Grove,  were  adding  to  the  interest  of  the 
struggle — on  the  fourteenth  of  June — a  par- 
ty of  men  were  attacked  in  a  cornfield  near 
the  mouth  of  Spafibrd's  Creek,  and  five  were 
killed.  Information  of  the  afi'air  was  imme- 
diately conveyed  to  Fort  Defiance,  when 
Captain  Hoard  dispatched  an  express  to  Col- 
onel Henry  Dodge,  at  Dodgeville,  with  the 
intelligence ;  while,  at  the  same  time.  Lieu- 
tenant Charles  Bracken,  the  second  officer  of 
the  garrison,  was  dispatched  to  the  scene  of 


'  Wakefield,  p.  29  ;  Smith's  Wisconsin,  iii.  p.  176. 
»  Wakefield,  pp.  29,  30 ;  Boss's  Ogle  County,  p.  40. 
»  Wakefield,  p.  30. 


Chap.  XCVIL] 


THE  BLACK  HAWK  WAR. 


431 


tlie  massacre  witli  eleven  men — all  for  whom 
horses  could  be  obtained.  Stopping  all 
night  at  Fort  Hamilton  {Wiola,  Wis.),  on  the 
following  morning  he  was  joined  by  nine 
men,  and  with  his  entii'e  command  of  about 
twenty  men,  the  lieutenant  proceeded  to 
SpaiFoi'd's  cornfield.  After  burying  the  vic- 
tims, the  expedition  returned  to  Fort  Ham- 
ilton, where  it  found  Captain  Gentry  with  a 
few  men ;  and  on  the  next  day  {J^une  16, 
1832)  Colonel  Dodge  came  in  and  assumed 
the  command.^ 

As  the  Colonel,  with  two  friends,  ap- 
proached Fort  Hamilton,  they  met  a  Ger- 
man named  Apple — a  settler  in  that  vicinity 
— who  was  returning  to  his  log-cabin  to  pre- 
pare for  active  service ;  and,  immediately 
afterwards,  he  was  shot  by  an  enemy  con- 
cealed in  the  bushes.  As  soon  as  the  Col- 
onel reached  the  fort,  therefore,  he  sallied 
out  again,  at  the  head  of  the  party  which 
Lieutenant  Bracken  had  commanded  and  of 
Captain  Gentry's  party — twenty-eight  men 
in  all ;  and  taking  their  trail  he  pursued  the 
Indians,  overtaking  them  on  the  bank  of  the 
Pecatonica,  behind  which  they  had  conceal- 
ed themselves  under  a  sand-bank  and  in  the 
bushes.  Having  "told  ofi^"  in  sections  of 
seven,  the  fourth,  or  central  man  of  each 
section,  remained  on  horseback  and  took 
charge  of  the  horses  of  the  other  six,  while 
four  others  were  sent  on  the  neighboring 
heights  as  look-outs,  and  the  remainder  dis- 
mounted and  prepared  for  the  attack  by  re- 
newing their  flints,  repriming  their  guns, 
unbuttoning  their  shirt  collars,  and  tighten- 
ing their  belts.  When  all  were  ready.  Col- 
onel Dodge  addi'essed  them  in  a  few  homely 
sentences,  and  the  party,  in  line,  waded  the 
stream  and  entered  the  thicket.  As  soon  as 
the  position  of  the  enemy  was  seen — he  oc- 
cupied the  bed  of  a  pond,  in  front  of  which 
was  a  natural  breastwork  three  feet  in  height 
— the  order  was  given  to  "  Charge  ^em,  ioys, 
charge  'em."     Mounting  the  embankment, 

1  Drake,  Bk.  v.,  p.  151  ;  Col.  Dodge  to  Capt.  Hoard, 
June  16, 1832. 


after  having  received  the  enemy's  fire,  the 
whites  engaged  with  the  Indians  in  a  hand- 
to-hand  conflict,  before  the  latter  could  re- 
load their  pieces ;  and  with  such  spirit  was 
the  attack  conducted,  that  in  a  few  minutes, 
with  the  loss  of  three  men,  the  enemy  was 
completely  overj^owered  —  eleven  having 
been  killed  on  the  spot,  while  two  others, 
wounded,  were  tracked  rnp  the  bank  of  the 
stream,  and  were  scalped ;  and  fom-  others 
crept  beneath  the  surrounding  brushwood 
or  into  the  long  grass  on  the  neighboring 
prairie,  and  died  of  their  wounds — not  one 
of  the  seventeen  assailants  escaping  to  tell 
the  story  of  the  Battle  of  the  Pecatonica} 

While  Colonel  Dodge  was  thus  engaged 
with  the  enemy  at  Pecatonica,  Captain 
James  W.  Stephenson,  with  the  Galena 
company  of  Volunteers,  was  on  the  look-out 
for  Indians  near  the  head  of  Yellow  Creek, 
when  he  discovered  a  party  of  them,  and 
pursued  them  into  the  bushes.  The  Indians 
having  secured  the  advantage  of  position, 
immediately  stood  on  theii*  defence ;  and, 
having  lost  three  of  his  men.  Captain  Ste- 
phenson, after  a  spirited  attack,  was  obliged 
to  order  a  retreat.  He  appears  to  have 
changed  his  mind  after  he  had  withdrawn 
from  the  action,  however,  and  returned  to 
the  thicket,  charging,  a  second  and  a  third 
time,  on  the  hiding-places  of  the  enemy, 
with  greater  determination  than  success ; 
until,  having  received  a  severe  wound,  he 
was  compelled  to  retire.  It  is  not  known 
what  was  the  strength  of  the  enemy  or  his 
loss ;  and  although  the  assault  was  spirited 
and  well  contested,  the  loss  of  the  Volunteers 
indicated  a  spirited  and  gallant  defence.^ 

^Descriptions  of  this  action  can  be  found  in  Smith's 
Wisconsin,  i.  pp.  274-276  ;  Gen.  Dodge's  Report  to  Gen. 
Atkinson,  June  18,  1832  ;  Charles  Bracken's  Letter  to 
Gen.  W.  K.  Smith,  Oct.  3,  1852  ;  Edward  Beauchard's 
Narrative  ;  Col.  H.  Dodge  to  Capt.  Shearman,  June  16, 
1832;  Col.  Parkison's  Pioneer  Life;  "The  Pecatonica 
Controversy,"  between  Gen. Bracken  and  Maj. Parkison  ; 
and  in  various  other  parts  of  the  Collections  of  the  Wis. 
Hist.  Soc— "  Antobiog.  of  Black  Hawk,  pp.  128, 129 ;  Col. 
D.M.  Parkison's  Pioneer  Life  in  Wisconsin  ;  Wakefield, 
pp.  87,  38  ;  Drake,  Bk.  v.,  p.  152. 


432 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


On  the  twenty-fourtli  of  June,  Black 
Hawk,  with,  one  hundred  and  fifty  Indians, 
made  an  attack  on  Apple  River  Fort,  near 
the  present  village  of  Elizabeth,  Illinois,  and 
twelve  miles  from  Galena.  This  work  was 
a  square  stockade  of  logs  driven  into  the 
ground,  and  strengthened  with  a  block- 
house at  each  angle.  It  was  garrisoned  with 
twenty-five  men,  under  Captain  Stone,  and 
was  designed  as  a  place  of  refuge,  during  the 
night,  for  the  miners  and  their  families,  al- 
though, during  the  day,  they  attended  to 
their  aiFairs  outside  the  walls,  as  they  had 
done  before  the  war.  In  the  afternoon  of 
the  day  in  question,  an  express  of  three  men, 
on  its  way  from  Galena  to  Dixon's  Ferry, 
passed  the  fort ;  and  had  not  proceeded  more 
than  three  hundred  and  fifty  yards  before 
it  was  fired  on  by  the  Indians,  who  were 
concealed  in  the  bushes.  One  of  the  three 
was  wounded  ;  and,  although  all  were  intox- 
icated, his  comrades  covered  his  retreat  to 
the  fort,  affording  an  opportunity,  at  the 
same  time,  for  the  miners  and  their  families 
to  secure  their  safety  in  the  same  manner. 
As  the  exjDress  entered  the  fort,  the  enemy 
dismounted,  hitched  his  horses,  and  opened 
a  heavy  fire  on  it  for  upwards  of  an  hour, 
without  inflicting  any  injury  beyond  killing 
one  man  and  wounding  another.  At  length 
the  Indians  entered  the  log-houses  which 
stood  near  the  fort,  and  having  knocked 
holes  in  the  walls,  for  port-holes,  they  con- 
tinued the  fire  without  exposing  themselves 
to  that  of  the  garrison.  Finding  that  his 
rifles  were  useless  in  such  an  attack,  and 
fearing  to  set  fire  to  the  fort  or  the  houses, 
lest  the  light  or  the  smoke  should  discover 
their  position,  and  direct  the  army  or  the 
people  in  their  pursuit.  Black  Hawk  "thought 
it  more  prudent  to  be  content  with  what 
flour,  provisions,  cattle,  and  horses  he  could 
find,"  and  to  retire.  Before  doing  this,  how- 
ever, it  is  said,  the  Indians  plundered  the 
houses,  "  chopping,  splitting,  and  tearing  up 
a  quantity  of  fine  furniture."  It  is  said  by 
by  an  eye-witness,  that  "  there  was  scarcely 


a  man  or  woman  that  was  left  with  a  second 
suit  of  clothing.  They  went  into  my  father's 
house,"  he  continues ;  "  there  was  a  large 
bureau  full  of  fine  clothes,  and  they  took  six 
fine  cloth  coats  and  a  number  of  fine  ruffle- 
shirts.  "With  their  tomahawks  they  split  the 
drawers,  and  took  the  contents.  They  ripped 
open  the  bedticks,  emptied  the  feathers,  took 
all  the  bed-clothing,  and  broke  all  the  delf 
in  the  cupboards.  Some  of  the  outhouses 
were  kept  for  the  purpose  of  storing  away 
provisions  ;  they  got  into  those  houses  where 
a  number  of  flour-barrels  were  stowed  away ; 
they  would  lie  down  on  their  faces  and  roll 
a  barrel  after  them,  nntil  they  would  get 
into  a  ravine,  where  they  were  out  of 
danger,  they  then  would  empty  the  barrels 
of  flour ;  after  they  had  destroyed  this  neces- 
sary article,  and  when  they  found  they  could 
not  succeed  in  taking  the  fort  as  they  expect- 
ed, they  commenced  a  warfare  upon  the 
stock.  They  killed  all  the  cattle  that  were 
near  the  fort,  and  took  a  number  of  fine 
horses,  to  the  number  of  about  twenty,  which 
were  never  got  again  by  their  owners."  At 
length,  having  remained  before  the  fort  fif- 
teen hours,  and  done  all  the  damage  they 
could,  the  Indians  retired,  with  the  loss  of 
several  of  their  number.^ 

In  the  mean  time  the  volunteers  which 
Governor  Reynolds  had  called  for,  had  as- 
sembled at  Fort  Wilbourn,  been  organized 
into  three  brigades,  mustered  into  the  ser- 
vice of  the  United  States,  and  ordered  to 
rendezvous  at  Dixon's  Ferry.^  The  battalion 
of  spies  commanded  by  Major  John  De- 
ment, and  attached  to  the  First  brigade,  was 
ordered  to  move  forward,  as  an  advance- 
guard  ;  and  it  had  reached  Kellogg's  Grove, 
when,  on  the  morning  of  the  twenty-fifth  of 
June,  an  express  reached  that  place  report- 
ing the  existence  of  a  heavy  trail  on  the 
north  side  of  the  grove.  At  daylight  the 
Major  went  out  with  twenty-five  men  to  re- 

>  Letter  of  Capt.  Flack  to  Mr.  "Wakefield;  Drake,  Bk. 
v.,  p.  152  ;  Autobiography  of  Black  Hawk,  pp.  126,  127. 
s  Wakefield,  p.  38. 


Chap.  XCYIL] 


THE  BLACK  PIAWK  WAR. 


433 


connoitre ;  at  tlie  same  time  directing  the 
remainder  of  his  battalion  to  saddle  their 
horses  and  hold  themselves  in  readiness  to 
act  as  circumstances  might  warrant.  He 
had  not  proceeded  far  from  his  encampment 
before  he  discovered  a  small  party  of  Indians, 
when  part  of  his  men,  disregarding  his  or- 
ders, pursued  it,  and  were  drawn  into  an 
ambuscade.  The  Major  immediately  formed 
those  who  remained  with  him,  together  with 
a  few  who  had  followed  from  the  encamp- 
ment, into  a  covering  party,  and  with  them 
he  gallantly  endeavored  to  resciie  those  who 
had  been  led  into  danger.  The  yells  of  the 
enemy,  as  he  rushed  from  his  coverts,  intim- 
idated the  greater  part  of  those  who  were 
with  him,  and  they  fled,  leaving  the  Major 
to  contend  with  the  enemy,  with  but  few 
suj)porters.  "With  these  he  gallantly  resist- 
ed the  Indians,  while,  at  the  same  time,  he 
fell  back  on  the  main  body,  and  occupied  a 
line  of  log-houses,  from  which  he  was  en- 
abled to  hold  them  in  check,  until,  an  hour 
afterwards,  they  retired  with  the  loss  of  nine 
of  their  number.  Although  the  strength  of 
the  whites  was  much  greater  than  that  of 
the  Indians — the  latter  being  the  same  party, 
under  Black  Hawk,  who  had  attacked  the 
Apple  River  Fort,  on  the  preceding  day — 
and  although  the  personal  gallantry  of  the 
Major  called  forth  the  admiration  of  the 
chief  who  opposed  him,  and  afforded  an  ex- 
ample to  his  men  which  they  did  not  imi- 
tate, this  affair  has,  properly,  been  consider- 
ed a  defeat  of  the  whites,  of  whom  five  were 
killed  and  three  wounded.  Upwards  of  sixty 
horses  belonging  to  the  battalion  were  also 
killed.i 

While  Major  Dement  was  thus  engaged, 
one  of  his  men  was  sent  back  to  General 
Posey  for  assistance,  and  met  him  on  the 
road ;  but,  notwithstanding  his  march  was 
quickened,  the  Indians  had  retired  in  the 


'  Autobiography  of  Black  Hawk,  pp.  127,  128  ;  Ford's 
Illinois,  p.  129  ;  Smith's  Wisconsin,  i.  pp.  270,  271  ;  Col. 
Backus' s  Paper;  Col.  Parkison's  Pioneer  Life  in  Wiscon- 
sin; Boss's  Ogle  County,  p.  41. 
Vol.  II.— 55 


direction  of  Lake  Koshkonong  before  he 
could  reach  the  field  of  battle.^ 

During  the  succeeding  three  or  four  weeks 
the  several  divisions  of  the  forces  appear  to 
have  succeeded  in  none  of  their  undertak- 
ings. At  one  time  they  concentrated  their 
strength  in  the  vicinity  of  Koshkonong  Lake 
— probably  for  the  purpose  of  inclosing  the 
enemy  who  was  supposed  to  have  been 
there ;  ^  and  at  another,  finding  that  Black 
Hawk  had  slipped  away  from  them  and  scat- 
tered his  forces,  they  too  separated,  and  went 
in  different  directions  in  pursuit  of  the  frag- 
ments of  their  enemy's  party .^  At  one  time 
the  several  divisions,  in  full  pursuit,  promised 
a  speedy  termination  of  the  conflict ;  at  an- 
other, a  few  days  afterwards,  they  were 
brought  to  a  sudden  halt  for  the  want  of 
supplies,*  or,  the  victims  of  Indian  shrewd- 
ness—the deception  of  an  enemy  can  be 
called  nothing  more  than  this — in  leading 
them  into  quagmires  and  over  streams 
which,  without  bridges,  were  impassable.® 

At  the  same  time  the  Indians  were  not  in 
a  condition  to  take  complete  advantage  of 
these  delays  and  mistakes.  Originally  en- 
tering Illinois  without  a  hostile  intent,  and 
accomj)anied  with  their  women  and  children, 
and  all  their  worldly  effects — a  people  re- 
turning to  the  homes  of  their  fathers,  as  the 
Israelites  returned  from  Egypt — they  had 
been  forced  into  a  war,  without  preparation 
or  the  opportunity  to  disencumber  them- 
selves of  their  families ;  and  they  were  not 
only  checked  in  their  movements  from  this 
cause,  but  they  were  also  suffering  for  the 
means  of  subsistence.  A  gallant  ofiicer  of 
the  army,  then  with  the  troops,  has  recently 
alluded  to  the  position  of  the  Indians  on  the 

»  Smith's  Wisconsin,  i.  p.  270  ;  Col.  Backus's  Paper. 

2  Smith's  Wisconsin,  i.  p.  277  ;  iii.  p.  218  ;  Col.  Parki- 
son's Pioneer  Life  in  Wisconsin  ;  Drake,  Bk.  v.,  p.  153. 

3  Col.  Backus's  Paper  ;  Col.  Parkison's  Pioneer  Life  in 
Wisconsin  ;  Drake,  Bk.  v.,  p.  153. — ■•  Col.  Backus's  Paper; 
Gen.  Bracken's  Further  Strictures  on  '^Ford's  Hkt.  of  Illi- 
nois;"  Wakefield,  p.  74;  Drake,  Bk.  v.,  p.  153. 

6  Smith's  Wisconsin,  i.  p.  278  ;  iii.  pp.  218,  219  ;  Col. 
Backus's  Paper  ;  Col.  Parkison's  Pioneer  Life  in  Wis- 
consin. 


434 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II.' 


"Wliite  Water  and  Rock  Rivers,  and  said 
that  "  liere  they  found  some  game,  roots,  and 
vegetable  substances,  on  which  they  had 
subsisted,  or  existed.  But  our  delays,  our 
marches  and  countermarches,  had  misled  and 
deceived  them,  and  had  prevented  them  from 
separating  to  hunt  or  fish ;  hence  their  sup- 
plies were  exhausted,  and  they  were  actually 
in  a  state  of  starvation.  Our  masterly  inac- 
tivity, occasioned  by  treacherous  advice  and 
want  of  stores,  had  already  conquered  them  ; 
but  we  were  not  yet  aware  of  this  fact."^ 
The  brave,  but  unfortunate.  Black  Hawk,  also 
bears  testimony  to  the  same  sad  truths. 
"  During  our  encampment  at  the  Four 
Lakes,"  he  says,  "  we  were  hard  put  to,  to 
obtain  enough  to  eat  to  support  nature. 
Situate  in  a  swampy,  marshy  country  (which 
had  been  selected  in  consequence  of  the 
great  difficulty  required  to  gain  access  there- 
to), there  was  but  little  game  of  any  sort  to 
be  found,  and  fish  were  equally  scarce.  The 
great  distance  to  any  settlement,  and  the  im- 
possibility of  bringing  supplies  therefrom,  if 
any  could  have  been  obtained,  deterred  our 
young  men  from  making  farther  attempts. 
"VVe  were  forced  to  dig  roots  and  bark  trees, 
to  obtain  something  to  satisfy  hunger  and 
keep  us  alive.  Several  of  our  old  people 
became  so  much  reduced  as  actually  to  die 
with  hunger."^ 

The  singular  spectacle  was  thus  seen  of 
two  contending  forces  severally  held  in  check 
by  the  want  of  the  means  of  support,  and  of 
each  being  ignorant  of  the  position  or  con- 
dition of  the  other.  For  the  purpose  of  re- 
lieving the  wants  of  the  whites,  Generals 
Henry  and  Alexander,  and  Colonel  Dodge, 
with  their  commands,  were  detached  to  Fort 
Winnebago  for  a  supply  of  provisions  for 
twelve  days ;  ^  while  for  the  relief  of  the 
Indians,  soon  afterwards.  Black  Hawk  "  con- 
cluded to  remove  his  women  and  children 


'  Col.  Backus,  U.  S.  A.,  who,  at  that  time,  was  an  Aid- 
de-camp  of  Gen.  Brady. — «  Autobiog.  of  Black  Hawk,  p. 
130.  Every  writer,  on  this  subject,  confirms  this  state- 
ment.—s  Col.  Backus' s  Paper  ;  Drake,  Bk.  v.,  p.  153. 


across  the  Mississippi,  that  they  might  re- 
turn to  the  Sauk  nation  again ; "  ^  while,  it 
is  probable,  he,  with  his  braves,  intended  to 
continue  the  contest. 

It  appears  that  General  Alexander  re- 
turned to  the  camp  with  the  stores,  while 
General  Henry  and  Colonel  Dodge,  with 
their  commands,  moved  tOAvards  the  Rock 
River  Rapids  in  search  of  the  enemy.  With- 
out knowing  that  the  escort  had  not  in- 
cluded the  entire  detachment,  Black  Hawk 
immediately  moved  towards  the  Wisconsin 
River,  with  the  purpose  of  descending  that 
stream  to  the  Mississippi ;  and  was  hastening 
in  that  direction  when  General  Alexander 
and  Colonel  Dodge  struck  his  trail,  and 
started  in  pursuit  of  him.^  It  is  said  that 
"  evidences  of  the  poverty  and  sufi'erings  of 
the  Indians  were  seen  upon  every  mile  of 
their  trail.  Tlie  bones  of  horses  which  had 
been  killed  to  prevent  the  starvation  of  the 
women  and  children,  were  hourly  passed, 
and  eventually  a  few  stragglers  in  their  rear 
were  discovered  "  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Wis- 
consin.^ 

At  this  moment  the  force  of  the  whites, 
under  General  Henry  and  Colonel  Dodge, 
embraced  a  thousand  men,  besides  a  bat- 
talion of  volunteers  from  Michigan  and  Ga- 
lena, and  was  well  supplied  with  stores  and 
anxious  for  the  engagement ;  *  while  that 
under  Black  Hawk  numbered  less  than  three 
hundred  half-starved  and  dispirited  war- 
riors.* A  rear-guard  of  twenty  men,  under 
Ne-a-pope,  had  been  thrown  back,  to  give 
notice  of  the  approach  of  the  whites ;  and 
the  remainder  of  the  party  was  busily  em- 
ployed in  transporting  the  women  and  chil- 
dren, the  aged  and  the  infirm,  to  an  island 


»  Autobiog.  of  Black  Hawk,  p.  130.— =  Col.  Backus's 
Paper  ;  Wakefield,  p.  61 ;  Tenney's  Early  Times  in  Wis- 
consin.— '  Col.  Backus's  Paper. 

*  Col.  Backus  says  the  brigades  of  Posey  and  Alexander 
"  consisted  of  about  1000  men,"  and  that  "  Gen.  Dodge, 
with  a  battalion  of  Michigan  and  Galena  Volunteers,  ar- 
rived on  the  opposite  bank  of  Lake  Koshkonong." 

^  Drake,  Bk.  v.,  p.  154.  It  is  exceedingly  doubtful  if 
Black  Hawk  had  more  than  300  at  any  time. 


Chap.  XCVH.] 


THE  BLACK  HAWK  WAR. 


435 


in  the  river,  Tvhen,  suddenlj — tlie  outpost 
having  been  avoided — the  head  of  the  Ainer- 
ican  column  came  in  sight.  Black  Hawk 
Tvas  thus  compelled  to  fight,  or  to  sacrifice 
his  women  and  children  and  the  helpless  of 
his  party ;  and  he  appears  to  have  acted 
j)romptly  and  honorably  in  the  emergency. 
Leaving  the  greater  part  of  his  party  to  con- 
tinue the  removal  of  their  families,  with  fifty 
braves  he  went  out  to  meet  General  Henry 
and  dispute  his  progress.  He  was  well 
mounted,  and  after  addressing  his  warriors 
in  a  few  well-timed  remarks,  he  moved  for- 
ward and  endeavored  to  secure  a  position 
on  a  high  ground,  near  by,  "  that  he  might 
have  some  advantage  over  the  whites."  ^ 

In  the  mean  time  General  Henry  had 
formed  his  troops,  and  was  ready  for  action. 
His  first  line  was  formed  with  Major  Evring's 
"  Spy  Battalion"  in  the  centre,  the  compa- 
nies under  Captains  Gentry  and  Clark  on 
the  right,  and  those  under  Captains  Camp 
and  Parkinson  on  the  left.  His  second  line 
was  composed  of  Colonel  Collins'  regiment 
in  the  centre,  with  that  under  Colonel  Jones 
on  his  left,  and  that  under  Colonel  Fry  on 
his  right.  His  men  were  all  dismounted, 
and  his  horses  were  left  in  the  rear — the 
central  man  of  each  section  of  seven  having 
been  detailed  for  that  purpose  ;  and  he  had 
formed  his  men  on  foot,  in  the  order  referred 
to,  and  had  prepared  for  action.- 

Against  this  force  Black  Hawk  and  his 
fifty  braves  moved,  without  wavering  or 
manifesting  the  least  fear — "raising  the  war- 
whoop,  screaming,  and  yelling  hideously, 
and  rushing  forward,  meeting  it  with  a 
heavy  charge."^  The  superior  force  of  the 
whites,  however,  insured  the  safety  of  their 
position  ;  and  "  with  a  tremendous  volley  of 
musketry,  accompanied  with  the  most  ter- 
rific yells  that  ever  came  from  the  head  of 
mortals,   except    from    the    savages    them- 

■  Autobiography  of  Black  Hawk,  p.  131. 
"  Wakefield,  pp.  65,  66,  68  ;  Lieut.  Bracken's  Narrative. 
=  Parkison's  Strictures  on  Ford's  History  of  Illinois  ; 
Wakefield,  p.  C8. 


selves,"^  they  succeeded  in  occupying  the 
high  ground  which  Black  Hawk  aimed  to 
secure,  and  in  diiving  the  fifty  Indians  into 
a  deep  ravine,  notwithstanding  the  deter- 
mined attempt  of  the  latter  to  turn,  first,  the 
left  of  the  American  line,  and  then  its  right. 
With  the  utmost  determination  the  fifty 
"savages"  withstood  the  three  regiments 
and  two  battalions  of  whites — but  little  less 
"savage"  than  the  former,  in  their  habits 
and  mode  of  warfare ;  and  much  more  so  in 
the  spirit  which  actuated  them — until  sun- 
set,^ when  "finding  that  the  whites  would 
not  come  near  enough  to  receive  his  fire,  in 
the  dusk  of  the  evening,  and  Tcnowing  that 
the  women  and  children  had  had  sufficient 
time  to  reach  the  island  in  the  Wisconsin,^'' 
Black  Hawk  ordered  his  warriors  to  dis- 
perse, in  different  directions,  and  to  "meet 
him  at  the  Wisconsin,"  and,  strange  as  it 
may  appear,  the  victors  "  were  not  disposed 
to  pursue  them.'''^ 

The  loss  of  the  whites,  in  this  action,  was 
one  killed  and  eight  wounded;*  and,  al- 
though the  army  supposed  that  of  the  In- 
dians to  have  been  "  about  sixty  killed  and 
a  great  number  wounded,"  there  is  no  rea- 
son to  disbelieve  Black  Hawk  when  he  says, 
"  I  defended  my  passage  over  the  Wisconsin 
with  a  loss  of  only  six  men,  though  opposed 
by  a  host  of  mounted  militia."^ 

In  recording  the  residt  of  this  engagement 
— "  the  Battle  of  Wisconsin  Heights,  Jidy 
twenty-first^  1832" — it  is  difficult  to  deter- 
mine which  to  admire  most,  the  self-sacri- 
ficing spirit  of  the  chief  and  his  fifty  braves, 
or  the  skill  and  determination  with  which 


1  Wakefield,  p.  68.  Considering  this  is  the  testimony 
of  an  officer  in  Col.  Ewing's  battalion,  it  may  be  supposed 
that  he  spoke  from  his  own  knowledge,  and  that  it  was 
not  exaggerated. — ^  Wakefield,  pp.  68,  69  ;  Autobiog.  of 
Black  Hawk,  p.  131 ;  Smith's  Wisconsin,  iii.  p.  IS! ;  Lieut. 
Bracken's  Narrative. 

=  Autobiog.  of  Black  Hawk,  pp.  131,  132.  See  also 
Smith's  Wisconsin,  iii.  p.  184. 

^  Wakefield,  p.  68;  Smith's  Wisconsin,  iii.  p.  184;  Capt. 
Este's  Statement. — '=  Autobiog.  of  Black  Hawk,  p.  132. 
The  writers  of  that  day  say  the  Indian  loss  was  much 
greater. 


436 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  IL 


tliey  accomplished  their  purposes ;  and  Black 
Hawk,  in  referring  to  it,  was  excusable  in 
indulging  in  a  little  self-gratnlation,  when 
he  remarked,  "  whatever  may  be  the  senti- 
ments of  the  white  people,  in  relation  to  this 
battle,  my  nation,  though  fallen,  will  award 
to  me  the  reputation  of  a  great  brave,  in 
conducting  it."^ 

During  the  succeeding  day  the  troops  re- 
mained on  the  field  of  battle;^  and  early  on 
the  morning  of  the  twenty-third,  they  were 
terrified  by  the  sound  of  something  on  a 
neighboring  hill-top,  which,  in  their  fright, 
they  supposed  was  an  Indian  chief,  giving 
orders  to  his  men.^  In  the  mean  time,  while 
part  of  the  Indians  descended  the  Wisconsin, 
with  the  hope  of  reaching  the  Mississippi 
more  speedily,*  Black  Hawk  and  his  band 
started  over  the  rugged  country  for  the  same 
purpose.  His  progress  was  necessarily  slow ; 
and,  having  no  means  of  support,  several  of 
his  old  men  and  little  children  perished  from 
hunger  on  the  way.®  Soon  afterwards  Gen- 
eral Atkinson,  with  the  main  body  of  the 
army,  joined  in  the  pursuit  of  the  famishing 
"  invaders  "  of  Illinois ;  and  following  their 
trail  over  the  "  rugged  country "  of  which 
the  chief  speaks,  as  will  be  seen,  he  came 
up  with  them  near  the  mouth  of  the  Bad 
Axe. 

While  the  Indians  and  their  pursuers  were 
thus  traversing  the  wilderness  towards  the 
Upper  Mississippi,  intelligence  of  the  action 
at  the  Wisconsin  Heights  was  conveyed  to 
Prairie  du  Chien  by  express,  and  Colonel 
Loomis,  the  commander  of  that  post,  imme- 
diately employed  a  steamboat  to  cruise  on 
the  river,  and  to  cut  ofi"  the  retreat  of  the 
miserable  fugitives.  This  vessel  (the  Enter- 
prise) soon  gave  place  to  a  faster  one  (the 
Wavrior) ;  and,  on  ^  the  first  of  August,  she 
discovered  the  Indians  on  the  bank  of  the 

'  Autobiog.  of  Black  Hawk,  p.  132.— «  Wakefield,  p.  69 ; 
Drake,  Bk.  v.,  pp.  154,  155.— ^  Wakefield,  pp.  71,  72. 

*  Autobiog.  of  Black  Hawk,  p.  132.  It  is  said  the 
greater  part  of  these  were  destroyed  by  a  party  of  troops 
which  had  been  sent  to  intercept  them. 

^  Autobiography  of  Black  Hawk,  p.  138. 


river,  near  the  mouth  of  the  Bad  Axe,  mak- 
ing preparations  to  cross  the  river.  Tlie 
chief  was  acquainted  with  the  captain  of  the 
vessel,  and  ordered  his  warriors  not  to  fire, 
"  as  he  intended  to  go  on  board  of  her,  so 
that  he  might  save  their  women  and  chil- 
dren ; "  and  with  this  purpose  he  displayed  a 
white  flag,  "  and  called  to  the  captain  of  the 
boat,  telling  him  to  send  his  little  canoe 
ashore,  and  let  him  come  on  board."  He 
was  hailed  from  the  boat  with  the  inquiry,  if 
they  were  Sauks  or  Winnebago es;  and  when 
he  answered  they  were  Sauks,  a  fire  was 
opened  on  him  and  his  party,  with  a  six- 
poimder,  by  Lieutenant  Kingsbury  and  a 
detachment  of  regular  troops,  who  occupied 
the  forward  deck  of  the  boat.'  As  Lieuten- 
ant Kingsbury,  and  Captain  Throckmorton 
of  the  Warrior,  have  stated  that  they  saw 
the  flag,^  this  fire  appears  to  have  been  a 
wilful  violation  of  every  rule  which  governs 
the  actions  of  military  men ;  and  when 
Black  Hawk's  party  returned  the  fire  with 
their  small-arms  they  were  justified  by  every 
law,  both  military  and  civil. 

After  the  first  discharge  of  the  six-pounder, 
the  Indians  took  to  the  trees  and  returned 
the  fire,  keeping  it  up  until  the  "  Warrior " 
found  it  necessary  to  return  to  Prairie  du 
Cliien  for  another  supply  of  fuel.^ 

It  is  said  that  twenty-three  warriors  were 
killed  in  this  disgraceful  affair ;  while  of  the 
crew  of  the  Warrior,  and  the  troops  on  board 
of  her,  only  one  was  wounded.* 

On  the  following  morning  {Aug.  2),  Gen- 
eral Atkinson  and  his  force  approached  the 
Mississippi ;  and  at  an  early  hour  the  spies 
came  in  sight  of  the  Indian  outposts.  The 
latter  immediately  attempted  to  surrender 
by  exhibiting  a  white  flag,  "  but  the  whites 


»  Neil's  Hist,  of  Minnesota,  pp.  412,  413  ;  Boss's  Ogle 
Co.,  p.  47  ;  Smith's  Wisconsin,  i.  p.  282;  Autobiog.  of 
Black  Hawk,  pp.  133,  134.—'  Capt.  Throckmorton's  Let- 
ter, Prairie  du  Chien,  Aug.  2,  1882;  Lieut.  Kingsbury's 
Report,  cited  in  Drake,  Bk.  v.,  p.  156. — '  Neil's  Minnesota, 
p.  418  ;  Capt.  Este's  Narrative ;  Smith's  Wisconsin,  i.  p. 
283  ;  Autobiog.  of  Black  Hawk,  p.  184.—*  Capt.  Throck- 
morton's Letter  ;  Boss's  Ogle  Co.,  p.  47. 


Chap.  XCVII.] 


THE  BLACK  HAWK  WAR. 


437 


paid  no  attention  to  their  entreaties,  and 
commenced  slaughtering  them  ; "  when, 
forced  to  resist  or  to  submit  to  the  sacrifice, 
they  resolved  to  sell  their  lives  dearly,  and 
returned  the  fire.  The  main  body  hastening 
forward  to  support  its  light  troops,  the  In- 
dians slowly  retired,  firing  as  they  retreated, 
and  fell  back  on  their  main  body,  which  was 
on  the  bottom,  busily  employed  in  transport- 
ing the  women  and  children,  and  the  aged 
and  infirm  over  the  Mississippi.^ 

At  this  moment  the  scene  was  a  touching 
one.  In  front  were  a  people  who  had  been  led, 
by  influences  which  controlled  their  action, 
to  seek  the  recovery  of  the  homes  of  their 
fathers  which  been  fraudulently  taken  from 
them  by  the  whites ;  and  who,  in  the  course 
of  their  joui'ney,  without  provocation  on  their 
part,  and  without  any  overt  act  of  hostility, 
had  been  forced  to  resort  to  arms  in  defence 
of  their  lives  and  the  lives  of  their  families 
who  accompanied  them.  Without  friends  to 
counsel  them,  without  aid  to  strengthen  their 
force,  without  food  to  sustain  the  demands  of 
nature,  without  sympathy,  and  denounced  as 
"monsters"  of  the  most  hideous  character, 
they  had  been  hunted  from  one  j)oint  to  an- 
other with  all  the  power  of  the  Federal  gov- 
ernment, with  all  the  voluntary  strength  of 
Illinois,  Michigan,  and  Wisconsin,  and  with 
all  the  energy  of  individual  cupidity.  Seek- 
ing shelter  in  the  swamps,  they  had  sought 
existence  among  the  roots  which  they  could 
dig  up,  or  the  young  grass  which  they  boiled 
for  their  little  ones,  or  the  bark  which  they 
peeled  from  the  trees  for  those  who  requii-ed 
more  delicate  nourishment;^  or  flying,  anx- 
iously, towards  the  Mississippi,  the  boundary 
of  their  new  homes,  they  had  killed  their 
horses  for  their  families'  nourishment,  leav- 
ing nothing  but  the  bones  and  the  hair  of  the 
animals  to  tell  the  story  of  their  sufiferings.^ 


>  Galena  paper  of  Aug.  6,  1832,  cited  by  Drake.  Bk.  v., 
p.  156  ;  Lieut.  Bracken's  Narrative  ;  Autobiog.  of  Black 
Hawk,  p.  135. — ^  Col.  Whittlesey's  Recollections  of  a  Tour 
in  Wisconsin  in  1832. — *  Eye-witnesses  of  the  trail  have 
left  this  statement  on  record. 


Those  who,  from  any  cause,  had  fallen  into 
the  hands  of  their  pursuers,  had  been  "  left 
behind,"  as  it  was  heartlessly  called,  not- 
withstanding their  "  pleas  for  quarters  ; " ' 
and  when  they  had  begged  for  peace  and  shel- 
ter, and  had  urged  the  acknoAvledgment  of 
the  sacred  character  of  a  white  flag,  a  Federal 
cannon,  and  Federal  grape  and  canister,  had 
communicated  the  answer  of  the  Federal 
government  to  their  appeal  for  mercy,  and 
the  indorsement  of  the  Federal  government 
of  the  acts  of  their  spoilers.  They  were  now 
busily  engaged  in  removing  their  families  to 
their  acknowledged  homes.  With  canoes 
and  temporary  rafts,  on  horseback  or  being 
towed  over  by  their  faithful  steeds,  and  even 
by  swimming,  bearing  their  little  ones  on 
their  backs  as  they  went,  the  women  were 
eagerly  pressing  forward  to  a  place  of  sup- 
posed safety,^  while  their  husbands,  and 
fathers,  and  brothers — as  Black  Hawk  had 
done  at  the  Wisconsin — covered  the  retreat 
by  preparing  for  battle. 

Behind  these,  five  times  more  numerous 
than  they,  were  the  Federal  troops  and  the 
Yolunteers— the  latter  not  less  savage,  in 
every  respect,  than  the  Indians — wlio  were 
the  instruments  of  their  spoliation  or  the 
supporters  of  the  wrong.  The  former,  un- 
der their  experienced  and  gallant  ofiicers, 
were  but  the  instruments  of  an  unjust  policy 
of  the  government  under  whose  orders  they 
acted ;  while  the  latter,  moving  in  their  own 
cause,  were  regardless  of  discipline  or  order, 
relentless  in  their  animosities  against  an  un- 
resisting or  an  overpowered  enemy,  unrelia- 
ble, if  not  cowardly,  before  a  determined 
opponent,  and  anxious  for  the  slaughter 
rather  than  the  battle.  The  latter  had  been 
formed  in  order  of  battle — Generals  Posey 
and  Alexander,  with  their  brigades,  being 
moved  to  the  extreme  right,  up  the  river,  to 
prevent  the  escape  of  the  Lidians  in  that 
direction ;  Colonels  Jones  and  Collins,  and 
Major  Ewings,  with  their  regiments,  under 

'  Wakefield,  p.  81. — "  Col.  Backus's  Paper. 


438 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


General  Henry,  in  line,  moving  down  against 
the  Indians  ;  General  Dodge  with  liis  Volun- 
teers, and  Colonel  Zachary  Taylor  with  the 
regular  troops,  on  the  right,  being  engaged 
with  the  outposts  of  the  Indians ;  and  Col- 
onel Fry,  with  his  regiment,  covering  the 
rear.  After  a  short  contest  General  Dodge 
and  Colonel  Taylor,  with  their  commands, 
moved  to  the  left,  and  joined  the  line  in  its 
attack  on  the  main  body  of  tlie  Indians ; 
and  with  such  resolution  did  the  latter  de- 
fend themselves  and  cover  the  retreat  of 
their  families  that,  soon  afterwards,  the  com- 
panies commanded  by  Captains  Gentry, 
Gruer,  and  Eichardson,  and  the  regiment  of 
Colonel  Fry — the  former  from  Generals 
Dodge  and  Alexander  on  the  extreme  right ; 
the  latter  from  the  rear — were  found  neces- 
sary to  support  and  strengthen  the  line  of 
attack.  The  action  on  the  river  bottom  con- 
tinued but  little  longer,  when  the  Indians, 
overpowered,  either  fell  before  the  rifles  of 
their  pursuers,  or  fled  to  one  of  the  islands 
with  which  the  Mississippi,  at  this  place, 
abounds — vainly  hoping  that  they  would 
not  be  pursued. 

Unfortunately  for  the  luckless  fugitives, 
at  this  moment  (ten  in  the  morning)  the 
steamboat  Warrior  returned  to  the  scene  of 
her  exploit  on  the  preceding  evening,  and 
opened  a  fire,  with  her  cannon,  on  the  fugi- 
tives— men,  women,  and  children — -who 
were  huddled  together  on  the  islands  re- 
ferred to  ;  and,  at  the  same  time,  she  sent 
her  two  boats  to  transport  the  regular 
troops,  under  Colonel  Taylor,  to  the  islands 
to  complete  the  work  of  destruction.  As 
may  be  readily  supposed,  the  scene  no  lon- 
ger deserves  the  name  of  a  battle,  as  it  pos- 
sessed none  of  the  characteristics  of  one.  It 
was,  in  truth,  a  massacre  of  unresisting  In- 
dians, of  every  age  and  sex,  and  of  the  en- 
tire party  only  one  escaped.^ 


>  Drake,  Bk.  v.,  p   157  ;    Col.  Backus's  Paper  ;    Neil's 
Minnesota,  pp.  413,  414  ;  Boss's  Ogle  County,  pp.  47,  48  ; 


In  this  important  eiigsigevaent—" The  bat- 
tle of  the  Bad  Axe,  August  second,  1832" — ■ 
the  whites  lost  twenty -seven  killed  and 
wounded ;  while  of  the  Indians,  it  is  sup- 
posed that  one  hundred  and  fifty  were 
killed.^  It  is  said  by  an  eye-witness,  that 
"  when  the  Indians  were  driven  to  the  bank 
of  the  Mississippi,  some  hundreds  of  men, 
women,  and  children,  plunged  into  the  river, 
and  hoped  by  diving  to  escape  the  bullets  of 
our  guns.  Very  few,  however,  escaped  our 
sharp-shooters  ; "  ^  and  those  who  did  escape 
to  the  western  bank  of  the  Mississippi  were 
butchered  in  cold  blood  by  a  party  of  Dah- 
kotahs — their  hereditary  enemies — who  had 
been  brought  there,  for  that  purpose,  by  the 
Federal  ofiicers.* 

This  was  the  finishing  stroke  of  the  war. 
The  vengeance  of  the  government,  like  the 
mutterings  from  Moloch  in  the  valley  of  To- 
phet,  having  been  appeased  by  the  sacrifice 
of  the  squaws  and  their  children,  if  not  by 
that  of  the  braves  who  had  fallen  by  hunger 
or  the  rifle-ball,  no  longer  asked  for  blood ; 
while  the  settlers  in  Illinois  and  Wisconsin, 
no  longer  annoyed  by  "  the  monsters "  who 
had  dared  to  ask  a  restoration  of  the  homes 
and  the  graves  of  their  fathers,  turned  back 
to  enjoy  the  plunder  of  which  their  cruelties 
had  confirmed  the  possession.  Soon  after- 
wards the  gallant  chief — worthy  a  better 
fate — surrendered  himself  into  the  hands  of 
the  Federal  authorities;  and,  like  many  a 
patriot  in  ancient  times,  he  was  chained  to 
the  car  of  the  victor,  and  gave  eclat  to  the 
triumphal  march  of  the  conqueror  through 
the  country.* 


Smith's  Wisconsin,  i.  p.  283  ;  ii.  p.  186  ;  Lieut.  Bracken's 
and  Capt.  Este's  Statements  ;  Gen.  Bracken's  Further 
Strictures  on  Ford's  History  of  Illinois,  &c. 

1  Drake's  Book  of  Indians,  Bk.  v.,  p.  157. 

"  Letter  in  Galena  paper,  Aug.  6,  cited  by  Mr.  Drake. 

3  Neil's  Minnesota,  p.  414  ;  Boss's  Ogle  County,  p.  48  ; 
Smith's  Wisconsin,  i.  p.  284 ;  Gen.  Atkinson  to  Gen. 
Macomb,  Aug.  5,  1832. 

*  Smith's  Wisconsin,  i.  pp.  284,  285;  iii.  p.  186;  Auto- 
biography of  Black  Hawk,  pp.  136-152. 


CHAPTER    XCVIII 


December  7,  1§35,  to  April  19,  1§42. 

THE     FLORIDA     WAR. 


In  the  South,  as  well  as  in  the  West,  the 
struggle  between  the  Indians  and  the  whites 
for  the  possession  of  the  soil,  was  protracted, 
and  conducted  with  great  bitterness  of  feel- 
ing. In  the  former,  as  well  as  in  the  latter, 
the  law  of  "  might  maketh  right "  prevailed ; 
and  as  early  as  1821,  when  Florida  passed 
into  the  hands  of  the  United  States,  the  acts 
of  aggression,  on  the  part  of  the  whites, 
commenced.  The  villages  and  cultivated 
grounds  of  the  Indians — generally  among 
the  most  lovely  and  desirable  spots  in  the 
territory — were  seized  by  speculators  or  set- 
tlers ;  the  owners  of  these  homes  "  were  con- 
sidered as  undeserving  of  liberty  and  kind- 
ness ; "  and  the  most  unjust  means  were  em- 
ployed by  the  government,  and  the  most 
oppressive  by  the  white  settlers,  to  get  rid 
of  the  race  "  for  which  was  entertained  but 
little  sympathy  or  charity."  Treaty  after 
treaty,  and  negotiation  after  negotiation  fol- 
lowed, without  any  beneficial  result,  for  up- 
wards of  fourteen  years,  until  December 
seventh,  1835,  when  the  first  blow  appears 
to  have  been  strvick,  and  the  antagonistic 
forces  were  brought  in  contact. 

From  that  time,  led  by  their  several  chiefs, 
the  Indians  struggled  against  the  whites,  led 
by  the  most  distinguished  ofiicers  of  the  ar- 
my, with  great  resolution  and  bravery,  un- 
til the  nineteenth  of  April,  184:2,  when  they, 
too,  were  compelled  to  give  way  and  seek 
in  new  and  distant  countries  a  home  for 
their  wives  and  little  ones.  At  the  AUa- 
chua  Savannah  {Dec.  19,  1835),  at  Micanopy 
{Dec.  20,  1835),  on  Dade's  Battle-ground 
(Dec.  28,  1835),  at  the  Ford  of  the  Withla- 
coochie  River  {Deo.  31, 1835),  at  Dunlawtown 
{Jan.  18,  1836),  at  the  Fords  of  the  Withla- 
coochie  {I^eb.  27,  28,  and  29,  and  March  6, 
1836),  at  Oloklikaha  {March  31,  1836),  at 


Cooper's  Post  {ApHl  5  to  17,  1836),  at  Thlo- 
notosassa  Creek  {April  27, 1836),  at  Micano- 
py {June  9,  1836),  at  Welika  Pond  {Juli/  9, 
1836),  at  Ridgely's  Mill  {Jtdt/  27,  1836),  at 
Fort  Drane  {Aug.  12,  1836),  near  the  With- 
lacoochie  {JVov.  14  and  18, 1836),  at  the  Wa- 
hoo  Swamp  {JVov.  21, 1836),  at  the  Hatchee- 
luskie  Creek  {Jan.  27,  1837),  at  Camp  Mon- 
roe {Feb.  8,  1837),  at  Clear  River  {Feh  9, 
1837),  near  the  Musquito  Inlet  {Sept.  10, 
1837),  at  Okeechobee  Lake  {Dec.  25,  1837), 
at  the  Waccassassa  River  {Dec.  25, 1837),  at 
Jupiter  Creek  {Jan.  15, 1838),  at  the  Jupiter 
Inlet  {Jan.  24, 1838),  at  Newmans ville  {June 
17, 1838),  at  Carloosahatchee  {July  23, 1839), 
near  Fort  King  {April  28,  1840),  at  Leoy's 
Prairie  {May  19, 1840),  at  "Waccahoota  {Sept. 
6, 1840),  in  the  Everglades,  with  Lieutenant- 
colonel  Harney  and  his  command  {Dec.  3  to 
24,  1840),  near  Micanopy  {Dec.  28, 1840),  at 
Fort  Brooks  {March  2,  1841),  with  Captain 
"Wade's  expedition  {Nov.  6,  1841),  at  Hawe 
Creek  {Jan.  25, 1842),  at  Pilaklikaha  {April 
19,  1842),  and  at  other  places,  the  Indians 
met  the  whites,  and,  after  their  own  manner, 
fought  the  battles  of  their  own  country. 

The  record  of  these  engagements  is  full 
and  complete ;  and  many  of  the  participants 
are  still  among  us,  to  impart  more  minute 
information,  to  correct  the  errors  which  may 
have  crept  into  current  accounts  of  the  en- 
gagements, to  justify  their  own  actions,  or 
to  defend  the  memory  of  those — their  com- 
panions in  arms— who  no  longer  remain  on 
duty.  Justice  to  all  concerned— the  Indians, 
the  gallant  officers  and  soldiers  who  were 
engaged  in  the  prolonged  struggle,  the 
friends  of  those  who  no  longer  survive,  and 
the  writer  of  these  pages — should  the  same 
plan  be  adopted  in  this,  as  in  other  parts  of 
the  work — would  require  a  greater  amount  of 


440 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


space  than  can  be  allotted  to  it,  and  tlie  sub- 
ject is  reluctantly  passed  with,  a  few  general 
remarks. 

While  Spain  occupied  the  territory  of 
Florida,  the  Indians  who  inhabited  it  were 
treated  with  consideration  and  respect ;  and, 
in  return,  they  sustained  a  lucrative  trade 
witli  the  Spaniards  among  whom  they  dwelt. 
This  state  of  affairs  terminated,  however, 
when  the  United  States  entered  into  the  pos- 
session of  Florida,  and  the  Indians  quickly  un- 
derstood that  they  were  no  longer  considered 
as  important,  either  politically  or  in  a  busi- 
ness light,  as  they  had  been  by  their  former 
neighbors.  The  villages  which  had  dotted 
the  country  from  St.  Augustine  to  the  Appa- 
lachicola,  and  the  little  clearings  which  sur- 
rounded the  palmetto  cabins  of  the  Semi- 
noles,  quickly  became  the  objects  of  envy 
among  the  land  speculators  who  had  wan- 
dered over  the  country ;  and  the  Federal 
government,  the  instrument  of  politicians, 
speedily  endeavored  to  secure  them,  "  peace- 
ably if  it  could,  forcibly  if  it  must."  Agents 
were  appointed  to  negotiate,  and  "  as  the 
Indians  resisted  the  efforts  to  assemble  for 
the  purpose  of  making  a  treaty,  innumerable 
dilficulties  accumulated  from  day  to  day, 
which  pressed  heavily  upon  them  ; "  while, 
at  the  same  time,  the  arguments,  and  per- 
suasions, and  representations  of  professed 
friends — the  purchased  tools  of  the  operators 
— gradually  overcame  their  determined  op- 
position, and  they  reluctantly  entered  into  a 
"  negotiation,"  of  the  nature  and  the  effects 
of  which  they  were  both  ignorant  and  un- 
willing to  learn.  A  "  treaty  "  followed,  which 
was  subsequently  modified  by  a  supplemen- 
tal article ;  and,  as  has  been  said  by  a  faith- 
ful historian  of  the  event,  "  a  net-work  was 
thrown  around  the  Florida  Indians,  from 
which  there  was  no  escape.  Their  destiny, 
their  happiness,  and  prosperity  were  now  in 
the  hands  of  the  peopled  What  wonder, 
then,  need  there  be,  that  a  change  so  disas- 
trous to  the  Indians  should  produce  dissatis- 
faction  and   enmity  ?     What  wonder  need 


there  be  that  the  action  of  a  government 
which  is  "  actuated  more  by  the  disposition 
to  gratify  the  populace  than  to  vindicate  the 
rights  of  the  savages,"  should  result  in  war 
and  desolation  ? 

In  1824  the  limits  of  the  Indian  country 
were  curtailed ;  and  many  of  the  Indians 
were  required  to  abandon  their  homes,  and 
find  new  ones  where  proper  new  ones  could 
not  be  obtained ;  the  promised  rations,  for 
their  supply  of  food  while  preparing  their  new 
homes  for  occupation,  were  partially  with- 
held, and  great  sufferings  were  experienced 
by  the  tribes — sixteen  hundred  persons,  in- 
stead of  sixteen  hundred  rations,  as  promised, 
receiving  only  one  thousand  ;  the  imaginary 
lines  which  bounded  their  new  homes,  being 
unsurveyed,  were  innocently  crossed  by  the 
savage  hunters,  at  the  expense  of  personal 
chastisement  or  the  loss  of  their  rifles;  the 
written  passes  of  the  Indian  agent  were  dis- 
regarded, and  their  holders  shot  and  robbed 
of  their  peltry  and  their  guns  ;  and  the  tribes 
were  driven  into  hostilities  in  defence  of  the 
dearest  rights  of  mankind.  Troops  were  or- 
dered out  to  punish  "  the  Indian  outrages," 
as  they  were  styled,  and  a  general  Indian 
war  appeared  inevitable.  Fortunately,  bet- 
ter councils  prevailed — a  peace  was  imme- 
diately purchased  by  the  whites,  and  tlie 
Indians  resumed  a  friendly  intercourse.  Well 
might  it  be  said  by  a  Federal  officer,  in  view 
of  the  facts,  "any  man  who  reads  the  history 
of  this  inglorious  war  and  its  effects,  will 
learn  and  see  much  which,  as  an  American, 
a  member  of  a  nation  calling  itself  Christian, 
he  must  blush  at." 

From  that  time  forward  the  Indians  suf- 
fered great  hardships,  and  were  made  the 
victims  of  a  series  of  impositions  and  mis- 
representations. The  agents  of  the  govern- 
ment and  the  commissioners  appointed  to 
treat  with  them,  appear  to  have  made  the 
expulsion  of  the  Indians,  at  any  cost,  and 
under  any  circumstances,  the  sole  end  of 
their  appointment;  while  justice,  and  fair- 
dealing,  and  humanity,  were  not  considered, 


Chap.  XCYIIL] 


THE  FLORIDA  WAR. 


441 


and  Clinstianitj  wonld  have  blushed  to  have 
seen  the  misery  which  was  produced. 

A  delegation  which  had  visited  Arkansas 
for  the  purpose  of  examining  the  country  to 
which  it  had  been  proposed  the  Indians 
should  emigrate,  although  it  condemned  it, 
was  intrapped  into  an  approval  of  it  in  a 
cunningly-devised  "  treaty,"  of  which  the 
delegates  could  not  read  or  understand  a  syl- 
lable ;  and  when  it  was  afterwards  charged 
with  having  "  touched  the  quill,"  in  ap- 
proval of  the  emigration,  the  delegation 
vehemently  denied  it,  declared  its  dissat- 
isfaction with  the  Western  country,  and 
held  itself  in  readiness  to  oppose  the  ful- 
filment of  the  provisions  of  the  instrument 
which  bore  the  marks  of  their  approval. 
Micanopy,  Arpeika  [Sam  Jones),  Halpatter- 
Tustenuggee  {Alligator),  Jumper,  Black 
Dirt,  and  Os-se-se-he-ho-la  {Oseola,  or  Pow- 
ell), were  the  great  leaders  of  the  In- 
dians ;  and  William  P.  Duvall,  James  Gads- 
den, and  Bernard  Segui,  as  Commissioners 
in  1823,  Colonel  Brooke,  as  the  unwilling 
military  ofiicer  in  1828,  Thomas  L.  McKen- 
ney,  as  Superintendent  of  Indian  Affairs, 
Major  John  Phagan, — a  tool  of  the  specu- 
lators,—  as  Seminole  Agent,  from  March, 
1830  to  1834.  Montfort  Stokes,  Henry  L. 
Ellsworth,  and  John  F.  Schermerhorn,  Com- 
missioners in  1833,  and  General  Wiley 
Tliompson,  Seminole  Agent  in  1834,  were 
amons:  the  instrumentalities  which  were  em- 
ployed  in  intrapping  the  savages,  in  defraud- 
ing them  of  their  property,  and  in  effecting 
their  removal. 

The  farce  of  "  ratifying  the  treaty  of 
Payne's  Landing,"  and  the  "  additional 
treaty"  of  satisfaction  with  the  Western 
country,  which  had  been  secured  from  the 
delegation  at  Fort  Gibson,  Arkansas,  was 
completed  in  April,  1834,  when  General 
Clinch  was  ordered  to  Florida  to  remove 
the  victims  :  and  a  force  sufficientlv  strong 
to  overcome  the  more  obstinate  of  them,  as 
was  supposed,  was  placed  under  his  authori- 
ty.    At  the  first  council  which  followed  this 

Vol.  11.-56 


measure  the  Indians  boldly  and  plainly  de- 
clared their  determination  to  offer  resistance — 
Ossesehehola,  who,  although  not  a  chief,  was 
the  ruling  spirit,  drawing  his  knife  and  strik- 
ing it  into  the  table,  with  the  declaration — 
"  The  only  treaty  I  will  execute  is  with 
this  / "  and  all  receiving  the  information 
that  the  government  would  use  force  in  exe- 
cuting the  treaty  with  groans,  violent  ges- 
tures, and  terms  of  abuse,  and  telling  the 
Agent  that  "  it  was  a  white  man's  treaty, 
which  they  did  not  understand,  as  the  inter- 
pretation of  the  negotiation  was  false." 

In  February,  1835,  ten  companies  were 
added  to  General  Clinch's  command  ;  trans- 
ports were  prepared  at  Tampa  Bay  to  con- 
vey the  Indians  to  Ifew  Orleans ;  steamboat 
passages  up  the  Mississippi  had  been  ar- 
ranged ;  and  wagons,  for  their  transporta- 
tion from  the  mouth  of  the  Arkansas  to  Fort 
Gibson,  had  also  been  procured ;  while,  on 
the  other  hand,  the  Indians  as  resolutely  de- 
termined to  remain  in  Florida. 

In  April,  1835,  another  council  was  held, 
with  the  same  result ;  and  the  agent.  Gen- 
eral Thompson,  assumed  the  authority  of 
deposing  from  jpower,  as  chiefs,  Micanopy, 
Jumper,  Alligator,  Sam  Jones,  and  Black 
Du't,  the  leading  chiefs  of  the  nation.  This 
new  aggression,  in  attempting  to  interfere 
with  the  hereditary  rights  of  the  chiefs, 
added  fuel  to  the  flame,  and  the  most  sub- 
missive of  the  warriors  were  aroused,  and 
demanded  vengeance.  Even  the  Secretary 
of  War  and  the  President  felt  the  force  of 
the  blow,  in  its  rebound  on  the  whites ;  and, 
in  order  to  soothe  the  feelings  of  the  nation, 
the  time  for  the  removal  was  postponed. 
With  a  degree  of  forethought,  which  re- 
flected great  credit  on  the  minds  who  origi- 
nated it,  this  respite  was  employed  in  pro- 
curing and  storing  away  a  full  supply  of 
powder  and  lead,  even  after  the  agent  had 
forbidden  the  sale  of  any  of  these  articles  to 
them ;  and  the  chiefs  and  Ossesehehola  were 
not  backward  in  defying  the  power  of  the 
government  and  the  skill  of  its  officers.     On 


442 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


one  of  these  occasions  the  latter  was  seized 
by  General  Thompson,  the  agent,  put  in 
irons,  and  confined  in  Fort  King ;  but  after 
remaining  there  six  days,  he  professed  to 
have  become  satisfied  with  the  treaty,  and 
was  set  at  liberty — a  more  uncompromising 
enemy  of  the  whites,  a  more  unflinching  op- 
ponent of  their  policy,  a  more  resolute  sup- 
porter of  Indian  rights  and  of  Indian  prop- 
erty than  ever. 

The  time  fixed  for  removal  {Jan.  1,  1836) 
at  length  arrived,  but  the  deliberate  assassi- 
nation of  Charley-E-Mathlar  (a  friendly  chief, 
who  had  been  led,  by  bribes,  to  favor  emi- 
gration), by  Ossesehehola,  a  few  days  before 
that  time,  clearly  indicated  that  the  knife  of 
the  latter  was,  truly,  his  sole  negotiator. 

The  charm  of  peace  having  been  broken, 
on  the  twenty-eighth  of  December,  1835, 
General  Thompson  —  the  obnoxious  agent 
who  had  placed  Ossesehehola  in  irons  at 
Fort  King,  and  whose  sole  purpose  appeared 
to  tend  to  the  spoliation  of  the  nation — and 
Lieutenant  Smith,  his  companion,  were  shot 
and  scalped  near  Fort  King ;  and  imme- 
diately afterwards  Mr.  Rogers, — the  sutler 
at  the  fort, — and  four  others,  shared  the  same 
fate,  and  the  dwelling  and  store  of  the  former 
were  burned  to  the  ground,  also  within  sight 
of  the  same  post. 

The  "  Florida  War  "  had  fairly  commenced ; 
and  the  question  was  yet  unanswered  whether 
the  might  of  the  government,  or  the  7'ight  of 
the  Indians  should  prevail.  Black  Hawk 
and  the  Sauks,  not  less  gallant  or  less  patri- 
otic than  the  Florida  braves,  had  succumbed 
a  short  time  before,  and  the  brave  old  chief 
had  been  carried  around  the  country,  in  his 
bonds,  as  a  gazing-stock  for  the  people ;  Mi- 
canopy  and  the  Seminoles,  victims  of  a  simi- 
lar fraud,  although  still  the  occupants  of  the 
soil,  were  not  a  whit  less  patriotic  than  the 
former,  not  a  particle  less  devoted  to  their 
homes  and  their  families,  nor  surrounded  by 
a  population  which  was  more  friendly  or 
less  avaricious ;  and,  like  their  Northwestern 
brethren, — as  ISTew  York  had  done  at  Golden 


Hill  in  lYYO,  as  !N"ew  England  had  done  at 
Bunker's  Hill,  and  Yirginia  at  the  Great 
Bridge  in  1775,  and  as  I^orth  Carolina  had 
done  at  Moore's  Creek  Bridge  in  1776, — they 
resolved  to  fight  for  their  homes,  their  prop- 
erty, their  families,  and  their  rights. 

In  accordance  with  that  determination,  on 
the  twenty-eighth  of  December,  1835,  Mica- 
nopy.  Jumper,  and  Alligator,  intercepted 
two  companies  of  Federal  troops,  command- 
ed by  Major  Dade,  and  killed  eight  officers 
and  one  hundred  men,  only  two  men,  wound- 
ed, escaping  to  tell  the  terrible  tale.  In  the 
dance  which  followed  this  success,  "  the 
more  humorous  of  the  company  addressed 
speeches  to  the  scalp  of  General  Thompson, 
imitating  his  gestures  and  manner  of  talking 
to  them  in  council." 

On  the  thirty-first  of  December,  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  warriors,  under  Ossesehehola 
and  Alligator,  attacked  General  Clinch  and 
two  hundred  and  twenty-seven  men,  near 
the  ford  of  the  Withlacoochie,  killed  four 
and  wounded  forty  of  his  men,  and  com- 
pelled him  to  return  to  Fort  Drane,  with  a 
loss,  to  themselves,  of  three  killed,  and  Osse- 
sehehola and  four  wounded. 

At  this  time  other  chiefs  and  braves  began 
to  appear,  and  the  older  chiefs  gradually  fell 
back.  Among  the  former  were  Ta-ho-loo- 
chee  {The  Little  Cloud),  Ho-lar-too-chee,  Co- 
a-coo-chee  [Wild  Cat),  Thlock-lo  Tustenug- 
gee  {Tiger-tail),  ISTethlock-Mathlar,  Chekika, 
and  Octiarche ;  and  the  utmost  activity  pre- 
vailed throughout  all  the  villages  on  the 
peninsula;  while  General  Clinch,  who  was 
authorized  to  call  on  the  States  of  South 
Carolina,  Georgia,  and  Alabama,  for  any 
amount  of  force  which  he  might  consider 
necessary  to  enforce  the  provisions  of  the 
treaty  and  secure  the  removal  of  the  Indians, 
was  gradually  strengthening  himself  and 
preparing  for  the  struggle. 

During  the  siTCceeding  month  {Jan.,  1836), 
sixteen  plantations  were  destroyed  in  East 
Florida,  while  the  planters  fled  for  their 
lives  without   provision   or  property ;    and 


Chap.  XCVm.] 


THE  FLORIDA  WAR. 


443 


tlie  greatest  consternation  prevailed  among 
the  people.  At  the  same  time  General 
Gaines  prepared  to  strengthen  the  force 
which  was  already  in  Florida ;  and,  on  the 
eighth  of  February,  he  left  Ise^v  Orleans 
with  eleven  hundred  men,  reaching  Fort 
Brooke  on  the  tenth,  and  taking  the  field  on 
the  thirteenth.  As  he  carried  with  him 
only  ten  days'  provisions,  it  would  appear 
that  the  gallant  General  expected  a  speedy 
triumph ;  but  he  was  destined  to  feel  his 
own  insufiiciency.  After  a  tedious  march  to 
Fort  King,  in  search  of  provisions,  he  was 
obliged  to  return  to  Fort  Brooke  without 
them ;  and,  on  his  way,  was  intercepted  at 
the  fords  of  the  Withlacoochie,  by  Ossesehe- 
hola  and  a  strong  body  of  Avarriors,  and  was 
held  in  check  at  that  place  from  the  twenty- 
seventh  of  February  to  the  sixth  of  March — 
when  the  General  was  glad  to  postpone  the 
destruction  of  his  army  by  ofi'ering  that  he 
would  not  interfere  with  the' Indians  if  the 
latter  would  not  trouble  the  inhabitants,  a 
proposition  which  was  promptly  rejected  by 
Ossesehehola ;  and  after  having  been  joined 
by  General  Clinch  and  his  command,  which 
secured  the  retreat  of  the  army,  he  wisely 
left  Florida  without  adding  a  single  leaf  to 
his  laurels,  and  General  Clinch  retreated, 
with  the  entire  body,  to  Fort  Drane,  on  the 
following  day. 

On  the  twenty-first  of  January,  1836,  Gen- 
eral Scott  was  ordered  to  Florida  with  ample 
authority  and  unlimited  means  at  his  con- 
trol ;  and  he,  too,  expected  to  settle  the  diffi- 
culties in  a  few  days.  After  calling  for 
large  forces  from  South  Carolina,  Georgia, 
and  Alabama,  he  took  the  field  on  the  twen- 
ty-second of  February,  and  continued  in  it 
until  the  thirtieth  of  May,  when,  having  ac- 
complished nothinff,  he  too  left  the  seat  of 
war ;  and,  like  General  Gaines  before  him, 
found  more  agreeable  duties  elsewhere. 


Of  the  several  engagements  which  ensued, 
as  before  stated,  no  details  can  be  given  in 
this  work,  in  consequence  of  the  small  space 
which  has  been  allotted  to  tliis  chapter,  and 
with  the  mere  mention  of  their  usual  titles 
and  the  dates  on  which  they  were  fought, 
that  part  of  the  subject  must  be  reluctantly 
passed.  Suffice  it  to  say,  therefore,  that 
from  General  Scott  the  command  of  the 
army  passed  to  Governor  Call ;  that  soon  af- 
terwards General  Jesup  was  ordered  thither ; 
and  that,  on  the  fifteenth  of  May,  1838, 
General  Taylor  received  the  command.  On 
the  twentieth  of  May,  1839,  General  Ma- 
comb, General-in-chief  of  the  army,  arrived 
at  Fort  King  and  "  terminated  the  war,"  but 
scarcely  two  months  elapsed  before  hostili- 
ties were  renewed.  General  Taylor  again 
assumed  the  command ;  but,  on  the  twenty- 
first  of  April,  1840,  he  was  relieved,  at  his 
own  request,  by  General  Armistead,  and  on 
the  thirty-first  of  May,  1841,  the  latter  offi- 
cer gave  place  to  Colonel  William  J.  Worth, 
of  the  Eighth  infantry,  through  whose  ener- 
gy and  abilities  the  struggle  terminated  on 
the  fourteenth  of  August,  1842. 

"  Peace  was  at  last  granted  to  suffering 
Florida,  which  for  seven  years  had  been  the 
scene  of  rapine  and  murder.  The  inhabit- 
ants had  been  driven  from  their  homes,  and 
many  had  seen  their  families  massacred  by 
the  light  of  their  burning  dwellings.  Indus- 
try and  enterprise  had  forsaken  the  land, 
and  the  savage  roamed  triurnphant  in  the 
midst  of  devastation,  poverty,  and  sorrow." 

[The  reader  will  find  in  the  ver}'  excellent  work  "?%« 
origin,  progress,  and  conclusion  of  the  Florida  War.  By  Major 
John  T.  Sprague,"  every  information  on  the  subject  of 
this  war  which  a  general  inquirer  may  desire.  A  little 
work  entitled  "The  War  in  Florida.  By  a  late  Staff -officer," 
Baltimore,  1836  ;  one  entitled  ••Sketch  of  the  Seminole  War. 
By  a  Lieutenant  of  the  Left-wing,"  Charleston,  1836  ;  the 
files  of  Niles  Register  ;  and  the  various  Congressional  Docu- 
ments, will  give  farther  information  where  any  may  be 
required.] 


THE    MEXICAN     WAR. 


CHAPTER     XCIX. 

April  23,  1846. 

THE    RECONNOISSANCE    BY    CAPTAIN    THORNTON. 


During  a  long  series  of  years,  ending  with 
1845,  the  Mexican  government  and  that  of 
the  United  States  were  gradually  becoming 
more  and  more  at  variance.  It  was  claimed, 
on  the  one  hand,  and  admitted  on  the  other, 
that  wrongs  had  been  inflicted  by  the  former 
on  the  citizens  of  the  latter ;  and  treaty  had 
followed  treaty — all  alike  disregarded — for 
the  adjustment  of  the  difficulties  and  for  the 
redress  of  grievances.  This  series  of  misun- 
derstandings was  increased  by  the  annexation 
of  Texas  to  the  United  States,  and  by  the 
renewed  claim  by  the  Mexican  government 
that  the  Nueces  is  the  boundai-y  of  that  re- 
public ;  and  the  latter  had  even  threatened 
to  occupy  the  territory  between  the  Rio 
Grande  and  the  Nueces  by  force,  should  it 
be  necessary.  To  protect  the  frontiers,  there- 
fore, an  armed  force  had  occupied  Corpus 
Christi;  and,  in  March,  1846,  in  accordance 
with  the  orders  of  the  government,  that 
force,  under  General  Zachary  Taylor,  had 
moved  westward,  and  occupied  the  eastern 
bank  of  the  Eio  Grande  opposite  Matamoras ; 
strengthened  its  position  by  the  erection  of 
the  necessary  field-works  ;  and  established  a 
depot  of  supplies  at  Point  Isabel,  about  thirty 
miles  in  its  rear,  and  near  the  coast.^ 

On  the  twenty -fourth  of  April,  18-46,  Gen- 
eral Arista,  the  general-in-chief  of  the  Mexi- 
can army  of  the  North,  commanding  at 
Matamoras,  informed  General  Taylor,  oil  the 
opposite  side  of  the  Rio  Grande,  "  that  he 
considered  hostilities  commenced,  and  should 

"  President  Polk's  Annual  Message,  Dec.  8,  1846 ;   Sec- 
retary of  War's  Report,  Dec.  5,  1846. 


prosecute  them ; "  ^  and  in  accordance  with 
that  determination,  he  sent  General  Torrejon, 
with  the  Light  regiment  of  cavalry  of  Mex- 
ico, the  Eighth  regiment  of  cavalry,  the  bat- 
talion of  Sappers,  and  two  companies  of  the 
Second  light-infantry,'^  the  whole  embracing 
a  force  of  two  thousand  five  hundred  men, 
over  the  river,  at  La  Palangana,  some  miles 
above  the  position  of  General  Taylor.  It 
was  not  long  before  General  Taylor  heard  of 
the  movement ;  and,  feeling  desirous  of  gain- 
ing correct  information  concerning  the  I'e- 
ported  invasion  of  Texas,  on  the  same  day 
{April  24)  he  dispatched  Captain  Seth  B. 
Thornton,^  of  the  Second  dragoons,  with 
sixty-three  men,*  on  a  reconnoissance. 

During  that  afternoon  the  detachment 
moved  fifteen  miles,  when  it  encamped  for 
the  night ;  and  on  the  following  morning 
the  mai'ch  was  renewed.  Every  inquiry 
"  tended  to  the  conviction  that  the  enemy 
had  crossed  in  strength  ;"  and  after  proceed- 
ing thirteen  miles  farther,  the  guides  refused 
to  proceed,  compelling  the  Captain  to  go  on 
without  them.  Two  or  three  miles  farther, 
on  the  line  of  march,  the  party  discovered  a 
large  plantation,  on  the  bank  of  the  river, 
and  inclosed  with  a  high  chaparral  fence ; 
while,  near  the  upper  extremity  of  it,  were 
some  Mexicans  and  the  usual  buildings.  As 
there  appeared  to  be  no  entrance  near  the 
buildings^.  Captain  Tliornton  and  his  party 

■  Gen.  Taylor  to  Adj. -Gen.,  April  26  and  May  3,  1846. 
^  This  statement  is  made  on  the  authority  of  Gen.  Arista. 
5  The  official  report  of  this  engagement,  published  by 
order  of  Congress,  is  printed  "  T.  B.  Thornton." 
*  Gen.  Taylor  to  Adj. -Gen.,  April  26,  1846. 


■f^i 


/.' ^.^- /'■WW*  11      --•■"' 


^J^^' 


IMATJCIKG  li: 


Chap.  C] 


THE  ACTION  AT  PALO  ALTO. 


445 


passed  around  the  inclosure  to  tlie  lower  ex- 
tremity— two  hundred  yards  from  the  house, 
— when  the  Captain  halted  the  advance- 
guard,  let  down  a  pair  of  bars,  and,  imat- 
teuded,  entered  the  inclosure  to  speak  to  the 
Mexicans.  The  latter  immediately  fled,  and 
the  Captain  turned  and  beckoned  to  the  ad- 
vance-guard to  follow  him,  probably  for  the 
purpose  of  pursuing  them,  when  the  main 
body,  which  had  come  up,  supposing  the 
order  extended  to  it,  also  filed  into  the  in- 
closure, through  the  bars,  without  leaving  a 
sentinel  there,  and  without  taking  any  pre- 
cautions to  prevent  a  surprise.  The  men  im- 
mediately scattered,  without  order,  in  every 
direction,  while  the  Captain,  having  foimd  an 
old  man,  entered  into  conversation.^ 

The  entire  party  was  thus  inclosed  in  the 
field  by  a  high  chaparral  fence,  with  no 
means  of  egress  excej^t  the  open  bars  through 
which  it  had  entered,  and  without  a  sentinel 
to  give  warning  of  approaching  danger,  or 
a  thought  that  such  danger  really  existed. 
At  this  moment  the  bars  were  occupied  by 
a  detachment  of  the  enemy's  force,  while 
other  portions  of  it  silently  but  completely 
surrounded  the  inclosure ;  and  before  the 
Americans  were  aware  of  the  presence  of 
the  Mexicans  their  retreat  was  wholly  cut 


off.  The  Captain  immediately  ordered  the 
command  to  charge,  leading  the  column 
himself,  but  it  was  too  late.  The  overpow- 
ering strength  of  the  enemy  gave  no  hope 
of  success ;  and,  with  his  infantry  within 
the  field  and  his  cavalry  outside,  his  fire 
was  opened  on  the  entrapped  Americans 
from  every  side.  The  troops,  led  by  Cap- 
tain Thornton,  then  turned  to  the  right  and 
dashed  around  the  inclosure,  learning,  too 
surely,  that  their  case  was  a  hopeless  one. 
They  attempted  to  tear  down  the  fence,  but 
the  Mexicans  were  behind  it ;  they  attempt- 
ed to  swim  the  river,  but  tlieir  horses  were 
mired  in  its  boggy  margin  at  every  efi'ort. 
The  Captain's  horse  soon  afterwards  fell, 
with  his  rider  under  him,  and  the  latter,  dis- 
abled, was  taken  prisoner — Captain  Hardee 
assuming  the  command  of  the  detachment.^ 

Soon  afterwards,  perceiving  that  all  eflorts 
to  escape  would  be  fruitless,  the  comman- 
dant surrendered,  with  his  men,  prisoners  of 
war,  and  were  taken  to  Matamoras — Lieu- 
tenant Mason  and  sixteen  men  having  been 
killed  or  severely  wounded.^ 

This  was  the  first  action  (if  action  that 
may  be  called)  in  the  war  with  Mexico ; 
and,  for  that  reason,  it  possesses  more  inter- 
est than  it  would  otherwise  command. 


CHAPTER     C 


May  S,  1816. 

THE      ACTION      AT      PALO      ALTO. 


The  establishment  of  a  depot  of  supplies 
for  the  American  army  at  Point  Isabel  (or 
the  Fort  Santa  Isabel),  has  been  referred  to 
in  the  last  chapter ;  and  the  importance  of 
the  post  will  be  readily  perceived.  At  the 
same  time,  in  consequence  of  the  misfortune 
Avhich  had  befallen  the  command  of  Captain 

1  Capt.  Hardee's  Report,  April  26,  and  Capt.  Thornton's 
Report,  April  27,  1846 ;  Ripley,  i.  pp.  107,  108. 


Thornton,  as  well  as  a  similar  one  which 
had  befallen  an  outpost  between  the  camp 
and  Point  Isabel.  General  Taylor  "  was 
kept  ignorant,  in  a  great  degree,"  of  the 
movements  of  the  enemy ;  and,  while  he 
feared  the  latter  entertained  designs  against 
the  depot,  the  works  in  front  of  Matamoras 


1  Captains  Thornton  and  Hardee's  Reports. 

2  Capt.  Hardee's  Report,  April  26,  1846. 


446 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


were  not  in  a  position  to  warrant  a  move- 
ment of  the  troops.' 

In  the  mean  time  General  Arista  had  seen 
the  peculiar  position  of  General  Taylor's 
affairs,  and  he  had  resolved  to  take  advan- 
tage of  them.  By  cutting  off  the  communi- 
cation between  the  General  and  his  depot  of 
supplies,  he  wisely  considered  the  Ameri- 
cans would  be  drawn  from  before  Matamo- 
ras  for  the  purpose  of  reopening  it,  or  of 
securing  the  retreat  of  the  army ;  and  that 
for  this  purpose  a  general  engagement  would 
ensue,  in  the  result  of  which  he  felt  great 
confidence.  This  sensible  opinion,  in  view 
of  General  Taylor's  numerical  weakness, 
evinces  the  ability  of  the  Mexican  general- 
in-chief ;  and  had  he  been  seconded  by  offi- 
cers as  able  as  himself,  or  had  his  appoint- 
ments been  as  perfect  as  his  plans,  the  result 
might  have  been  very  different  from  that 
which  ensued.  With  this  object  in  view. 
General  Torrejon,  with  his  command,  was 
moved  by  a  circuitous  and  secret  march 
around  the  rear  of  the  American  camp  ; 
and  from  above  it,  following  the  course  of 
the  river,  he  suddenly  appeared  })elow  it,  in 
the  vicinity  of  Trasquila ;  at  the  same  time 
General  Arista,  leaving  General  Mejia  at 
Matamoras,  with  a  small  force,  moved  se- 
cretly down  the  west  bank  of  the  river,  with 
twelve  pieces  of  artillery  and  the  greater 
part  of  the  garrison,  to  the  raneho  Longoreno, 
fifteen  miles  below  Matamoras,  with  the  in- 
tention of  crossing  the  river  at  that  place, 
under  cover  of  General  Torrejon's  detach- 
ment ;  and  after  having  effected  a  junction 
of  the  tAvo  commands  he  designed  to  occupy 
the  line  of  communication  between  the 
American  camp  and  its  depot  of  supplies, 
and  act  as  circumstances  might  warrant. 
Unfortunately  those  to  whom  had  been  in- 
trusted the  care  of  providing  boats  for  the 
transportation  of  the  army  over  the  river, 
had  entirely  failed,  or  neglected,  to  perform 
their  duty,  and  only  two  boats  were  provided 

1  Gen.  Taylor' s  Dispatch,  No.  32,  May  3,  1846. 


for  that.  With  these,  however,  the  move- 
ment was  commenced,  and  within  twenty- 
four  hours  the  army  had  crossed  the  stream 
and  united  with  that  under  General  Tor- 
rejon.^ 

In  the  mean  time  General  Taylor  had 
hastened  the  operations  on  the  field-work 
opposite  Matamoras;  and,  leaving  Major 
Brown,  with  the  Seventh  regiment.  Captain 
Lowd's  and  Lieutenant  Bragg's  companies 
of  artillery  and  the  invalids  of  the  army,  to 
man  the  work,  at  half-past  three  in  the  after- 
noon of  the  first  of  May,  1846,  he  moved 
towards  Point  Isabel  with  the  main  body  of 
his  force.^  He  appears  to  have  been  igno- 
rant of  the  presence  of  Torrejon,  in  the 
vicinity  of  his  bivouac — ^ten  miles  from  the 
Point — and  he  reached  the  depot  at  noon, 
on  the  next  day,  "  without  discovering  any 
signs  whatever  of  the  enemy."  ^ 

While  General  Taylor  was  preparing  to 
move  from  before  Matamoras,  on  the  after- 
noon of  the  first  of  May,  General  Arista  ap- 
pears to  have  entertained  some  doubts  con- 
cerning his  destination — ^knowing  that  while 
he  might  have  determined  to  "  retreat^''  he 
also  raight  have  determined  to  advance — an 
operation  which  might  prove  disastrous  in 
the  then  weak  condition  of  the  garrison. 
He  therefore  ordered  the  battalion  of  More- 
lia  to  move  back  on  tie  town,  and  to 
strengthen  the  garrison  if  it  should  be  found 
necessary. 

It  was  not  long,  however,  that  the  move- 
ment of  General  Taylor  was  enshrouded  in 
mystery ;  and  General  Arista  learned  with 
regret,  it  is  said,  that  "  availing  himself  sud- 
denly of  the  delay  in  the  troops  crossing  the 
river.  General  Taylor  had  marched  for  Point 
Isabel."  At  length  the  Mexican  army  had 
secured  a  passage  across  the  river,  and  Gen- 
eral Arista  and  his  combined  forces  awaited 
the  return  of  the  Americans,  at  Palo  Alto. 


>  Notes  for  the  History  of  the  War,  &c. ,  from  the  Mexi- 
can, pp.  43,  44.— «  Gen.  Taylor's  Dispatch,  No.  82,  May 
3,  1846  ;  Ripley,  pp.  109,  110. 

=  Gen.  Taylor's  Dispatch,  No.  32,  May  3,  1846. 


CriAP.   C] 


THE  ACTION  AT  PALO  ALTO. 


447 


He  is  said  to  have  become  impatient,  after 
two  days'  delay,  and  "  to  tlie  end  that  Gen- 
eral Taylor  might  hnmediately  return,  he 
determined  to  make  more  critical  the  posi- 
tion of  the  Americans  abandoned  in  the 
fortification,  and  against  this,  therefore,  he 
opened  his  fires  on  the  third  to  menace  the 
place."  As  the  garrison  of  Matamoras,  at 
this  time,  was  too  weak  to  attempt  to  assault 
the  fort ;  and  as  the  Mexicans  had  nothing 
to  gain  by  the  delay,  while  in  the  reinforce- 
ments which  General  Taylor  might  possibly 
meet  at  the  Point  they  might  have  much  to 
lose,  it  appears  highly  probable  that  in  the 
absence  of  opposition  to  General  Taylor's 
downward  march,  and  in  the  opening  of  the 
fire  by  the  small  garrison  of  Matamoras,  we 
have  the  first  fruits  of  the  inefficiency  of  the 
Mexican  staff,  and  the  laudable  attempt  of 
an  intelligent  officer  to  remedy  the  evil.  On 
the  fourth  of  May  General  Arista  fell  back 
on  the  Tanques  del  Eaminero  for  a  supply 
of  water ;  while  General  Ampudia,  with  a 
detachment,  was  sent  to  oj^erate  in  front  of 
the  fort.i 

At  five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  of  the 
third  the  garrison  of  Matamoras  opened  a 
fire  on  the  detachment  which  had  been  left 
in  the  fort  by  General  Taylor ;  and  the  re- 
port of  the  artillery  was  heard,  distinctly,  at 
Point  Isabel,  creating  a  very  natural  interest 
in  the  success  of  the  defence.  Although 
General  Taylor  especially  disclaims  any  such 
emotion,  he  very  naturally  sent  out  a  de- 


'  Maj.  Eipley  has  stated  {The  War  with  Mexico,  i.  p.  Ill) 
that  the  "Fanques  del  Raiiiineio"  are  withiu  a  thousand 
yards  from  Fort  Brown  ;  and.  starting  with  that  miscon- 
ception, he  supposes  (p.  119)  Gen.  Arista,  in  person,  con- 
ducted tlie  operations  in  front  of  the  foit,  and  that,  on 
the  morning  of  tlie  8th,  he  "left  Ampudia,  for  a  time," 
to  continue  the  hlockade.  A  Mexican  map  of  the  vicinity 
of  Matamoras,  now  before  me,  shows  that  this  place  was 
about  eight  miles  northeast  from  that  town,  on  the  route 
between  Longoreiio  and  Palo  Alto  ;  while  the  Proclama- 
tion or  General  Orders,  issued  by  Gen.  Parrode  to  his  com- 
mand, stating  that  the  action  of  Palo  Alto  had  been  fought 
in  or  near  that  place,  proves  that  it  could  not  have  been 
withiu  half-gunshot  of  Fort  Brown.  Maj.  Ripley's  au- 
thorit)'  for  this  statement,  if  1  understand  him  correctl)', 
does  not  sustain  his  construction  of  its  meaning. 


tachment  to  communicate  with  the  fort ; 
and  on  its  return  he,  as  naturally,  dispatch- 
ed the  answer  of  Major  Brown,  conveying 
intelligence  of  his  w^elfare  to  the  adjiitant- 
general  of  the  army  at  Washington.^ 

At  length.  General  Taylor  having  com- 
pleted the  defences  necessary  to  secure  the 
Point  Isabel,  and  leaving  a  sufficient  force 
of  recruits  for  its  defence,  on  the  afternoon  of 
the  seventh  of  May  he  commenced  his  return 
march  to  the  encampment  opposite  Mata- 
moras. His  force  was  no  greater,  numerical- 
ly, than  when  he  went  down ;  but  he  had 
two  eighteen-pounders  mounted,  in  addition 
to  his  former  strength  of  artillery ;  and 
three  hundred  wagons  laden  with  subsist- 
ence and  ammunition  followed  in  his  train. 
His  progress  appears  to  have  been  uninter- 
rupted until  near  noon  on  the  following  day, 
when  his  advance-guard,  then  near  Palo 
Alto,  discovered  the  enemy,  and  prepara- 
tions were  made  for  immediate  action.^ 

It  ajjpears  that  the  movement  of  General 
Taylor  had  been  reported  to  General  Arista 
at  an  early  hour,  and  that  after  recalling 
General  Ampudia,  with  his  detachment,  from 
before  the  camp,  opposite  to  Matamoras,  he 
had  prepared  for  action  on  the  plain  of  Palo 
Alto.  His  right,  resting  on  a  slight  eleva- 
tion, was  a  squadron  of  the  Light  regiment  of 
Mexico  {cavalry),  on  the  left  of  which  was  a 
single  piece  of  artillery,  and  still  farther  to 
the  left,  in  a  straight  line,  in  the  order  named, 
were  the  battalion  of  Sappers,  the  Second 
regiment  of  Light-cavalry,  the  fine  battalion 
of  the  Guarda  Costa  of  Tampico,  a  battery 
of  eight  pieces  of  artillery,  and  the  First, 
Sixth,  and  Tenth  regiments  of  the  line  {in- 
fantry). These  constituted  the  right  and 
centre  of  his  line,  and  were  commanded  by 
Generals  De  la  Yega  and  Garcia.  Four  hun- 
dred yards  distant  from  the  left  of  the  cen- 
tre— which  space  was  occupied  by  two  pieces 
of  artillery — were  the  Seventh  and  Eighth 

'  Gen.  Taylor's  Dispatch,  No.  33,  May  5, 1846,  inclosing 
Maj.  Brown's  Report,  May  4. — ^  Gen.  Taylor's  Dispatches. 
Nos.  34  and  35,  May  7  and  9,  1846. 


448 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


regiments  of  cavalry,  two  squadrons  of  tlie 
Light  regiment  of  cavalry,  and  the  Presidial 
Companies,  forming,  together,  what  may  he 
called  the  left  wing  of  the  army,  imder  Gen- 
eral Torrejon,^  a  force  which  numhered,  in 
the  aggregate,  about  six  thousand  men.^ 

When  the  advance  of  General  Taylor's 
army  discovered  this  imposing  line,  stretch- 
ing across  the  plain,  with  all  the  pomp  and 
circumstance  of  untried  war,  the  intelligence 
was  conveyed  to  the  General,  and  the  col- 
umn halted.  After  a  short  rest  the  several 
regiments  were  formed  in  order  of  battle, 
the  wagon-train  being  left  in  the  rear  under 
guard  of  Captain  Ker's  squadron  of  dra- 
goons. On  the  extreme  right  of  his  line, 
General  Taylor  posted  the  Fifth  regiment, 
under  Lieutenant-colonel  McLitosh  ;  and  on 
its  left,  in  the  order  named,  were  posted 
Ringgold's  light-artillery,  the  Third  infantry, 
under  Captain  Morris,  Lieutenant  Churchill's 
eighteen-pound  battery,  and  the  Fourth  in- 
fantry, under  Lieutenant-colonel  Garland — • 
the  whole  forming  the  right  wing,  under 
Colonel  Twiggs.  The  left  wing,  under  Lieu- 
tenant-colonel Belknap,  embraced  a  battalion 
of  artillery,  serving  as  infantry,'  Captain  Dun- 
can's light-artillery,  and  the  Eighth  infantry, 
under  Lieutenant-colonel  Belknap.^ 

At  about  two  in  the  afternoon  the  line  ad- 
i  vanced  by  heads  of  regiments,  and  when  it 
had  approached  within  six  or  seven  hundred 
yards,  the  Mexican  batteries  opened  their 
fire,  and  General  Ampudia,  with  the  Fourth 
regiment  of  the  line,  a  company  of  Sappers, 
and  two  hundred  men  from  the  "  Auxiliary 
troops,"  were  thrown  in  front  to  act  as 
skirmishers  and  to  "  draw  on  the  engage- 
ment."* Perceiving  the  order  of  the  ene- 
my's position  and  his  plan  of  operations, 
General  Taylor  immediately  halted,  advanced 
his  artillery,  and  answered  the  enemy's  fire, 
driving  in  his  light  troops, — the  Fourth  regi- 


1  Notes  for  the  History,  &c.,  pp.  45,  46.-2  Qen.  Taylor's 
Dispatch,  No.  35,  May  9, 1846  ;  Sec.  Marcy's  Keport,  Dec. 
5,  1846. — 8  Ripley,  i.  p,  117. — ■*  Notes  for  the  History,  &c., 
pp.  46,  47. 


ment  falling  in  on  the  left  of  the  Tenth  regi- 
ment, and  the  Sappers  and  the  "Auxiliaries," 
with  their  respective  corps,- — and  producing 
"  a  destructive  and  deadly  "  efi"ect.  It  is  said 
that  the  Mexican  troops  withstood  this  fire 
with  the  sternest  bravery ;  and  that  during 
upwards  of  an  hour  this  terrible  cannonade 
continued  with  unremitted  severity.^ 

At  length  General  Arista,  urged  forward 
by  his  officers  and  men, — who  had  become 
tired  of  the  cannonade  in  which  they  were 
exposed,  without  an  opportunity  to  defend 
themselves  or  injure  their  opponents, — de- 
termined to  pursue  a  new  and  more  active 
course.  Accordingly,  he  ordered  General 
Torrejon,  with  the  left  wing,  the  central  bat- 
tery of  two  guns,  and  a  covering  party  of 
infantry,  to  turn  the  American  right  flank. 
Perceiving  the  movement,  and  understand- 
ing the  purposes  of  the  enemy.  Major  Ring- 
gold and  Lieutenant  Churchill  opened  their 
fire  on  this  moving  column,  inflicting  a 
heavy  loss,  and  driving  it  into  the  chaparral, 
but  without  checking  its  progress ;  and  Gen- 
eral Taylor  was  obliged  to  move  the  Fifth 
regiment  from  his  extreme  right  still  farther 
to  the  right,  for  the  j)urpose  of  meeting  and 
checking  it.  The  Fifth  moved  to  its  desig- 
nated position  with  great  alacrity,  and  formed 
in  hollow  square  on  the  edge  of  the  thicket, 
immediately  behind  a  narrow  lagoon ;  and, 
soon  afterwards,  a  portion  of  General  Torre- 
jon's  cavalry,  having  turned  the  lagoon, 
came  up  on  its  right  and  rear,  unslung  its 
escopetas,  and  opened  a  noisy  but  harmless 
fire  at  short  musket-range.  A  single  well- 
directed  volley  from  one  front  of  the  square 
into  which  the  Fifth  had  been  formed,  suf- 
ficed in  this  part  of  the  field,  and  with  up- 
wards of  twenty  men  killed  or  wounded,  this 
portion  of  General  Torrejon's  cavalry  fled 
into  the  thicket,  and  were  seen  no  more  in 
that  direction.  At  the  same  time,  however, 
another  portion  of  the  Mexican  left  wing, 
which  General  Torrejon  had  moved  against 

'  Ripley,  i.  p.  118  ;  Thorpe's  Rio  Grande,  p.  82. 


Chap.  C] 


THE  ACTION  AT  PALO  ALTO. 


449 


i 


tlie  American  right  flank,  was  moving 
tlirongli  the  chaparral  still  farther  towards 
the  rear  of  tliat  flank,  threatening  the  wag- 
ons which  were  in  the  extreme  rear  of  the 
American  position,  when  Colonel  Twiggs 
moved  the  Third  regiment  of  infantry  from 
the  centre  of  the  American  right  wing  to 
meet  and  check  it — an  operation  which  was 
eminently  successful ;  as  also  was  a  similar 
movement  of  two  of  Major  Ringgold's 
guns,  under  Lieutenant  Ridgely,  which  were 
thrown  forward,  at  a  gallop,  to  check  the 
movements  of  the  two  guns  which  General 
Torrejon  had  carried  with  him.' 

During  this  demonstration  on  the  Ameri- 
can right  by  General  Torrejon  and  his  com- 
mand, the  main  bodies  of  both  armies  had 
remained  in  line,  and  continued  the  cannon- 
ade which  had  so  long  and  so  terribly  cut 
up  the  Mexican  ranks.  The  long  wiry  grass, 
rendered  more  combustible  by  the  discharges 
of  the  cannon,  had  taken  fire  from  the  burn- 
ing wads  or  the  flashes  of  the  pieces  ;  and  as 
the  sheet  of  flame  skimmed  along  the  sur- 
face of  the  plain  and  sent  its  clouds  of  smoke 
into  the  faces  of  the  Mexicans,  it  added  to 
the  sadness  of  the  spectacle,  while  it  embar- 
rassed the  operations  of  both  the  contending 
armies.  A  temporary  cessation  of  hostili- 
ties, therefore,  ensued;  and,  as  if  by  mutual 
agreement,  the  work  of  destruction  was  stay- 
ed about  an  hour.  During  this  time  both 
armies  reformed  their  lines  ;  and  both,  alike, 
appeared  to  look  forward  to  a  renewal  of 
the  conflict  with  determination.^ 

General  Arista  drew  back  his  left  wing, 
which  had  sufi^ered  so  severely  in  its  attempts 
to  turn  the  American  right ;  ^  and  with  his 

'  Notes  for  the  History,  &c..  pp.  47,  48 ;  Ripley,  i.  pp. 
118,  119  ;  Gen.  Arista's  Dispatch,  May  8,  1846. 

2  Ripley,  i.  p.  120 ;  Thorpe's  Rio  Grande,  pp.  79,  80. 

^Ripley,  i.  p.  120.  The  Notes  for  the  History,  &c.,  the 
work  of  a  company  of  Mexican  scholar.s, — and  the  part 
relating  to  this  action,  said  to  have  been  written  under 
the  direction  of  Gen.  Arista, — says  the  Mexican  right  were 
thrown  foricard.  While  this  movement  would  have  formed 
a  line  parallel  with  the  real  line,  it  would  have  been  much 
in  advance  of  the  position  he  really  occupied — the  incor- 
rectness of  which  will  be  apparent  to  every  one  who  ex- 
amines the  subject. 
Vol.  II.— 57 


extreme  right  still  occupying  the  position, 
near  the  rising  ground,  which  it  originally 
occupied,  he  formed  his  new  line  on  the 
margin  of  the  thicket.  General  Taylor,  per- 
ceiving this  change  in  the  enemy's  position, 
immediately  advanced  the  right  of  his  line, 
and  preserved,  as  nearly  as  possible,  the  rel- 
ative positions  originally  occupied  by  the 
two  armies.' 

At  length  the  artillery,  pushed  forward 
in  advance  of  the  American  line,  renewed 
its  terrible  work,  and  the  battle  was  con- 
tinued. The  Mexican  troops,  with  a  cool 
and  deliberate  bravery  which  justly' excited 
the  admiration  of  their  enemies,  steadily 
maintained  a  position,  from  Avhich,  consider- 
ing their  own  personal  inactivity,  they  might 
reasonably  have  retired  without  dishonor ; 
while  every  moment  the  batteries  of  Ring- 
gold, and  Duncan,  and  Churchill,  swept 
through  the  lines,  and  scattered  confusion 
and  death  on  every  hand.^  Soon  afterwards 
some  of  the  battalions,  becoming  impatient 
by  the  loss  which  they  sufii'ered,  fell  into 
disorder,  demanding  to  advance  against  their 
enemy  or  to  fall  back  "from  so  exposed  a 
position  ; "  and  General  Arista  so  far  yielded 
to  their  requirements  that  he  ordered  a  sec- 
ond movement  against  the  American  line. 
Accordingly  the  battalion  of  the  Guarda 
Costa,  the  Second  Light  regiment,  and  the 
fragment  of  the  Seventh  regiment  of  cavalry 
— the  latter  of  which,  after  its  repulse  on 
the  American  right,  under  General  Torrejon, 
had  reformed  on  the  right  and  rear  of  the 
main  body — the  whole  supported  by  the 
battalion  of  Sappers,  and  commanded  by 
Colonel  Montero,  moved  from  the  right 
wins:,  under  cover  of  a  concentrated  fire 
from  all  the  Mexican  batteries ;  and,  en- 
veloped in  the  smoke  which  the  burning 
grass  and  the  artillery  produced,  they  press- 
ed forward  against  the  American  left ;  while, 
at  the  same  time,  the  remainder  of  General 
Torrejon's  command — embracing  the  Eighth 

'  Maps  of  the  action  in  Ripley,  &c. — "  Ripley,  i.  p.  120. 


450 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


regiment  of  cavalry,  two  squadrons  of  the 
Liglit  regiment  of  cavalry,  and  the  Presidiales 
— which  had  formed,  after  its  repulse,  on  the 
left  and  rear  of  the  main  line,  moved  forward 
and  threatened  a  renewal  of  the  attack  on 
the  American  right.^ 

The  former  of  these  parties  had  no  sooner 
got  in  motion  than  Captain  Duncan  discov- 
ered it ;  and  having  reported  the  fact  to 
Lieutenant-colonel  Belknap,  who  command- 
ed the  American  left  wing,  with  his  battery 
at  a  gallop,  he  dashed  forward  to  the  left,  to 
check  the  enemy's  progress.  Turning  a  point 
of  blazing  grass  which  had  concealed  his 
movement,  he  suddenly  showed  himself  in 
front  of  Colonel  Montero  ;  and  with  one  sec- 
tion of  his  battery  he  opened  a  fire  on  the 
cavalry  in  his  front ;  while,  with  the  other,  a 
second  corps,  which  was  showing  itself  in 
the  chaparral,  was  also  engaged.  Compara- 
tively isolated  from  the  main  body,  and  en- 
tirely without  support,  the  gallant  Duncan 
plied  his  batteries  on  the  moving  masses  of 
the  Mexican  right  wing,  with  the  greatest 
spirit  and  determination;  while  the  latter, 
filled  with  astonishment  at  the  ubiquity  of 
the  artillerists,  whose  presence  was  so  com- 
pletely unexpected,  pulled  up  with  amaze- 
ment and  chagrin,  and  received  his  fire  with 
suUenness  and  unaccountable  inactivity. 
Soon  afterwards  the  Eighth  regiment  of  in- 
fantry and  Captain  Ker's  squadron  of  dra- 
goons came  up,  to  support  Captain  Duncan, 
and,  after  a  short  struggle,  the  Mexicans  fell 
back  in  disorder.^ 

In  the  mean  time  the  party  which  had  re- 
turned to  the  attack  on  the  American  right, 
came  in  contact  with  Lieutenant  Churchill's 
eighteen-pound  battery,  and  with  the  Third 
artillery,  under  Lieutenant-colonel  Childs, 
which  had  been  moved  up  to  support  that 
wing ;  and,  after  sustaining  the  fire  a  short 

'  Notes  for  the  History,  p.  49 ;  Eipley,  i.  pp.  120,  121  ; 
Gen.  Arista's  Dispatch,  May  8,  1846.—=  Ripley,  i.  p.  121. 


time,  it  also  fell  back  in  disorder,  and  gave 
up  the  contest.^ 

"With  the  exception  of  here  and  there  a 
straggling  fire  the  battle  of  Palo  Alto  ended 
with  these  repulses ;  and  as  it  was  then  quite 
dark,  both  parties  willingly  suspended  their 
operations  until  another  day.  The  Ameri- 
cans, reposing  on  the  battle-field  with  their 
arms  by  their  side,  were  ready  for  service  at 
a  moment's  warning ;  ^  the  Mexicans,  by  a 
detour,  occupied  the  high  ground  on  the  ex- 
treme right  of  their  original  position;^  and 
both,  alike  weary  after  the  desperate  strug- 
gle through  which  they  had  passed,  remain- 
ed quiet  until  morning. 

The  strength  of  the  Americans  in  the  ac- 
tion of  Palo  Alto  "  did  not  exceed,  all  told, 
two  thousand  three  hundred  men ;  *  while 
their  loss  was  comparatively  trifling— four 
men  killed.  Major  Ringgold,  Captain  Page, 
and  Lieutenant  Luther,  and  thirty-nine  men 
wounded."  ^  The  strength  of  the  Mexicans 
was  "four  thousand  men,  exclusive  of  the 
numerous  auxiliary  troops," ''  probably  about 
six  thousand  men  in  all  ;^  while  "two  hun- 
dred and  fifty-two  men  dispersed,  wounded, 
and  killed,"  were  reported  as  his  loss.® 

The  result  of  this  action,  while  it  refiected 
credit  on  the  Mexican  character,  greatly  dis- 
pirited the  troops ;  and,  without  apparent 
reason,  charges  of  treason  were  publicly 
made  against  one  of  the  general  officers 
present.  General  Arista  appears  to  have 
acted  coolly  and  with  consideration ;  and, 
while  the  subsequent  death  of  Major  Ring- 
gold spread  sadness  over  the  LTnited  States, 
the  fame  of  General  Taylor's  gallantry  was 
heralded  by  every  tongue. 


1  Eipley,  i.  p.  122.—''  Thorpe,  pp.  83,  84.— ^  Notes  for 
the  History,  p.  49. — <  Sec.  Marcy,  in  his  Annual  Report, 
Dec.  6, 1846,  says  it  numbered  2288.—^  Gen.  Taylor's  Dis- 
patch, No.  35,  May  9,  1846.—'  Gen.  Arista  to  Minister  of 
War  (no  date).—'  Sec.  Marcy's  Report,  Dec.  6, 1846  ;  Gen. 
Taylor's  Dispatch,  No.  35,  May  9,  1846. 

"  Gen.  Arista's  Dispatch,  May  8,  1846. 


CHAPTER     CI. 


May  9,  1846. 


THE     BATTLE     OF     RESACA     DE     LA     PAL  MA. 


As  has  been  stated  in  the  last  chapter,  the 
Mexican  army  retired  from  its  position  near 
Palo  Alto,  at  an  early  hour  on  the  morning 
of  the  ninth  of  May ;  and  at  ten  o'clock  it 
reached  a  spot  which  was  known  as  Resaca 
de  Guerrero,'  near  the  Resaca  de  la  Raima, 
where  General  Arista  had  determined  to 
await  the  movements  of  General  Taylor. 

The  position  referred  to  was  in  the  midst 
of  a  dense  wood  or  chaparral ;  and  the  ra- 
vine, which  formed  its  strength — in  shape, 
an  irregular  curve,  of  which  the  convexity 
is  towards  the  south — was  crossed,  at  nearly 
right  angles,  by  the  road  along  which  the 
American  army  would  necessarily  move ; 
while  at  either  extremity  of  it  were  pools 
of  standing  water.^  "Within  the  northern 
margin  of  this  ravine — towards  which  the 
Americans  were  approaching — and  protect- 
ed to  their  breasts  by  its  bank,  were  posted, 
on  the  right  of  the  road,  the  Sixth  and  Tenth 
regiments  of  Mexican  infantry,  the  regiment 
of  Sappers,  the  Second  regiment  of  light- 
infantry,  and  the  First  regiment  of  infantry ; 
on  the  left  of  the  road,  but  in  the  rear  of  the 
ravine,  were  posted  the  Guarda  Costa  and 
company  of  Tampico,  supported,  on  either 
flank,  by  the  Second  and  Fourth  regiments 
of  the  line ;  the  regiment  of  Canales  covered 
the  extreme  left  of  the  line,  in  the  rear  of 
the  ravine ;  and,  still  farther  in  the  rear, 
were  formed,  in  line,  the  Presidiales,  the 
Light-cavalry,  and  the  Seventh  and  Eighth 
regiments  of  cavalry.  The  companies  of 
sharp-shooters  displayed  in  front  of  the  posi- 
tion, and  three  batteries — one  of  three  guns. 


•  It  is  said,  in  the  "■Notes  for  the  History,"  &c.,  that  the 
site  of  the  battle  was  not  the  Resaca  de  la  Palma,  but  the 
Resaca  de  Guerrero,  while  the  former  was  the  site  of  the 
American  bivouac  after  the  battle. — '  Notes,  &c.,  p.  51 ; 
Eipley,  i.  pp.  125,  126  ;  Thorpe's  Kio  Grande,  p.  93. 


on  the  northern  margin  of  the  ravine  ;  and 
two,  of  two  guns  each,  on  either  side  of  the 
road,  south  of  the  ravine — defended  the  pass 
with  both  a  direct  and  cross  fires.' 

In  the  mean  time,  a  council  of  war  had 
been  called  in  the  American  camp,  and  a 
large  majority  of  its  members  had  advised 
the  adoption  of  a  defensive  course — some  pre- 
ferring to  intrench  on  the  spot,  while  others 
advised  a  retrograde  movement  to  Point 
Isabel.  Lieutenant-colonel  Belknap  and  Cap- 
tain Duncan,  however,  urged  the  propriety 
of  an  advance ;  and  General  Taylor,  adopting 
the  views  of  the  latter,  immediately  ordered 
the  necessary  preparations  for  the  march. 
The  wounded  were  sent  back  to  the  Point 
under  an  escort  of  cavalry,  commanded  by 
Lieutenant  Steele  ;  and  the  train  was  parked 
on  the  field,  and  the  First  brigade  of  artillery, 
under  Lieutenant-colonel  Childs,  and  the 
Eighth  regiment  of  infantry,  with  two  twelve- 
pounders,  were  assigned  for  its  protection.^ 

At  about  two  o'clock  the  army  moved 
from  its  position,  on  its  route  towards  Mata- 
moras,  preceded  by  Captain  "Walker's  troop 
of  Texan  Rangers,  a  small  party  of  the  Second 
dragoons,  under  Lieutenant  Pleasanton,  and 
one  hundred  and  twenty  picked  skirmishers, 
under  Captains  McCall  and  Smith,  as  an  ad- 
vance-guard ;  and  when  the  head  of  the  col- 
umn had  come  within  sight  of  the  ravine,  it 
was  brought  to  a  halt  by  a  shot  from  the 
Mexican  battery  which  was  posted  there. 
Orders  were  immediately  issued  to  Captain 
McCall  to  bring  on  the  action  ;  and,  with 
his  own  and  Captain  Smith's  commands,  he 
pressed  forward,  on  both  sides  of  the  road, 
driving  the  Mexican  sharp-shooters,  and 
harassing  those  regiments — the  Sixth   and 

'  Notes,  &c.,  p.  51.— 2  Eipley,  i.  pp.  123,  124. 


452 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  IT. 


Tentli  infantry — whose  left  flanks  covered 
the  passage  of  the  ravine.  At  the  same  time 
Lieutenant  Ridgely's  four-gun  battery  was 
ordered  forward,  and  the  Third,  Fourth,  and 
Fifth  regiments  of  infantry,  as  skirmishers, 
were  also  ordered  to  cover  the  battery  and 
engage  the  enemy,  as  circumstances  might 
require.  The  artillery  occupied  a  position 
within  three  hundred  yards  of  the  Mexican 
battery,  and  opened  and  received  a  lively 
fire,  but  the  obstruction,  by  the  intervening 
chaparral,  prevented  the  artillerists  from 
taking  their  accustomed  aim,  and  the  fire  on 
both  sides  was  not  as  eff"ective  as  usual.^ 

In  the  mean  time,  the  Fifth  and  the  left 
wing  of  the  Fourth  infantry  had  moved  for- 
ward on  the  left  of  Lieutenant  Ridgely's  bat- 
tery, and  the  Third,  with  the  right  wing  of 
the  Fourth  infantry  on  the  right  of  it,  both 
having  deployed  as  skirmishers  and  support- 
ed the  advance-guard.  Throughout  the  en- 
tire field  the  most  unceasing  confusion  pre- 
vailed ;  and  every  officer  appeared  to  exer- 
cise an  independent  command,  so  dense  was 
the  chaparral  among  which  they  moved 
against  the  enemy.  In  their  unceasing  and 
vigorous  opposition  to  the  enemy's  light 
troops,  however,  as  well  as  in  their  steady 
fire  against  the  dense  masses  of  his  infantry, 
these  several  detached  and  apparently  con- 
fused commands,  acted  with  harmony  and 
efi^ect ;  and  while  Lieutenant  Ridgely,  with 
his  battery,  was.  repeating  the  lesson  taught 
the  enemy  on  the  preceding  day,  the  infant- 
ry, scattered  among  the  briei's  and  bushes 
along  the  margin  of  the  ravine,  was  enforcing 
it  with  their  small-arms,  and  throwing  them 
into  confusion.^ 

While  the  action  was  thus  raging  in  all  its 
peculiar  fury,  the  Eighth  infantry  and  Dun- 
can's battery  were  ordered  up  from  the  in- 
trenchment  at  Palo  Alto,  and  joined  in  the 
fray ;  yet  the  admirable  position  which  the 
enemy  occupied,  prevented  the  Americans 

'  Gen.  Taylor's  Dispatch,  No.  36,  10  p.  m.,  May  9  ; 
Notes,  &c.,  p.  52;  Ripley,  i.  p.  126.— ^  Gen.  Taylor's 
Dispatch,  No.  36,  May  9  ;  Eipley,  i.  pp.  126,  127. 


from  exercising  their  powers  to  the  full  ex- 
tent, and  protected  the  Mexican  troops,  even 
under  the  disadvantages  of  a  partial  defeat.^ 
A  desperate  case,  such  as  this  was,  re- 
quires a  desperate  remedy,  and  General 
Taylor  did  not  hesitate  in  adopting  one  after 
having  seen  the  character  of  the  conflict  in 
which  his  men  were  engaged.  Ordering 
forward  Captain  Charles  A.  May  of  the 
Second  dragoons,  with  his  squadron,  he  sent 
him  to  charge  the  foremost  of  the  Mexican 
batteries,  and  to  take  it  sword  in  hand. 
Moving  down  as  far  as  the  position  occupied 
by  Lieutenant  Ridgely,  he  halted  until  that 
officer  had  di-awn  the  fire  of  the  coveted 
battery,  when  he  dashed  forward,  at  a  gal- 
lop, on  his  desperate  mission — the  observed 
of  all  observers.^  Of  this  charge  it  has  been 
said,  truly,  that  "  it  was  a  soul-stirring  sight 
to  witness  it."  "  The  dragoons  were  stripped 
of  every  unnecessary  incumbrance,"  contin- 
ues the  same  author,  "  and  they  brandished 
their  weapons  with  their  naked  arms  that 
displayed  the  well-filled  muscle  glittering 
like  the  bright  steel  they  wielded.  Captain 
May,  far  in  the  advance,  seemed  to  be  a  liv- 
ing messenger  of  death  that  Ridgely  had 
sent  from  his  battery  at  its  last  discharge. 
His  long  hair  and  beard  streamed  beneath 
his  gold-tasselled  cap,  like  the  rays  of  a 
comet ;  and  upon  his  sabre  the  tropical  sun 
glistened  with  burning  efi'ulgence.  There 
followed  in  his  lead  the  long  dark  line  of 
his  squadron ;  and,  as  his  charger  rose  upon 
the  enemy's  batteries,  the  rider  turned  to 
wave  on  his  men,  when  he  found  at  his  heels 
the  gallant  Inge,  who  answered  the  chal- 
lenge with  a  shout.  That  instant  the  enemy 
poured  a  terrible  fire  of  grape  and  canister 
from  the  upper  batteries,  which  swept  over 
the  squadron  a  cloud  of  winged  messengers 
of  death.  Eighteen  horses  and  seven  brave 
men  came  in  bloody,  mangled  masses  to  the 
earth.  Lieutenant  Sackett  whirled  from  his 
killed  horse,  sword  in  hand,  among  the  ene- 

1  Eipley,  i.  p.  128.—''  Notes,  &c.,  p.  52  ;   Ripley,  i.  pp. 
127,  128. 


Chap.  CI.] 


THE  BATTLE  OF  RESACA  DE  LA  PALMA. 


453 


my ;  and,  beyond  the  battery,  the  gallant 
Lieutenant  Inge,  mortally  wounded  by  a 
cannon-shot  in  his  throat,  wavered  for  a  mo- 
ment, and  then,  with  his  steed,  fell  headlong 
down.  But  there  was  no  checking  those 
who  lived.  On  they  rushed  with  Lieuten- 
ant Stevens,  carrying  every  thing  before 
them,  while  Captain  Graham,  Lieutenants 
Winship  and  Pleasanton,  with  their  com- 
mand, swept  to  the  left  of  the  road,  and 
leaped  over  the  battery  there  situated.  The 
Mexicans  were  completely  driven  from  their 
guns,  and  their  fire  silenced.  But  the  men 
about  these  pieces,  though  repulsed,  were 
not  beaten.  Back  they  rushed  to  them,  and 
with  their  bayonet  points  determined  to  re- 
tain them  or  die.  Captain  May  and  his 
squadron  having  accomplished  their  work, 
checked  and  scattered  themselves  among  a 
host  of  enemies  who  were  pouring  on  them 
a  galling  fire  of  musketry,  or  having  rushed 
back  to  the  guns,  commenced  ramming  home 
the  fatal  grape,  to  again  scatter  it  among 
our  ranks.  Gathering  five  or  six  men  Cap- 
tain May  charged  back  to  our  own  lines. 
As  his  tall  form  rose  and  fell  on  the  gigantic 
leaps  of  his  charger,  the  Mexicans  shrank 
from  his  powerfully  dealt  sword,  as  if  they 
had  been  assailed  by  lightning.  One  Mexi- 
can kept  his  ground,  and  vainly  tried  to 
rally  his  men  ;  despairing  of  success,  with  his 
own  hand  he  seized  a  match,  when  Captain 
May  ordered  him  to  surrender.  Discovering 
the  command  came  from  an  officer,  the  Mex- 
ican touched  his  breast  and  said,  '  General 
La  Yega  is  a  prisoner,'  at  the  same  time 
handing  his  sword  to  Captain  May.  Under 
a  galling  fire  from  the  enemy's  infantry. 
General  La  Vega  was  carried  to  our  lines  in 
charge  of  Lieutenant  Stevens  and  a  non- 
commissioned officer,  and  by  them  conduct- 
ed in  safety  to  our  rear.  Shortly  afterwards 
Captain  May  presented  the  distinguished  cap- 
tive's sword  to  the  commanding  general."  ^ 

This  daring  feat,  as  triumphant  as  it  was 
brilliant,  was  followed  up  both  by  Lieuten- 

'  Col.  Thorpe's  Our  Army  on  the  Eio  Grande,  pp.  97,  98. 


ant  Eidgely,  with  his  battery,  and  by  the 
skirmishers  ;  and  soon  afterwards  the  Eighth 
infantry,  from  Palo  Alto,  joined  in  the  con- 
test for  the  possession  of  the  battery.  With 
a  determination  worthy  of  a  better  fate  the 
Mexicans  struggled  manfully  for  the  posses- 
sion of  their  guns ;  and  step  by  step  the  pos- 
session of  the  enemy's  position  was  contested 
by  the  great  contending  forces.^  la  their 
progress  down  the  road,  in  column,  the  Fifth 
and  Eighth  regiments  were  met,  face  to  face, 
by  the  justly  celebrated  Guarda  Costa  of 
Tampico,  and  in  a  hand-to-hand  contest  of 
great  obstinacy  contended  for  the  mastery 
and  gained  it,  with  the  standard  of  the  bat- 
talion ;  and  over  the  entire  field  the  action 
raged  with  equal  violence. 

At  length  the  enemy  gave  way,  sullenly 
and  slowly  retiring  from  his  position,  and 
leaving  in  the  hands  of  the  victors  his  artil- 
lery and  its  equipments,  three  standards,  his 
camp  and  five  hundred  pack-mules,  and  his 
personal  baggage,  including  that  of  General 
Arista.^  Soon  afterwards,  although  the  pur- 
suit was  trifling,  the  dispersion  of  the  Mexi- 
can forces  became  general.  "The  soldiers 
sought  the  river  in  all  directions,  not  believ- 
ing themselves  safe  while  they  were  on  the 
other  side."  The  general-in-chief,  with  the 
cavalry,  passed  at  the  Yilla  de  Ampudia, 
while  every  place  which  afi'orded  a  means  of 
passage  was  crowded  to  excess ;  ^  and  many 
were  drowned  in  their  attempts  to  ford  or 
swim  the  stream.* 

In  this  engagement  the  loss  of  the  enemy 
has  not  been  reported,  that  of  the  Americans 
was  Lieutenants  Inge,  Cochrane,  and  Chad- 
bourne,  and  thirty-six  men  hilled  j  and  Lieu- 
tenant-colonels Payne  and  Mcintosh,  Cap- 
tains Hooe  and  Montgomery,  Lieutenants 
Dobbins,  Fowler,  Gates,  Selden,  Maclay, 
Burbank,  Morris,  and  Jordan,  and  seventy 
men  wounded.^ 

>  Notes,  &c.,  pp.  52,  53  ;  Ripley,  i.  p.  128.— "Gen.  Tay- 
lor's Dispatch,  No.  36,  May  9 ;  Ripley,  i.  p.  129. 

3  Notes,  &c.,  p.  55. — *  Ibid.,  p.  56 ;  Thorpe's  Rio  Grande, 
p.  127.—'  Gen.  Taylor's  Dispatches,  No.  36,  May  9,  and 
No.  72,  Aug.  3. 


CHAPTER     CII 


June  6,  1§46,  to  January  10,  1§17. 

THE    CONQUEST    OF    NEW   MEXICO    AND    CALIFOENIA. 


Immediately  after  tlie  opening  of  hostili- 
ties in  the  valley  of  the  Rio  Grande,  of  which 
notice  has  been  taken  in  preceding  chapters 
of  this  work,  among  the  expeditions  which 
were  organized  by  the  Federal  authorities, 
was  one  to  move  against,  and  take  possession 
of,  California  and  New  Mexico,  two  prov- 
inces, in  the  northern  part  of  the  enemy's 
country.^  The  command  of  this  expedition 
had  been  vested  in  General  Stephen  W. 
Kearney,  and  the  force  under  his  command 
— embracing  the  First  regiment  of  Missouri 
Mounted  Volunteers,  under  Colonel  Alex- 
ander W.  Doniphan ;  two  companies  of  light- 
artillery  {Captains  Weightman's  and  Fisch- 
er'*),  from  St.  Louis  ;  five  troops  of  the  First 
regiment  United  States  dragoons ;  "  The  Sa- 
clede  Rangers,"  a  volunteer  troop,  from  St. 
Louis,  and  two  companies  of  infantry  {volun- 
teers), from  Cole  and  Platte  counties,  Missouri, 
under  Captains  Augney  and  Murphy^ — six- 
teen hundred  and  fifty-eight  men  in  all,  with 
twelve  six-pounders  and  four  twelve-pound 
howitzers,  had  rendezvoused  at  Fort  Leaven- 
worth ;  and  the  most  energetic  measures  had 
been  adopted  to  insure  its  early  departure 
and  its  ultimate  success.^ 

Having  completed  all  his  arrangements, 
on  the  twenty-sixth  of  June  the  main  body 
of  this  expedition  had  moved  from  the  fort ; 
and  after  a  rapid,  but  interesting,  march  of 
eight  hundred  and  seventy-three  miles,  on 
the  eighteenth  of  August  it  entered  and  took 
possession  of  Santa  Fe,  the  capital  of  New 
Mexico — the  Mexican  forces,  four  thousand 
in  number,  which  had  been  collected  to  de- 


•  Secretary  of  War  to  Gen.  Kearney  {Confidential),  June 
3,  1846. 

"  Hughes'  Doniphan's  Expedition,  pp.  27,  36  ;  Secretary 
Marcy's  Annual  Report,  Dec.  5,  1846. 

"  Cutts'  Conquest  of  California  and  New  Mexico,  p.  36. 


fend  the  town,  having  dispersed,  without 
offering  the  least  opposition,  as  it  ap- 
proached.^ 

While  these  operations,  in  New  Mexico 
and  on  the  western  frontier  of  the  United 
States,  were  transpiring.  Brevet-captain  John 
C.  Fremont,  who  had  been  engaged  in  ex- 
plorations on  the  western  slope  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  had  also  revolutionized  the  prov- 
ince of  California ;  and,  to  some  extent,  at 
least,  had  anticipated  the  movements  of  the 
expedition  commanded  by  General  Kearney. 
The  character  of  his  mission  being  scientific 
and  peaceful,  rather  than  warlike,  he  had 
not  had  an  officer  or  soldier  of  the  regular 
army  in  his  company ;  and  his  whole  force 
had  consisted  of  sixty-two  men,  employed 
by  himself  for  security  against  the  Indians, 
and  for  procuring  subsistence  in  the  wilder- 
ness and  desert  country  through  which  he 
had  passed.  For  the  purpose  of  obtaining 
game  for  his  men,  and  grass  for  his  horses, 
in  an  uninhabited  part  of  California,  during 
the  winter  of  1845-46  he  had  solicited,  and 
obtained,  permission  from  the  Mexican  au- 
thorities to  winter  in  the  valley  of  San  Joa- 
quin ;  but  he  had  scarcely  established  him- 
self before  he  received  advices  that  the  Mex- 
ican commander  was  preparing  to  attack 
him,  under  the  pretext  that  under  the  cover 
of  a  scientific  mission  he  was  exciting  the 
American  settlers,  in  that  vicinity,  to  revolt. 
In  view  of  this  threatened  attack,  and  for 
the  purpose  of  repelling  it,  Lieutenant  Fre- 
mont immediately  occupied  a  mountain 
which  overlooked  Monterey,  although  it 
was  thirty  miles  from  that  city  ;  and  having 
intrenched   it,  and   raised   the   flag   of  the 

'  Secretary  Marcy's  Annual  Report,  Dec.  5,  1846  ; 
Gen.  Kearney  to  Adjutant-general,  Aug.  24,  1846  ;  Maj. 
Emory's  Notes  of  a  Reconnoissance  [N.  Y.  Ed.),  p.  40. 


Chap.  CII.]  CONQUEST  OF  NEW  MEXICO  AND  CALIFORNIA. 


455 


United  States,  he  awaited  the  approach  of 
the  enemy.  After  remaining  there  until  the 
tenth  of  March,  1846,  he  retired  to  the 
northward,  intending  to  march,  by  way  of 
Oregon,  to  the  United  States ;  but,  abont 
the  middle  of  May,  after  he  had  quietly 
passed  into  Oregon,  he  received  informa- 
tion, through  Samuel  Xeal  and  Levi  Sigler, 
two  hunters  who  had  been  sent  after  him 
from  Lassen's  rancho,  that  the  Mexican  gov- 
ernor of  California  was  pursuing  him,  while 
the  Indians,  by  whom  he  was  surrounded, 
instigated  by  the  enemy,  had,  soon  after- 
wards, shown  signs  of  hostility,  and  killed 
or  wounded  five  of  his  men.^ 

Under  these  circumstances,  on  the  sixth 
of  June,  1846,  Lieutenant  Fremont  had  re- 
solved to  turn  on  his  pursuers,  with  the  little 
party  under  his  command,  and  to  seek  safety 
not  merely  in  the  overthrow  of  his  pursuers, 
but  in  that  of  the  entire  government  of  Mex- 
ico in  the  province  of  California.^  Accord- 
ingly, on  the  eleventh  of  June,  Lieutenant 
Fremont,  assisted  by  Captain  Merritt  and 
fourteen  of  the  settlers,  had  attacked  and 
captured  an  escort  of  horses  destined  for 
General  Castro's  troops — Lieutenant  Ai-ce, 
fourteen  men,  and  two  hundred  horses  re- 
maining in  his  hands  as  the  trophies  of  his 
victory.^  •  On  the  fifteenth  the  military  post 
of  Sonoma  was  surprised,  and  General  Yal- 
lejo,  Captain  Yallejo,  Colonel  Greuxdon,  and 
several  other  ofiicers,  nine  pieces  of  brass 
cannon,  two  hundred  and  fifty  stand  of  mus- 
kets, and  other  stores  and  arms  were  taken  ;  * 
and,  on  the  twenty-fifth,  the  military  com- 

1  T.  0.  Larkin.  U.  S.  Consul,  to  Sec.  of  State.  March  27 
and  April  2  ;  Capt.  Fremont  to  his  wife.  "On  the  Sacra- 
mento River,  April  1,  1846  ;"  Maj.  Gillespie's  "American 
Military  Operations  in  California.  No.  1,"  in  the  San 
Francisco  GoUIen  Age.  Sept.  30.  185-5. 

'  Capt.  Fremont  to  T.  H.  Benton,  "Mission  of  Carmel, 
July  2-5.  1846;"  Sec.  Marcy's  Annual  Eeport,  Dec.  5, 
1846  —^  Capt.  Fremont  to  T.  H.  Benton,  July  25,  1846  ; 
Sec.  Marcy's  Annual  Eeport,  Dec.  5,  1846  ;  Maj.  Gilles- 
pie's "Am.  Mil.  Operations,  No.  1  ;"  Ripley,  i.  p.  291. 

«  Capt.  Fremont  to  T.  H.  Benton.  July  25,  1846  ;  Sec. 
Marcy's  Annual  Report.  Dec.  5.  1846;  Ripley,  i.  p.  291. 
Maj.  Gillespie  says  Capt.  Fremont  had  nothing  to  do  with 
the  capture  of  Sonoma. 


mandant  of  the  province,  who  had  moved 
towards  the  post,  with  a  heavy  force,  to  re- 
take it,  was  attacked  by  Lieutenant  Fremont 
and  twenty  men,  and  completely  routed.^ 
Ha"ving  thus  cleared  the  province,  north  of 
the  Bay  of  San  Francisco,  of  the  enemy,  it 
is  said,  that  on  the  fifth  of  July  Captain 
Fremont  had  assembled  the  American  set- 
tlers, at  Sonoma,  addressed  them  upon  the 
dangers  of  their  situation,  and  recommended 
a  declaration  of  independence,  and  war  on 
Mexico,  as  the  only  remedy ;  and  that  the 
hardy  frontiersmen  promptly  accepted  the 
proposal,  and  raised  the  flag  of  independent 
California^ — a  bear  and  a  star,  on  a  red 
ground. 

While  these  revolutionary  movements 
were  destroying  the  power  of  Mexico  in  the 
interior  of  the  province  of  California,  and 
the  expedition  under  General  Kearney — ig- 
norant of  the  fact  that  the  work  had  been 
done  already — was  approaching  its  eastern 
borders,  for  the  same  purpose ;  the  naval 
force  of  the  United  States  in  the  Pacific,  un- 
der Commodore  Sloat,  had  been  assisting  in 
the  work  of  conquest.  Having  heard  of  the 
opening  of  hostilities  on  the  Kio  Grande,^ 
the  Commodore — then  at  Mazatlan — hasten- 
ed, with  the  /Savannah,  to  Monterey,  in  Cali- 
fornia, where  he  arrived  on  the  second  of 
July,  and  on  the  seventh  he  took  possession 
of  the  town,  without  opposition,  the  custom- 
house was  seized,  the  American  flag  raised, 
and  California  declared  to  be  "  henceforward 
a  part  of  the  United  States."  * 

Within   a   few  days   intelligence    of  the 

'  Capt.  Fremont  to  T.  H.  Benton,  July  25,  1846  ;  Sec. 
Marcy's  Annual  Report,  Dec.  5,  1846  ;  Ripley,  i.  p.  291. 

2  Capt.  Fremont  to  T.  H.  Benton,  July  25,  1846  :  Sec. 
Marcy's  Annual  Report,  Dec.  5,  1846  ;  Ripley,  i.  pp.  291, 
292.  Maj.  Gillespie  says  that  the  flag  of  Independence 
was  raised  by  one  Ide  :  and  that  Fremont  had  nothing  to 
do  with  the  movement  or  the  meeting  ;  and  Mr.  Hughes 
{Doniphan's  Expedition,  p.  232)  agrees  with  him. 

3  Maj.  Gillespie  supposes  Com.  Sloat  was  influenced  by 
the  receipt  of  intelligence  of  the  internal  movements  among 
the  settlers ;  but  the  Commodore  {Dispatch,  July  31,  1846) 
assigns  a  different  reason,  as  stated  in  the  text. 

<  Com.  SI  oat's  Proclamation  at  Monterey  ;  Same  to  Sec- 
retary of  Navy,  July  31,  1846  ;  Ripley,  i.  p.  293. 


456 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  ,11. 


action  of  Commodore  Sloat  was  received 
by  the  revolutionary  leaders  at  Sonoma ; 
and  a  battalion  of  mounted  riflemen  which 
had  been  organized  among  them,  was  im- 
mediately moved  to  Monterey/  the  flag  of 
the  United  States  was  substituted  for  the 
bear  and  star,^  and  the  authority  of  the  Com- 
modore was  immediately  recognized.^  The 
battalion  of  moimted  riflemen  referred  to, 
on  its  arrival  at  Monterey  {July  23,  18i6), 
was  mustered  into  the  service  of  the  United 
States  by  Commodore  Stockton,  who  had 
succeeded  Commodore  Sloat  in  command  of 
the  squadron^ — Captain  Fremont  being  ap- 
pointed its  commandant,  and  Lieutenant  A. 
H.  Gillespie  of  the  marines,  its  second  ofii- 
cer^ — and  it  was  immediately  dispatched,  on 
the  sloop  of  war  Cyayie,  to  San  Diego,  for 
the  purpose  of  cutting  ofi"  the  retreat  of 
General  Castro  of  the  Mexican  service,  who 
had  encamped,  and  fortified  his  position, 
near  Ciudad  de  los  Angeles,®  while  the  Com- 
modore, with  his  sailors — who  landed  from 
the  Congress  at  San  Pedro — moved  against 
him  in  front."  The  expedition  was  eminent- 
ly successful,  as  the  Mexicans,  on  the  ap- 
proach of  the  Commodore,  immediately 
evacuated  their  camp,  and  fled  in  the  great- 
est confusion — although  most  of  the  princi- 
pal ofiicers  were  subsequently  captured — 
and,  on  the  thirteenth  of  Aiigust,  the  Ciudad 
de  los  Angeles  {^Clty  of  the  Angels)  was  occu- 
pied, also  without  opposition,  by  the  Ameri- 
can troops  and  seamen,  and  the  conquest  of 
California  was  apparently  completed.'' 

A    short    time    afterwards    Commodore 
Stockton  appointed  Captain  Fremont  gov- 


.  Capt.  Fremont  to  T.  H.  Benton,  July  25,  1846  ;  Sec. 
Mason's  Annnal  Report,  Dec.  5, 1846  ;  Com.  Sloat  to  Sec. 
of  Navy.  July  31,  1846.— ^  Sec.  Marcy's  Annual  Eeport, 
Dec.  5,  1846.—'  Com.  Stockton  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Aug.  28, 
1846  ;  Capt.  Fremont  to  T.  H.  Benton,  July  25,  1846. 

*  Com.  Stockton  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  Aug.  28,  1846  ;  Maj. 
Gillespie's  Am.  Mil.  Operations,  No.  2. — =  Com.  Stockton 
to  Capt.  Fremont,  July  23,  1846  ;  Maj.  Gillespie's  Am. 
Mil.  Operations,  No.  2. — "  Com.  Stockton  to  Sec.  of  Navy, 
Aug.  28,  1846  ;  Hughes,  p.  235.—'  Com.  Stockton  to  Sec. 
of  Navy,  Aug.  28  ;  Com.  Stockton's  Proclamation,  Aug. 
17,  1846  ;  Cutts'  Conquest  of  California,  p.  155. 


ernor  of  the  Territory  into  which,  by  the 
proclamation  of  Commodore  Sloat,  the  prov- 
ince had  been  transformed ;  while  Captain 
Gillespie  was  left,  with  nineteen  men,  in 
possession  of  Los  Angeles ;  Lieutenant  Tal- 
bot, of  the  Topograj)hical  Engineers,  with 
nine  men,  was  left  at  Santa  Barbara ;  and, 
with  his  squadron,  Commodore  Stockton 
proceeded  to  San  Francisco  ;  while  Governor 
Fremont,  on  the  eighth  of  September,  also 
moved  to  Monterey.^ 

The  main  body  had  no  sooner  left  Los 
Angeles,  than  the  Californians — who  before 
the  departure  of  the  Commodore  and  the 
Governor  had  held  secret  meetings  for  the 
purpose — rose  in  arms  for  the  expulsion  of 
the  invaders  of  their  country.  Lideed  an 
attempt  appears  to  have  been  intended  be- 
fore the  Governor  left  the  city ;  but,  by 
timely  precautions,  it  had  been  prevented  ; 
although  the  purpose  and  determination  still 
continued,  and  were  called  into  requisition 
at  a  more  convenient  season.  The  necessary 
preparations  having  been  made  for  that  pur- 
pose, under  the  directions  of  Jose  Antonio 
Carrillo,  a  professed  conspirator,  of  that  vi- 
cinity, at  an  early  hour  in  the  morning  of 
the  twenty-third  of  September,  the  quarters 
of  Captain  Gillespie  were  attacked  by  Cer- 
bulo  Varela, — a  metamorphosed  oaptain,  un- 
der Governor  Fremont, — at  the  head  of  six- 
ty-five men,  under  cover  of  a  thick  fog. 
The  morning  was  auspicious  for  such  pur- 
poses, yet  the  Captain  was  not  surprised  ; 
and  the  twenty-one  rifles  which  he  controlled 
were  quickly  brought  to  bear  on  the  assail- 
ants, who  retired,  soon  afterwards,  with  three 
of  their  number  killed  and  several  wounded  ; 
and,  at  daylight,  the  remainder  were  driven 
from  the  town,  with  the  loss  of  several  taken 
prisoners,  by  a  few  men,  under  Lieutenant 
Hensley,  and  Doctor  Gilchrist,  of  the  navy.^ 

The  insurgents  who  were  thus   expelled 
from   the   city,   formed   a   nucleus,    around 

'  Maj.  Gillespie's  Am.  Mil.  Operations,  No.  3  ;    Lieut. 
Talbot's  Letter,  Jan.  15,  1847  ;  Ripley,  i.  pp.  470,  471. 
"  Maj.  Gillespie's  American  Military  Operations,  No.  3. 


r     ^    r 


^ 


I     ?    1     " 


I      s 


Chap.  CII.]  CONQUEST  OF  NEW  MEXICO  AND  CALIFORNIA. 


4o7 


which  the  disaffected  gathered ;  and  as  the 
party  gained  strength,  day  by  day,  it  har- 
assed the  little  garrison,  and  killed  one  of  its 
number.  There  was  but  little  concert  of  ac- 
tion in  its  ranks,  however ;  and  as  the  rival 
aspirants  to  power  struggled  for  authority, 
while  the  numbers  rapidly  increased,  the 
efficiency  of  the  insurgents  was  but  slightly 
increased.  At  length,  in  a  spirit  of  compro- 
mise, Captain  Antonio  Flores  was  urged  to 
take  the  command  of  the  party,  and  reluc- 
tantly accepted  it ;  and  he  soon  found  him- 
self at  the  head  of  six  hundred  men,  armed 
with  lances,  escopetas,  and  a  brass  six-pound- 
er, light  and  well  mounted.^ 

In  the  mean  time,  the  little  gamson  had 
found  an  old  honey-combed  iron  six-pounder, 
and  had  drilled  out  the  spike,  cleaned,  and 
mounted  it,  and,  by  melting  the  lead  pipes 
of  a  distillery,  had  provided — unknown  to 
the  insurgents — thirty  rounds  of  ball  and 
grape  for  it.  Two  other  pieces  having  been 
added  to  this,  on  the  following  day,  the  little 
garrison  and  its  gallant  commander  resolved 
to  die  rather  than  surrender,  notwithstand- 
ing the  extreme  efforts  which  had  been  made 
to  strengthen  its  position,  and  the  great  fa- 
tigue which  was  incident  thereto.  To  ren- 
der his  little  party  still  more  secure,  how- 
ever, on  the  twenty-seventh  of  September 
Captain  Gillespie  withdrew  his  command 
from  his  quarters  in  the  city,  and  occupied 
a  height  which  commanded  it,  when  he 
strengthened  his  position  and  prepared  for 
an  obstinate  defence.^ 

1^0  sooner  had  this  movement  been  effect- 
ed, than  Captain  Flores  sent  Don  Eulogeo 
Cells  to  inquire  on  what  terms  Captain  Gil- 
lesjyie  would  surrender  the  city  j  and  that 
officer,  after  consulting  with  his  subordi- 
nates, answered  that  if  the  enemy  would 
propose  that  he  should  march  out  of  the  city 
with  the  honors  of  war,  colors  flying,  and 
drums  beating ;  that  he  should  take  every 
thing  with  him  ;  that  he  should  be  furnished 


>  Maj.  Gillespie's  Am.  Mil.  Operations,  No.  3. — ^  Ibid. 
Vol.  II.— 58 


with  means  for  transporting  his  baggage  and 
provisions,  at  his  own  expense  ;  and  that  the 
enemy  should  not  come  within  a  league  of 
his  party,  while  on  its  line  of  march  to  San 
Pedro,  he  would  accept  it,  while  no  other 
terms  would  be  accepted,  and  that  Captain 
Flores  would  be  held  responsible  for  any 
damage  which  might  ensue,  in  case  they 
were  rejected.  After  some  negotiation  these 
terms  were  offered  by  Captain  Flores  and 
accepted  by  Captain  Gillespie ;  and,  on  the 
twenty-ninth  of  September,  the  garrison  com- 
menced its  march ;  reached  San  Pedro  on  the 
same  evening ;  and,  on  the  fourth  of  October 
embarked  on  the  Yandalia^  after  spiking  its 
three  old  guns — an  exploit  which,  when  the 
circumstances  under  which  Captain  Gilles- 
pie occupied  Los  Angeles,  the  smallness  of 
his  force,  the  strength  of  his  opponent,  and 
the  temper  of  the  people  among  whom  he 
moved  are  taken  into  consideration,  may 
well  be  ranked  as  one  of  the  most  brilliant 
feats  of  that  remarkable  campaign.^ 

While  these  difficulties  were  sm-rounding 
Captain  Gillespie  at  Los  Angeles,  Lieuten- 
ant Talbot,  at  Santa  Barbara,  with  his  nine 
men,  was  not  less  dangerously  situated  ;  and 
when  the  former  had  made  terms  with  the 
insurgents,  Manuel  Garpio  with  two  hun- 
dred men  moved  against  Lieutenant  Talbot, 
surrounded  the  town,  and  demanded  his  sur- 
render, offering  two  hours  for  his  delibera- 
tion. As  the  men  had  resolved  that  they 
would  not  give  up  their  arms,  and  as  the 
barracks  were  untenable,  with  so  small  a 
force,  the  Lieutenant  resolved  to  abandon 
the  town  and  push  for  the  hills ;  and,  strange 
to  say,  he  marshalled  his  men  and  marched 
out  of  the  town,  without  opposition — "  those 
who  lay  on  the  road  retreated  to  the  main 
force  which  was  on  the  lower  side  of  the 
town."  Having  reached  the  hills  he  en- 
camped, and  remained  there  eight  days, 
when  the  Californians  endeavored  "  to  rout 
him  out,"  but  were  repulsed  with  the  loss  of 

'  Maj .  Gillespie's  American  Military  Operations,  No.  3. 


458 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


a  horse.  The  insurgents  then  offered  him 
his  arms  and  freedom  if  he  would  engage  to 
remain  neutral  in  the  anticipated  hostilities, 
but  "  he  sent  word  back  that  he  preferred  to 
fight."  They  next  built  fires  around  him, 
and  'burned  Mm  out  j  but  in  doing  so  they 
did  not  capture  or  injure  him,  and  he  pushed 
through  the  mountains  for  Monterey ;  and 
after  a  month's  travel,  in  which  he  endured 
unheard  of  hardships  and  suffering,  he  reach- 
ed that  place  in  safety.^ 

Intelligence  of  the  insurrection  having 
reached  Commodore  Stockton  at  San  Fran- 
cisco, and  Lieutenant-colonel  Fremont  at 
Sacramento,  both  took  immediate  steps  to 
check  its  progress  and  to  punish  the  offend- 
ers. In  conformity  with  the  Commodoi'e's 
orders  Lieutenant-colonel  Fremont  hastened 
to  San  Francisco,  whence  he  embarked,  with 
one  hundred  and  sixty  men,  on  the  ship 
Sterling^  for  Santa  Barbara,^  to  which  port 
the  frigate  Savannah,  Captain  Mervine,  had 
previously  been  ordered;^  while,  on  the 
same  day,  the  Commodore,  in  person,  sailed 
for  the  same  port  in  the  Congress} 

The  latter  vessel  reached  San  Pedro  on 
the  sixth  of  October,  and,  at  sunrise  on  the 
seventh,  Captain  Mervine  landed  with  his 
seamen  and  marines  ;  and,  after  having  been 
joined  by  Captain  Gillespie  and  his  brave- 
hearted  little  party,  he  found  himself  at  the 
head  of  three  hundred  and  ten  men,  "  as  brave 
and  valiant  as  ever  ^vere  led  to  battle  iipon 
any  field."  At  eight  o'clock  the  party  com- 
menced its  march  towards  Los  Angeles, — 
Captain  Gillespie  being  in  advance, — and 
when  the  column  reached  the  hills  of  Palo- 
verde,  the  insurgents  showed  themselves  and 
opened  a  fire  with  their  escopetas.  The 
march  was  rapid  ;  and  the  jolly  tars,  unused 
to  such  extended  journeys,  appear  to  have 
suffered  from  its  effects ;  in  consequence  of 

'  Lieut.  Talbot's  Letter,  Jan.  15,  1847.—'  Maj.  Gilles- 
pie's Am.  Mil.  Operations,  No.  4  ;  Com.  Stockton's  Ke- 
poit,  Feb.  18, 1848  ;  Lieut.  Talbot's  Letter,  Jan.  15, 1847. 

'  Maj.  Gillespie's  Am.  Mil.  Operations,  No.  3  ;  Com. 
Stockton's  Report,  Feb.  18,  1848.— ■•  Com.  Stockton's  Re- 
port, Feb.  18,  1848  ;  Ripley,  i.  p.  472. 


which,  although  the  enemy  gradually  fell 
back  before  the  advancing  column,  between 
one  and  two  o'clock,  when  near  the  Rancho 
de  los  Domingos,  fourteen  miles  from  San 
Pedro,  it  became  necessary  to  halt  and  en- 
camp for  the  night.^ 

As  may  have  been  expected,  the  sailors 
and  marines  were  ashore,  and  the  strict  dis- 
cipline which  the  deck  had  inculcated  ap- 
pears to  have  been  left  on  board  the  frigate. 
As  a  necessary  consequence  the  camp  dis- 
played but  little  of  the  order  which  such  a 
locality  should  have  insured  ;  and  many  and 
marvellous  were  the  adventures  of  that  night ; 
while,  on  the  other  hand,  the  enemy  profited 
by  the  delay,  in  the  moral  effect  of  the  disor- 
der with  which  the  march  had  been  conduct- 
ed, and  of  the  entire  absence  of  any  artillery.^ 

On  the  following  morning,  at  daylight, 
the  column  was  again  put  in  motion ;  and, 
with  Captain  Gillespie's  men  in  front,  in  still 
greater  disorder  than  on  the  preceding  day, 
it  moved  towards  Los  Angeles,  twelve  miles 
distant.  It  had  marched  only  three  miles, 
when,  posted  behind  a  small  stream  which 
intersects  the  line  of  march,  the  advance  of 
the  insurgents  —  seventy-six  men,  with  a 
small  field-piece,  under  Jose  Antonio  Car- 
rillo — was  discovered  in  front ;  and  as  the 
column  approached  a  fire  was  opened  on  it, 
which  was  answered  with  a  characteristic 
shout.  The  Yolunteers— Captain  Gillespie's 
command — pressed  forward  ',  and,  by  taking 
advantage  of  the  neighboring  shelter,  they 
drove  the  enemy,  and  compelled  him  to 
abandon  his  field-piece ;  but,  before  it  could 
be  reached  and  taken  possession  of,  Captain 
Mervine  gave  orders  to  withdraw.  With 
great  indignation,  therefore,  the  Yolunteers 
discontinued  the  action ;  and  after  having 
picked  up  his  killed  and  wounded, — har- 
assed by  the  enemy,  who  pressed  after  the 
column,  and  covered  by  the  Yolunteers  and 
sixteen  marines,  under  Captain  Gillespie, — 
Captain  Mervine  slowly  and  sadly  fell  back 

1  Maj.  Gillespie's  Am.  Mil.  Operations,  No.  4  ;  Notes  for 
the  History,  p.  409.—'  Ibid. 


Chap.  CII.]  CONQUEST  OF  XEW  MEXICO  AKD  CALIFORNIA. 


459 


to  San  Pedro,  where  lie  arrived  about  dark 
on  the  same  daj.  "Thirteen  noble  tars 
were  buried  on  the  island  in  front  of  San 
Pedro,"  the  victims  of  this  badly  managed 
exj)edition.^ 

On  the  twenty-third  of  October  the  Com- 
modore reached  San  Pedro  —  Lieutenant- 
colonel  Fremont,  meanwhile,  having  re- 
turned to  Monterey  ;  ^  and  on  the  thirty- 
first  he  sailed  for  San  Diego,  which  had 
been  invested  by  the  insiirgents,  and  needed 
assistance.^  He  reached  that  port  a  few 
days  afterwards ;  and,  with  the  assistance  of 
Captain  Gillesjsie's  command,  the  besiegers 
were  repulsed,  and  a  fort  was  erected  to  pro- 
tect the  town  from  similar  troubles  in  fu- 
ture.* Strenous  efforts  were  made  to  obtain 
horses,  for  the  use  of  the  troops,  with  some 
degree  of  success ;  and  Commodore  Stockton 
sailed  towards  San  Pedro  again.  During 
this  temjjorary  absence  of  the  Commodore 
the  insurgents  appear,  on  the  eighteenth  of 
I^ovember,  18i6,  to  have  moved  against 
San  Dieo;o  a  second  time,  and  were  ao-ain 
driven  back  by  Captain  Gillespie  and  the 
Volunteers  and  marines  under  his  com- 
mand;* and  on  the  third  of  December  a 
messenger  came  into  the  town  bearing  a 
letter  from  General  Kearney,  apprising  the 
Commodore  of  his  approach,  and  expressing 
a  wish  that  a  communication  might  be 
opened  with  him,  and  that  he  might  be  in- 
formed of  the  state  of  affairs  in  California.® 

It  appeared  that  after  the  General  had 
taken  Santa  Fe,  as  before  related,  on  the 
first  of  October,  he  had  moved  from  that 
city  with  the  regular  cavalry,  which  he  had 
brought  there  —  Colonel  Doniphan's  regi- 
ment, and  Major  Clarke's  and  Captain  Ang- 
ney's  battalions  being  left  at  that  place;  the 
former  and  Captain  Weightman's  company 

1  Maj.  Gillespie's  Am.  Mil.  Operations.  No.  4;  Notes 
for  the  History,  p.  409  ;  Ripley,  i.  pp.  472,  473. 

^  Ripley,  i.  p.  472. — ^  Maj.  Gillespie's  Am.  Mil.  Opera- 
tions. No.  4  ;  Com.  Stockton's  Report,  Feb.  18,  1848. 

*  Com.  Stockton's  Report,  Feb.  18,  1848  ;  Ripley,  i.  p. 
474. — '  Maj.  Gillespie's  Am.  Mil.  Operations,  No.  5. 

•Ibid.;  Com.  Stockton's  Report,  Feb.  18,  1848. 


of  artillery  having  orders  to  report  to  Gen- 
eral Wool,  at  Chihuahua;  the  company  of 
artillery  under  Captain  Fischer  and  Captain 
Angney's  battalion  of  infantry  with  orders  to 
remain  in  Santa  Fe.  Soon  afterwards  {Oct. 
7)  he  had  reduced  his  force  to  one  hundred 
men — sending  the  remainder  back  to  Santa 
Fe — and  after  an  interesting  march,  over- 
land,' on  the  third  of  December,  1846,  he 
had  reached  TVarner's  rancheria,  the  out- 
post of  civilization  in  California.  From 
thence  a  letter  had  been  dispatched  to  San 
Diego,  as  before  related,  by  Mr.  Stokes,  an 
Englishman  who  lived  in  a  neighboring 
rancheria ;  and  on  the  fourth  the  command 
had  moved  fifteen  miles  nearer  to  the  city.^ 

On  the  receipt  of  General  Kearney's  let- 
ter, Commodore  Stockton  dispatched  Cap- 
tain Gillespie  to  meet  him,  with  a  letter  of 
welcome.  The  Captain  was  accompanied  by 
Lieutenant  Beale,  Midshipman  Duncan,  ten 
seamen.  Captain  Gibson's  company  of  rifle- 
men {tioenty-five  men),  and  a  field-piece ;  and 
on  the  fifth  he  reached  the  General's  camp  ; 
when,  having  learned  on  his  wa}'  that  the 
insurgents  were  encamped  at  San  Pasqual, 
nine  miles  from  the  camp.  Lieutenant  Ham- 
mond was  sent  out  by  General  Kearney  to 
reconnoitre  the  enemy's  position. 

At  a  very  early  hour  on  the  sixth,  the 
troops  were  put  in  motion,  Captain  Johnston, 
with  twelve  dragoons,  forming  the  advance- 
guard  ;  the  main  body  of  the  General's 
party,  under  Captain  Moore,  following  next ; 
after  which  moved  Captain  Gillespie,  with 
Captain  Gibson  and  his  small  company;* 
and  Lieutenant  Davidson,  with  the  General's 

'  The  details  of  this  march  have  been  graphically 
described,  with  great  care,  by  my  esteemed  friend.  Col. 
William  H.  Emory,  of  the  Topographical  Engineers,  in 
his  '"Notes  of  a  Military  Reconnoksance  from  Fort  Leavenworth, 
Missouri,  to  San  Diegn,  California,"  presented  to  Congress 
by  the  Secretary  of  War,  Dec.  15,  1847. 

*  Emory's  Notes,  pp.  138-140  ;  Gen.  Kearney  to  Adj.- 
Gen.,  Dec.  12, 1846  ;  "Rough  Notes"  of  Capt.  Johnston, 
Dec.  4. — 3  Maj.  Gillespie  (Am.  Mil.  Operations.  No.  5)  says 
Lieut.  Davidson  moved  in  his  front,  and  that  he  [Capt. 
Gillespie)  was  in  the  rear,  while  Gen.  Kearney  (Letter  to 
Adj. -Gen.,  Dec.  13)  gives  the  order  which  I  have  adopted 
in  the  text. 


460 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II, 


howitzers,  brought  up  the  rear.  When  the 
column  had  reached  a  hill  which  overlooked 
the  valley  of  the  San  Pasqual,  the  insur- 
gents' eneamj)nient,  it  was  halted,  and  the 
General  gave  the  final  orders  to  his  com- 
mand— "  One  thrust  of  the  sabre  is  worth  a 
dozen  cuts ;  and  to  depend  upon  them  more 
than  upon  the  carbines  and  rifles."  Without 
farther  delay  the  column  advanced  down 
the  hill ;  and  as  soon  as  Captain  Johnston 
had  struck  the  plain,  with  the  advance, 
with  his  twelve  dragoons,  having  mistaken 
the  purport  of  an  order  from  the  General, 
he  uttered  a  yell,  and,  without  waiting  for 
the  support  of  the  main  body,  dashed  on 
the  heavy  ranks  of  the  enemy,  falling  a 
victim  of  his  own  indiscretion.  The  main 
body  hastened,  by  a  flank  movement,  down 
the  hill,  to  support  the  charge  of  the  ad- 
vance, and  received  the  enemy's  fire  from  an 
Indian  village  on  its  right  flank ;  but  the 
enemy  waited  to  do  no  further  mischief,  and 
fled  from  the  charge  of  the  advance,  before 
the  line  could  be  formed.  Perceiving  the 
defection  of  the  enemy,  Captain  Moore,  with 
a  portion  of  his  command,  pursued  the  fugi- 
tives down  the  right  of  the  valley ;  while 
Captain  Gillespie,  with  his  volunteers,  did 
the  same  on  the  left  side — the  latter  taking 
Pablo  Beja,  the  insurgents'  second  officer, 
prisoner.  In  this  pursuit,  however,  the  ranks 
of  the  Americans  were  greatly  broken ;  and, 
as  the  Mexicans  greatly  outnumbered  them, 
the  latter  soon  afterwards  made  a  stand, 
using  their  lances  with  good  effect.  Captain 
Moore  fell,  pierced  in  the  breast  by  nine 
lances  ;  the  General  was  severely  wounded, 
and  his  life  was  saved,  from  an  attack  on  his 
rear,  by  a  ball  from  Lieutenant  Emory ; 
Captain  Gillespie  was  attacked  by  seven 
Californians,  received  three  wounds,  and 
saved  himself  with  great  difficulty ;  Captain 
Gibson  received  two  wounds ;  Lieutenant 
Hammond  received  nine  lance  wounds  in 
the  breast ;  and  many  others  were  severely 
injured.  For  five  minutes  the  enemy  held 
the  ground ;  when,  the  main  body  of  the 


Americans  having  come  up,  he  again  turned 
and  fled.^ 

In  this  spirited  afiair  about  eighty  Ameri- 
cans were  engaged ;  ^  while  of  the  Californi- 
ans there  is  said  to  have  been  one  hundred 
and  sixty,  under  Andreas  Pico.^  Of  the 
former,  Captains  Moore  and  Johnston,  Lieu- 
tenant Hammond,  and  sixteen  men  were 
killed  I  and  General  Kearney,  Captains  Gil- 
lespie and  Gibson,  Lieutenant  Warner,  and 
eleven  men  were  wounded  ;^  while  of  the 
latter,  it  is  said,  twenty-eight  were  killed 
and  woimded.^ 

The  dead  were  buried  as  soon  as  night 
closed  in ;  the'  wounded  were  properly  at- 
tended to  by  the  single  surgeon  who  was 
with  the  party ;  and  ambulances  were  pre- 
pared for  their  conveyance  to  San  Diego, 
thirty-nine  miles  distant ;  and  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  seventh  the  order  to  march  was 
given — the  column  taking  the  right-hand 
road  over  the  hills,  and  leaving  the  Eiver 
San  Barnardo  to  the  left — the  enemy  re- 
tiring as  it  advanced.  A  proper  regard  for 
the  comfort  of  the  wounded  compelled  the 
column  to  move  slowly ;  and  it  was  after 
noon  before  it  reached  the  San  Barnardo 
rancheria  {Mr.  SnooTcs').  After  a  short  halt 
at  that  place  the  column  moved  down  into 
the  valley ;  and,  immediately  afterwards,  the 
hills  on  the  rear  of  the  column  (around  the 
rancheria)  were  covered  with  Californian 
horsemen,  a  portion  of  whom  dashed  at  full 
speed  past  the  Americans,  to  occupy  a  hill 
which  commanded  the  route  of  the  latter, 
while  the  remainder  of  the  party  threatened 
the  rear  of  the  column.  Thirty  or  forty  of 
the  enemy  quickly  occupied  the  hill  referred 
to ;  and  as  the  column  came  up  six  or  eight 

1  Gen.  Kearney  to  Adj.-Gen.,  Dec.  13,  1846  ;  Maj.  Gil- 
lespie's Am.  Mil.  Operations,  No.  5  ;  Emory's  Notes,  p. 
142;  Com.  Stocliton's  Report,  Feb.  18,  1848. 

2  Maj.  Gillespie  says  there  were  less  than  fifty  ;  but  his 
own  statement  appears  to  contradict  his  conclusion,  in 
this  respect. — '  Gen.  Kearney  to  Adj.-Gen.,  Dec.  13, 1846. 
Maj.  Gillespie  says  they  numbered  "seventy-eight  strong." 

*  Gen.  Kearney  to  Adj.-Gen.,  Dec.  13,  1846.     Maj.  Gil- 
lespie says  sixteen  men,  besides  the  officers,  were  wounded. 
■■  Maj.  Gillespie's  Am.  Mil.  Operations,  No.  5. 


Chap.  CII.]  CONQUEST  OF  NEW  MEXICO  AND  CALIFORNIA. 


461 


Americans  filed  off  to  the  left,  and,  under 
Lieutenant  Emory,  charged  up  the  hill, 
when  the  Californians  delivered  their  fire 
and  fled,  five  of  their  number  having  been 
killed  or  wounded  by  the  rifles  of  the  assail- 
ants.^ 

The  wounded  having  been  removed  with 
great  difiiculty,  the  cattle  having  been  lost, 
and  the  danger  of  losing  the  sick  and  the 
packs  being  great,  the  General  determined 
to  halt  at  that  place,  and  await  the  arrival 
of  reinforcements,  for  which  messengers  had 
been  sent  to  San  Diego,  on  the  morning  of 
the  sixth.  Accordingly  the  Anaericans  oc- 
cupied the  high  ground  on  which  the  action 
had  been  fought,  bored  holes  for  water, 
killed  their  fattest  mules  for  meat,  and  await- 
ed the  arrival  of  their  friends  until  the  morn- 
ing of  the  eleventh,  when  they  were  joined 
by  one  hundred  seamen  and  eighty  marines,^ 
under  Lieutenant  Gray,  who  had  been  sent 
out  to  meet  them  by  Commodore  Stockton ; 
and,  on  the  afternoon  of  the  twelfth,  the  com- 
bined parties  entered  the  town  in  safety.^ 

At  this  time  commenced  that  memorable 
conflict  between  the  two  commanders — Gen- 
eral Kearney  and  Commodore  Stockton — re- 
specting the  chief  command,  which  subse- 
quently created  so  nauch  trouble  in  the 
American  ranks  and  throughout  the  coim- 
try.  Commodore  Stockton  appears,  how- 
ever, to  have  retained  the  authority;  and, 
having  organized  a  force  sufficiently  strong 
to  warrant  the  undertaking,  and  General 
Kearney  having  accepted  an  invitation  to 
accompany  the  expedition,  on  the  twenty- 
ninth  of  December,  he  marched  from  San 
Diego  with  two  officers  and  fifty-five  pri- 
vates— dragoons,  two  officers  and  forty-five 

1  Maj.  Gillespie's  Am.  Mil.  Operations,  No.  6;  Gen. 
Kearney  to  Adj. -Gen.,  Dec.  13. 1846  ;  Emory's  Notes,  pp. 
144,  145  ;  Eipley,  i.  pp.  478,  479. 

"^  Lieut.  Emory's  Notes,  p.  147.  Maj.  Gillespie  [Am. 
Mil.  Operations,  No.  6)  says  it  was  composed  of  ''two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  sailors  and  marines  ; ' '  Com.  Stockton  {Report, 
Feb.  18,  1848)  says,  '' two  hundred  and  fifteen  men." 

3  Maj.  Gillespie's  Am.  Mil.  Operations,  No.  6;  Gen. 
Kearney  to  Adj. -Gen.,  Dec.  13,  1846;  Emory's  Notes, 
pp.  145-149. 


seamen  acting  as  artillery,  eighteen  officers 
and  three  hundred  and  seventy -nine  seamen 
and  marines  acting  as  infantry,  six  officers 
and  fifty-four  privates — Yolunteers,  and  six 
pieces  of  artillery,  against  the  main  body  of 
the  insurgents,  near  Los  Angeles.  The  com- 
mand appears  to  have  been  given,  at  his  own 
request,  to  General  Kearney ;  and,  as  the 
wagon-train  was  heavily  laden,  the  progress 
of  the  column  was  very  slow,— the  expedi- 
tion reaching  the  Rio  San  Gabriel  on  the 
eighth  of  January,  1847, — although  the  ene- 
my had  offered  no  opposition  to  its  progress, 
even  in  passes  where  a  small  force  could 
have  effectively  kept  it  back.  At  this  place, 
however,  he  had  made  a  stand  to  dispute  the 
passage  of  the  river ;  and  here  the  second  ac- 
tion was  fought  between  the  Americans  and 
the  Californians.^ 

The  Rio  San  Gabriel,  at  the  spot  where 
this  action  was  fought,  is  about  one  hundred 
yards  wide,  the  current  about  knee-deep, 
flowing  over  a  quicksand  bottom.  The  left 
bank,  by  which  the  Americans  approached, 
is  level ;  that  on  the  right  is  also  level  for  a 
short  distance  back,  but,  beyond  this  narrow 
plain,  a  bank,  fifty  feet  in  height,  commands 
the  ford  and  the  intervening  flat,  while  both 
banks  were  fringed  with  a  thick  under- 
growth. On  this  bank,  directly  in  front  of 
the  ford,  four  pieces  of  artillery  were  posted, 
supported  on  either  flank  by  strong  bodies 
of  cavalry,  while  on  the  slope  of  the  hill  and 
the  flat  in  front  were  posted  the  sharp-shoot- 
ers.^ 

Against  this  position  the  American  col- 
umn moved — the  Second  division  in  front, 
with  the  First  and  Third  divisions  on  the 
riffht  and  left  flanks :  the  cattle  and  the 
wagon-train  moved  next :  the  volunteer  rifle- 
men  and  the  Fourth  division  brought  uj)  the 
rear.  As  the  head  of  the  column  approach- 
ed the  bank  of  the  river  the  enemy's  sharp- 
shooters opened  a  scattering  fire;  and  the 

1  Emory's  Notes,  pp.  149-157 ;  Com.  Stockton's  Keport, 
Feb.  18,  1848. 

2  Emory's  Notes,  p.  157;  Ripley,  i.  p.  483. 


462 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


Second  division  was  ordered  to  deploy  as 
skirmishers,  cross  the  river,  and  drive  the 
former  from  the  thicket ;  while  the  First 
and  Third  divisions  covered  the  flanks  of 
the  train,  and,  with  it,  followed  in  the  rear. 
When  this  line  of  skirmishers  had  reached 
the  middle  of  the  stream  and  was  pressing 
forward  towards  the  opposite  bank,  the  ene- 
my brought  his  artillery  to  bear,  "  and  made 
the  water  fly  with  grape  and  round  shot ; " 
and  the  American  field-pieces  were  immedi- 
ately dragged  across  the  river,  and  placed  in 
counter-battery  on  the  right  bank,  in  opposi- 
tion to  those  of  the  enemy.  The  fire  of  the 
Americans  appears  to  have  caused  some  con- 
siderable confusion  in  the  ranks  of  the  insur- 
gents ;  and  under  its  cover  the  wagon- train 
and  cattle,  with  their  guard,  passed  the  riv- 
er, during  which  time  the  enemy  attacked 
its  rear  and  was  repulsed.' 

Having  safely  crossed  the  river,  the  Amer- 
ican column  appears  to  have  deployed  under 
cover  of  the  high  ground — the  Californian 
grape  and  round  shot  rattling  over  the  heads 
of  the  men — and  the  enemy  immediately 
charged  on  both  its  flanks,  simultaneously, 
dashing  down  the  slope  with  great  spirit. 
"With  great  coolness  the  Second  division  was 
thrown  into  squares,  and,  after  a  round  or 
two,  drove  off  the  enemy  from  the  left  flank ; 
the  First  division  received  a  similar  order, 
but  as  the  assailants  on  the  right  hesitated, 
and  did  not  come  down  as  far  as  their  asso- 
ciates on  the  02Dj)osite  flank,  the  order  was 
countermanded,  and  the  division  was  order- 
ed to  charge  up  the  hill,  where  the  enemy's 
main  body  was  supposed  to  be  posted.  With 
great  coolness  this  movement  was  executed 
and  the  heights  were  gained,  but  there  was 
no  enemy — he  had  abandoned  his  position ; 
and  although  he  pitched  his  camp  on  the 
hills,  in  view  of  the  Americans,  when  morn- 
ing came  he  had  moved  still  farther  back.^ 

■'  Emory's  Notes,  pp.  157,  158  ;  Ripley,  i.  pp.  483,  484  ; 
Com.  Stockton's  Keport,  Feb.  18,  1848. 

2  Emory's  Notes,  p.  158;  Gen.  Kearney  to  Adj. -Gen., 
Jan.  12,  1847  ;  Notes  for  the  History,  p.  413. 


The  strength  of  the  Americans  in  this  ac- 
tion— the  action  of  the  Rio  San  Gabriel — has 
been  shown  already;  that  of  the  Californians 
was  about  six  hundred,  with  four  pieces  of 
artillery.  The  loss  of  the  former  was  one 
man  killed  and  nine  men  wounded  ^  that  of 
the  enemy  is  not  known.' 

On  the  following  morning  {Jan.  9,  184Y) 
the  American  column  resumed  its  march 
over  the  Mesa, — a  wide  plain,  which  extends 
from  the  Rio  San  Gabriel  to  the  Rio  San 
Fernando,  —  surrounded  by  reconnoitring 
parties*  from  the  enemy ;  and  when  about 
four  miles  from  Los  Angeles  the  enemy  was 
discovered  on  the  right  of  the  line  of  march, 
awaiting  its  approach.  When  the  column 
had  come  abreast  of  the  enemy's  position  he 
opened  a  fire  from  his  artillery  on  its  right 
flank,  and,  soon  afterwards,  he  deployed  his 
force,  making  a  horse-shoe  in  front  of  the 
American  column,  and  opening  two  pieces 
of  artilleiy  on  its  front,  while  two  nine- 
pounders  continued  their  fire  on  its  right 
flank.2 

After  stopping  about  fifteen  minutes  to 
silence  the  enemy's  nine-pounders,  the  col- 
umn again  moved  forward ;  when,  by  a 
movement  similar  to  that  employed  on  the 
Rio  San  Gabriel,  the  day  before,  two  charges 
were  made  simultaneously  on  its  left  flank 
and  its  right  and  rear.  Contrary  to  the  posi- 
tive injunctions  of  the  ofiicers,  in  the  former 
of  these  charges,  the  enemy  was  met  with  a 
fire  at  long  distance ;  yet,  although  he  had 
not  come  within  a  hundred  yards  of  the  col- 
umn, several  of  his  men  were  knocked  cut 
of  their  saddles,  and  a  round  of  grape,  which 
was  immediately  sent  after  him,  completely 
scattered  his  right  wing.  The  charge  on  the 
right  and  rear  of  the  column  fared  but  little 
better ;  and  the  entire  force  of  the  insurgents 
was  withdrawn.^ 

The  strength  of  both  parties  was  probably 

'  Gen.  Kearney  to  Adjutant- General,  Jan.  12,  1847. 
"  Emory's  Notes,  p.  159  ;  Ripley,  i.  p.  484  ;  Gen.  Kear- 
ney to  Adjutant-general,  Jan.  12,  1847. 

=  Emory's  Notes,  p.  159  ;  Notes  for  the  History,  p.  413. 


^^ 


Pailitea"by  Ciappel. 


y 


^?i_ 


1., 


r 


f'  *%*■■ 


Entered,  a^cerdinp  to  aotof 


C,„S^es^^lBS9.iyj;K,^«'^^»yS-i:'^'^'^1"<^'^"f'>^^'^"^' 


■ourtfffrhBsou^i^m. 


Chap.  CIII.] 


THE  SIEGE  OF  MONTEREY. 


463 


the  same  as  on  the  preceding  day,  at  the  Rio 
San  Gabriel ;  the  loss  of  the  Californians  is 
not  known  ;  that  of  the  Americans  was  Cap- 
tain Gillesj)ie,  Lieutenant  Rowan,  and  three 
men  wounded} 

The  troops  encamped  near  the  field  of  bat- 
tle ;  and,  on  the  following  morning  [Jan.  10, 
1847),  the  enemy  sm-rendered,  when  the  city 
of  Los  Angeles  was  occupied  by  the  Ameri- 
cans without  farther  opposition.^ 

"  This  was  the  last  exertion  made  by  the 
sons  of  California  for  the  liberty  and  inde- 


pendence of  their  country,"  say  the  Mexican 
historians,  "  and  its  defence  will  always  do 
them  honor  ;  since,  without  supplies,  with- 
out means  or  instructions,  they  rushed  into 
an  unequal  contest,  in  which  they  more 
than  once  taught  the  invaders  what  a  people 
can  do  who  fight  in  defence  of  their  rights. 
The  city  of  Los  Angeles  was  occupied  by  the 
American  forces  on  the  tenth  of  January, 
and  the  loss  of  that  rich,  vast,  and  jorecious 
part  of  the  Mexican  territory  was  consum- 
taatedP  ^ 


CHAPTER    CIII. 

September  19  to  24,  1§46. 

THE      SIEGE      OF      MONTEREY. 


The  defeat  of  the  Mexican  forces  at  Palo 
Alto  and  Resaca  de  la  Palma  was  followed 
by  their  retreat  across  the  Rio  Grande  to 
Matamoras,^  and  thence,  on  the  eighteenth 
of  May,  to  Monterey,  the  capital  of  the  State 
of  ]S[ueva  Leon  ;  *  while,  following  up  his  ad- 
vantages. General  Taylor  had  advanced  over 
the  Rio  Grande,^  taken  possession  of  Mata- 
moras,''  and  thence  gradually  advanced  into 
the  country.  First  Reynosa  was  occupied,^ 
then  Carmargo ;  *  and  on  the  nineteenth  of 
August,  General  Worth,  with  the  First  bri- 
gade of  regulars,  advanced  from  the  latter 
place  for  Cerralvo,  seventy  miles  farther 
in  advance.®  On  the  twenty-fifth,  the  Sec- 
ond brigade  followed  on  the  same  line;^° 


>  Returns  appended  to  Gen.  Kearney's  Dispatch,  Jan. 
12,  1847.—''  Emorj',  i.  pp.  160,  161 ;  Ripley,  i.  p.  485. 

'  Notes  for  the  History,  pp.  55,  56. — *  Ripley,  i.  p. 
131  ;  Gen.  Taylor's  Dispatch,  No.  40,  May  18,  1846. 

*  Gen.  Taylor's  Dispatch,  No.  40,  May  18,  1846. 

°  Ibid.;  MS.  Diary  of  the  Campaign,  May  18. 

'  Gen.  Taylor's  Dispatch,  No.  52,  June  17,  1846  ;  MS. 
Diary,  June  10. — '  Gen.  Taylor's  Dispatch,  No.  49,  June 
3  ;  No.  60,  July  11  ;  No.  63,  July  22,  1846. 

"  Gen.  Taylor's  Dispatch,  No.  76,  Aug.  19,  1846  ;  Gen- 
eral orders.  No.  99,  Aug.  17. — "  Gen.  Taylor's  Dispatch, 
No.  78,  Aug.  25,  1846  ;  General  Orders,  No.  105,  Aug. 
24,  1846. 


and  on  the  fifteenth  and  sixteenth  of  Sep- 
tember, Generals  Twiggs  and  Worth  en- 
camped on  the  banks  of  the  San  Juan,  three 
miles  from  Marin,  and  twenty-four  from 
Monterey.^  Three  days  afterwards  the  army 
contii^ed  its  march  from  the  San  Juan  ;  and 
on  the  nineteenth  it  encamped  before  Mon- 
terey.^ 

While  the  Americans  were  thus  leisurely 
moving  from  the  coast  into  the  interior  of 
Mexico,  General  Ampudia,  by  a  revolution 
at  the  capital,  had  succeeded  General  Arista 
in  the  command  of  the  Mexican  army ;  and, 
aided  by  the  wealthy  inhabitants,  he  had 
strengthened  the  works  of  Monterey  with 
great  skill  and  expense.*  A  garrison  of 
more  than  ten  thousand  men,  seven  thou- 
sand of  whom  were  regular  troops,  had  also 
been  assembled  within  its  lines  ;^  immense 
stores  of  provisions  and  ammunition  had 
been  collected  for  their  use ; "  and  Generals 
Mejia,  Ortega,  Garcia  Conde,  Raquena,  Ro- 

»  Notes  for  the  History,  pp.  413,  414. — "^  Gen.  Taylor's 
Dispatch,  No.  88,  Sept.  17,  1846.—'  Gen.  Taylor's  Dis- 
patch, No.  89,  Sept.  22,  1846.—*  Notes  for  the  History, 
pp.  66,  67.—''  Ripley,  i.  pp.  198, 199  ;  Campaign  in  North- 
ern Mexico,  p.  155. — « Ripley,  i.  p.  199. 


464 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II, 


mero,  and  Torrejon,  under  General  Ampu- 
dia's  orders,  directed  the  movements  of  the 
masses  who  were  to  resist  the  progress  of 
the  Americans.^ 

Monterey,  the  scene  of  the  impending 
struggle,  is  a  city  of  about  ten  thousand  in- 
habitants, the  capital  of  a  State,  and  the 
centre  of  considerable  wealth.  It  is  nearly 
surrounded  by  mountains,  and  the  little  val- 
ley in  which  it  nestles  makes  up  by  its  great 
fertility  what  it  lacks  in  extent.  Imme- 
diately on  its  western  bounds,  the  city  is 
overlooked  by  the  Obispado,  a  steep  and 
bare  hill,  on  which  was  the  Bishop's  Palace ; 
and,  still  farther  to  the  westward,  by  the 
towering  heights  of  the  Sierra  Madre ;  on 
its  southern  front  flows  a  small  stream, — the 
San  Juan  de  Monterey, — which  separates 
the  city  from  a  branch  of  the  Sierra,  on  one 
spur  of  which  had  been  thrown  up  two 
works  of  defence ;  and  the  Saddle  Mountain 
closes  the  scene  farther  to  the  east.  On  the 
northern  front,  commanded  by  the  citadel, 
the  city  was  bounded  by  a  small  branch  of 
the  San  Juan,  beyond  which  a  range  of 
highly  ciiltivated  fields  and  gardens,  inter- 
sected by  lofty  hedge-rows,  by  rows  of  fruit- 
trees,  and  by  cuts  for  the  irrigation  of  the 
soil.  From  the  north  the  great  road  from 
Marin,  Cerralvo,  and  the  Eio"  Grande,  enters 
the  city;  from  the  east,  that  from  Guada- 
loupe  ;  and  from  the  west,  through  a  narrow 
pass,  that  from  Saltillo.  On  its  northern 
front,  on  which  the  American  army  ap- 
peared, and  about  a  thousand  yards  from 
the  city,  the  strong  work  known  as  '•'•The 
Citadel^''  within  which  was  an  unfinished 
cathedral,  commanded  every  aj)proach  from 
that  direction ;  while  the  hedge-rows,  which 
furnished  shelter  for  light  troops  ;  the  small 
branch  of  the  San  Juan,  with  its  substantial 
stone  bridge  of  the  Purisima  and  its  tete-de- 
pont ;  and  the  barricades,  which  protected 
the  several  streets,  at  the  small  sti-eam  where 
they  terminated,  rendered  the   approach  a 


•  Notes  for  the  Hist.,  pp.  63,  66,  79. 


work  of  difficulty  and  danger.  ISTor  were 
the  other  fronts  less  carefully  guarded.  By 
a  curve  of  the  river,  the  eastern  front  of  the 
town,  as  well  as  the  soiithern,  was  covered 
by  the  San  Juan,  yet  a  line  of  strong  works 
rendered  it  still  more  secure.  On  the  north- 
ern bank  of  the  smaller  stream,  near  its 
junction  with  the  San  Juan,  and  flanking 
the  citadel,  was  the  strong  redoubt,  '■'■El 
Teneria^''  mounting  four  guns ;  connected 
with  which,  farther  up  the  river,  was  anoth- 
er, mounting  three  guns,  called  '•'•El  Dia- 
hlo  I "  and  still  farther,  a  third,  mounting  four 
guns,  named  '•'•LihertadP  From  the  latter  a 
strong  line  of  barricades  extended  along  the 
bank  of  the  San  Juan,  covering  the  entire 
eastern  and  southeastern  fronts  of  the  city. 
On  the  southern  front,  crowning  the  spur  of 
the  Sierra,  heretofore  referred  to.  Forts 
Federacion  and  Soldado  commanded  the 
valley  on  either  hand,  while  tliey  presented 
an  almost  inaccessible  front  to  the  city  and 
the  American  camp.  Westward  from  the 
city,  as  before  related,  frowned  the  Obispado, 
midway  up  which  was  the  Bishop's  Palace, 
and  above  it,  on  the  crest  of  the  hill,  was 
Fort  Independencia — both  strong  and  well- 
appointed  defences.  In  addition  to  these 
complicated  exterior  defences,  commanding 
every  approach,  there  was  a  vast  number  of 
interior  street  fortifications.  Every  street 
was  defended  with  barricades,  many  of  them 
from  ten  to  twelve  feet  thick,  with  embra- 
sures for  giins ;  the  bridge  of  the  Purisima 
was  defended  with  a  tete-de-pont  j  the 
"  Campo  Santo,^'  a  strong  stone  inclosure  in 
the  Plaza  de  la  Capilla,  was  prepared  for 
defence ;  and  the  flat  roofs  of  the  substantial 
stone  houses,  in  many  instances,  had  been 
cai'efully  surrounded  with  parapets  of  sand- 
bags, with  loop-holes  for  musketry.^ 

Against  this  town,  thus  fortified  and  gar- 
risoned, as  already  related.  General  Taylor 


>  Campaign  in  Northern  Mexico,  pp.  141, 142, 152-165; 
Ripley,  i.  pp.  194-199 ;  Notes  for  the  History,  p.  65  ;  Fur- 
ber's  Journal  of  a  Private  In  the  Tennessee  Regiment,,  pp. 
96-98. 


Chap.  CIIL] 


THE  SIEGE  OF  MONTEREY. 


465 


led  his  army  on  tlie  niiieteenth  of  Septem- 
ber.V  Flushed  with  his  own  success,  or 
thinking  too  lightly  of  the  character  and 
resources  of  his  enemy, — possibly  from  both 
causes  combined, — General  Taylor  affected 
to  despise  his  antagonist  and  to  underrate 
his  strength  ;^  and,  with  none  of  the  caution 
which  he  had  displayed  on  the  banks  of  the 
Rio  Grande,  he  hastened  to  attack  the  town, 
with  a  mere  handful  of  men,  and  entirely 
without  a  siege-train  or  heavy  guns  of  any 
kind.^  Of  his  four  brigades  of  regular  troops, 
one  was  commanded  by  a  colonel,  two  by 
lieutenant-colonels,  and  one  by  a  major ! 
while  his  regiments  were,  necessarily,  com- 
manded by  majors  or,  in  four  instances,  by 
captains — a  fact  which  proves,  incontestably, 
that  the  triumph  was  owing  more  to  the  un- 
flinching courage  and  general  intelligence  of 
the  subordinate  officers  and  of  the  men  they 
commanded,  than  to  the  professional  abilities 
of  their  commanding  general  or  the  policy 
of  the  government. 

On  the  part  of  the  enemy  the  very  reverse 
of  all  this  was  true.  Tried  and  skilful  offi- 
cers commanded  the  troops — whose  bravery 
cannot  be  impeached  or  be  treated  Avith  dis- 
respect ;  the  town  had  been  carefully  pro- 
tected, and  was  well  supplied  with  artillery 
and  the  means  of  ofi'ensive  operations ;  the 
lines  had  been  very  closely  masked ;  and 
without  the  least  display  or  parade,  hus- 
banding his  strength,  the  enemy  laid  quietly 
within  his  lines,  vigilantly  watching  his  an- 
tagonist.* 

During  the  afternoon  of  the  nineteenth,  a 
close  reconnoissance,  on  both  flanks  of  the 
town,  was  made  by  the  officers  of  engineers 
and  topographical  engineers,  under  the  di- 
rections of  Major  Mansfield ;  when  it  was 
discovered  that  the  western  side  of  the  city 
was  its  most  important  point ;  and  as  the 
Saltillo  road,  in  that  direction,  afforded  the 
only  means  of  access  to  the  city  from  the 

*  MS.  Diary  of  the  Campaign. — '^  Gen.  Taylor's  Dis- 
patch, No.  88,  Sept.  17,  1846  ;  Ripley,  i.  p.  200.—'  Cam- 
paign in  Northern  Mexico,  p.  155. — *  Ibid.,  pp.  142,  143. 
Vol.  n.— 59 


interior  of  Mexico,  it  was  determined  to  oc- 
cupy that  road,  —  thereby  cutting  ofi"  the 
possibility  of  receiving  supplies  or  reinforce- 
ments, as  well  as  the  means  of  retreat,  from 
the  garrison, — and,  if  practicable,  to  carry 
the  several  fortifications  in  that  direction.^ 

"  Deeming  this  to  be  an  operation  of 
essential  importance,"  as  it  was.  General 
Taylor  assigned  the  command  of  the  move- 
ment to  General  Worth,  whose  pre-eminent 
qualifications  peculiarly  fitted  him  for  it ; 
and  with  his  division — composed  of  Bre- 
vet-lieutenaut-colonel  Duncan's  battery,  the 
battalion  of  artillery,  serving  as  infant- 
ry, under  Brevet-lieutenant-colonel  Childs, 
and  the  Eighth  infantry,  under  Captain 
Screvin,  the  whole  under  Brevet-lieutenant- 
colonel  Staniford,  acting  as  Brigadier-gen- 
eral; and  of  Lieutenant  Mackall's  battery, 
the  Fifth  infantry,  under  Major  Scott,  the 
Seventh  infantry,  under  Captain  l^iles,  and 
a  company  of  Louisiana  Volunteers,  Captain 
Blanchard,  the  whole  tinder  Colonel  Persifer 
F.  Smith,  acting  as  Brigadier-general — and 
Colonel  Hays'  regiment  of  Texan  Hangers, 
he  moved  from  the  camp  at  two  o'clock  in 
the  afternoon  of  the  twentieth,  for  the  ^jur- 
pose  of  executing  it.  He  was  ordered  to 
move,  by  a  detour  to  the  right,  around  the 
northern  and  western  fronts  of  the  city ;  but 
the  obstacles  which  he  experienced  so  much 
retarded  the  movement  of  his  artillery  that 
he  marched  only  six  miles,  and  was  abreast 
of  the  Obispado,  within  gunshot  of  the  Fort 
Lidependencia,  when  he  halted  for  the  night ; 
and,  subsequently,  he  extended  his  recon- 
noissance under  cover  of  the  Rangers.^ 

Notwithstanding  the  secrecy  of  this  move- 
ment, the  Mexicans  were  soon  advised  of  it ; 
and  judging  what  its  purpose  was,  General 
Ampudia  immediately  detached  a  heavy 
body  of  cavalry  to  the  junction  of  the  Toj)0 
and  Saltillo  roads,  and  one  of  infantry  to 
reinforce  the  Bishop's  Palace ;  while,  at  the 

>  Gen.  Taylor's  Dispatches,  No.  89,  Sept.  22 ;  No.  94,  Oct. 
9,  1846.—=  Gen.  Taylor's  Dispatch,  No.  94,  Oct.  9  ;  Gen. 
Worth's  Keport,  Sept.  28,  1846  ;  Ripley,  1.  pp.  201,  202. 


466 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II, 


same  time,  tlie  First  division,  under  General 
Twiggs,  and  the  division  of  Yolunteers,  tinder 
General  Butler,  displayed  in  front  of  the 
citj,  until  evening,  for  the  purpose  of  divert- 
ing the  enemy  and  of  holding  him  in  check.^ 

Thus  the  two  armies  spent  the  night  of  the 
twentieth  —  the  Mexican,  with  its  western 
front  strengthened,  and  its  cavalry,  under 
Generals  Torrejon  and  Romero,  occupying 
the  Saltillo  road;^  the  main  body  of  the 
American  within  its  camp  at  El  Bosque 
de  Santa  Domingo;^  the  Fourth  regiment 
of  infantry  in  front  of  the  city,  covering  a 
mortar-battery,  which  had  been  erected 
during  the  night ;  *  and  General  Worth's 
command,  six  miles  distant,  on  the  right  of 
the  camp,  ready  to  spring  forward,  at  the 
earliest  moment,  on  its  important  mission.'' 

At  six  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the 
twenty-first,  led  by  the  Texan  Rangers  and 
the  light  companies  of  the  First  brigade, 
under  Captain  C.  F.  Smith, — both  in  open 
order,  sweeping  the  entire  width  of  the  val- 
ley,— the  Second  division,  under  General 
Worth,  resumed  its  march  ;  but  it  had  pro- 
ceeded only  a  short  distance,  when,  at  an  ab- 
rupt turn  in  the  valley,  near  the  hacienda 
called  San  Jeromino,  it  was  met  by  General 
Torrejon,  and  the  cavalry  imder  his  com- 
mand. Without  any  ceremony  the  heavy 
column  of  Lancers  dashed  forward  at  a 
charge,  but  were  met  by  the  Texan  Rangers 
with  their  irnerring  rifles  and  their  usual 
gallantry,  and  by  the  light  companies,  with 
a  well-directed  fire,  while  Lieutenant-colonel 
Duncan's  light  battery,  within  one  minute 
after  the  first  attack,  was  in  action,  deliver- 
ing its  fire  over  the  heads  of  the  Texans  and 
light  companies,  in  its  front,  and  scattering 
destruction  throughout  the  solid  columns  of 
the  Mexicans  beyond.  A  section  of  Mackall's 
battery  promptly  opened  its  fire,  also,  in  the 

'  Notes  for  the  History,  p.  71 ;  Ripley,  i.  pp.  203,  204. 

^  Notes  for  the  History,  p.  71. — "  Campaign  in  Nortliern 
Mexico,  p.  147  ;  Furber,  p.  99.—*  Gen.  Taylor's  Dispatch, 
No.  94,  Oct.  9,  1846  ;  Furber,  p.  99.— «  Gen.  Worth's  Re- 
port, Sept.  28,  1846 ;  Ripley,  i.  pp.  203,  204. 


same  gallant  style;  and  the  First  brigade, 
under  Brevet-lieutenant-colonel  Staniford, 
hastening  forward,  soon  afterwards  formed 
to  the  front,  on  the  right  and  left,  and  also 
delivered  its  fire.  A  movement  so  prompt 
and,  at  the  same  time,  so  efficient,  could  not 
be  long  resisted ;  and,  after  continuing  the 
action  about  fifteen  minutes,  the  enemy  fled 
in  great  confusion,  with  heavy  loss  —  the 
brigade  of  cavalry  under  General  Romero 
haA'ing  been  "  cut  to  pieces  "  in  the  encoun- 
ter. The  fugitives  flying  before  the  victors 
as  far  as  the  Saltillo  road,  and,  turning  up 
the  gorge,  were  excluded  from  the  city  by 
the  occupation  of  the  pass  by  the  Ameri- 
cans ;  and  thenceforth  all  communication 
between  the  devoted  city  and  the  other  parts 
of  Mexico  was  completely  cut  off".^ 

Having  secured  this  important  pass  and 
accomplished  the  principal,  or  more  positive, 
part  of  his  orders.  General  Worth  halted  his 
division  for  farther  observation  and  recon- 
noissance.  In  doing  so  the  General  soon  dis- 
covered that  the  occupation  of  the  heights 
which  envelop  the  city  on  its  western  and 
southern  faces  was  indispensably  necessary, 
both  for  the  restoration  of  his  line  of  com- 
munication with  the  main  body  of  the  army 
— which  had  been  abandoned  in  order  to 
secure  the  gorges  of  the  Saltillo  road — and 
for  the  purpose  of  insuring  the  success  of 
the  movement  of  the  main  body  against  the 
city  itself ;  and  he  took  the  necessary  steps 
for  securing  that  object.  He  had  written  a 
note  to  General  Taylor  on  the  preceding 
evening,  in  which  he  had  suggested  a  strong 
diversion  against  the  centre  and  left  of  the 
town,  to  favor  his  movements ;  and,  as  will 
presently  be  seen,  it  had  been  done ;  while, 
at  the  same  time,  the  Second  dragoons,  un- 
der Lieutenant-colonel  May,  and  the  Texan 
Mounted  Yolunteers,  under  Colonel  Wood, 
the  whole  under  General  Henderson,  were 


I  Gen.  Worth's  Report,  Sept.  28  ;  Furber,  p.  100  ; 
Notes  for  the  History,  pp.  71-73  ;  Campaign  in  Northern 
Mexico,  p.  161 ;  Thorpe's  Monterey,  pp.  63-65  ;  Ripley, 
1.  pp.  216-218. 


thrown  to  the  right,  to  support  General 
Worth,  if  necessary,  and  to  make  an  impres- 
sion, if  practicable,  upon  the  upper  part  of 
the  city.  At  length,  at  noon,  comjDanies  K  of 
the  Second  artillery,  B  of  the  Third  artillery, 
and  G  and  H  of  the  Fourth  artillery,  and 
Captains  Green's,  McGowans',  E.  A.  Gilles- 
pie's, Chandlis's,  Ballowes',  and  McCulloch's 
companies  of  Texan  riflemen,  about  three 
hundred  in  all,  under  Captain  C.  F.  Smith, 
were  detached,  with  orders  to  storm  the  bat- 
tery on  the  crest  of  the  nearest  hill  {I^07't 
Federacion),  and,  after  taking  that,  to  carry 
that  on  the  ridge  of  the  same  height  {Fort 
Soldado).  As  these  two  works  commanded 
the  slopes  and  roads  of  either  valley,  and, 
consequently,  the  approaches  to  the  city 
from  the  west,  theii-  importance  to  both  ar- 
mies will  be  readily  perceived.  Tlie  prog- 
ress of  this  storming  party,  therefore,  as  it 
aj)proached  the  foot  of  the  heights,  was 
l^romptly  noticed  by  the  commandant  of  the 
troops  on  its  summit ;  and,  besides  sending 
out  numerous  light  troops,  who  posted  them- 
selves at  favorable  points  on  the  slope,  to 
oppose  the  ascent,  he  opened  a  fire  from 
both  the  forts  with  the  same  purpose.  When 
it  had  become  apparent  that  the  enemy  in- 
tended to  interpose  a  vigorous  resistance  to 
the  movement,  General  Worth  detached  the 
Seventh  regiment  of  infantry,  imder  Cajitain 
Miles,  to  support  the  storming  party;  and 
the  enemy  gradually  retired  np  the  rugged 
slspe  of  the  hill,  while  the  Americans  pressed 
forward  with  equal  steadiness  in  pursuit.  It 
soon  became  apparent  to  the  General,  how- 
ever, that  the  enemy  intended  to  renew  the 
contest,  with  greater  energy,  on  the  summit 
of  the  hill ;  and  that,  for  that  purpose, 
he  was  concentrating  heavy  reinforcements 
around  the  forts.  "  The  cardinal  importance 
of  the  operation,"  however,  precluded  the 
idea  that  even  this  opposition  must  not  be 
overcome,  at  any  cost ;  and  General  Worth 
immediately  ordered  General  Smith,  with 
Captain  Blanchard's  company  of  Louisiana 
Volunteers   and  the  Fifth  regiment  of  in- 


fantry, to  advance  and  render  still  farther 
support  to  the  storming  party.  When  he 
had  reached  the  advance  party.  General 
Smith  discovered  that,  by  the  formation  of 
the  ground,  he  could  advantageously  make 
simultaneous  movements  against  the  Fort 
Federacion  and  the  Fort  Soldado,  and  by 
that  means  divide  and  overcome  the  oppo- 
sition which,  otherwise,  would  be  concen- 
trated on  one  point ;  and  he  very  judiciously 
directed  the  original  storming  party,  under 
Captain  Smith,  against  Fort  Federacion, 
while,  with  the  two  covering  parties,  he 
made  a  simultaneous  movement  to  the  ria:ht 
against  Fort  Soldado.  Both  columns  moved 
forward  with  great  gallantry,  in  the  face  of 
a  heavy  fire,  against  their  respective  objects 
of  attack ;  but  it  was  for  Captain  Smith, 
with  his  little  party,  to  gain  the  first  laurels, 
in  the  triumphant  occupation  of  Fort  Fed- 
eracion, in  training  the  gun  which  was 
mounted  there — a  nine-pounder — on  Fort 
Soldado,  and  in  detaching  Colonel  John 
Hays — who  had  hastened,  from  special  sei'- 
vice,  to  mix  in  the  fray — with  fifty  of  his 
riflemen  to  assist  in  securing  Fort  Soldado 
on  the  heights  above  him.  Soon  afterwards 
the  upper  work  also  fell  into  the  hands  of 
the  Americans — Lieutenant  Pitcher  and  the 
color-bearer  of  the  Fifth  infantry,  being  the 
first  to  enter  it.^ 

Having  gained  an  important  advantage 
over  the  enemy,  although  but  half  the  work 
had  been  completed,  the  ti-oops  might  have 
reasonably  sought  repose  ;  but  they  and  their 
General  alike  thirsted  for  the  glory  which 
was  before  them,  and  they  sought  new  fields 
of  adventure,  and  fresh  honors.  The  guns 
of  the  two  batteries  which  had  just  been 
taken,  therefore,  were  brought  to  bear  on 
the  works  on  the  Obispado,  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  valley;  and  a  heavy  fire  was 
opened  on   them.      A   violent    storm   soon 


>  Gen.  Worth's  Eepovt,  Sept.  28,  1846  ;  Eipley,  i.  pp. 
219-222  ;  Furber,  p.  105  ;  Thorpe's  Monterey,  pp.  65-69  ; 
Campaign  in  Northern  Mexico,  pp.  190-192  ;  Notes  for 
the  History,  p.  73. 


468 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


came  up,  hoAvever;  and  tliis,  with  the  ap- 
proach of  night,  and  the  fatigne  of  the  troops 
— who  had  been  thirty-six  hours  without 
food  and  constantly  taxed,  during  that  time, 
to  the  utmost  physical  exertions — induced 
the  General  to  postpone  all  farther  move- 
ments until  the  next  day.  Those  of  them  who 
could  be  permitted  to  do  so,  therefore,  slept 
on  their  arms ;  while  their  less  fortunate  com- 
rades mounted  guard — both  alike  being  ex- 
posed to  the  unbroken  pelting  of  a  pitiless 
storm  during  the  greater  part  of  the 
night.^ 

While  General  "Worth  and  the  Second  di- 
vision were  thus  gallantly  leading  their  asso- 
ciates in  the  race  for  honor,  the  main  body 
of  the  army,  also,  was  actively  engaged  on 
the  northern  and  eastern  fronts  of  the 
city. 

It  has  been  already  noticed  that  General 
Worth,  on  the  evening  of  the  twentieth,  had 
suggested,  what  General  Taylor  had  pre- 
viously intended,  a  strong  diversion  on  tlie 
fi'ont  and  right  of  the  enemy's  lines,  in  order 
that  his  movements,  on  the  left  and  rear, 
might  be  favored.^  Leaving  behind  them, 
therefore,  one  company  from  each  regiment 
as  a  camp-guard,  at  an  early  hour,  the  re- 
mainder of  the  troops  moved  towards  the 
city — the  First  and  Tliird  infantry,  the  bat- 
talion of  Baltimore  and  Washington  Volun- 
teers, and  Captain  Bragg's  battery,  the  whole 
under  Lieutenant-colonel  Garland,  being  first 
in  motion,  designed  to  operate  against  the 
lower,  or  eastern,  part  of  the  city,  "  to  make 
a  strong  demonstration,  and  to  carry  one  of 
the  enemy's  advanced  works,  if  it  could  be 
done  without  too  heavy  loss ; "  while  the 
Fourth  infantry  covered  the  mortar-battery ; 
and  the  Second  dragoons,  under  Lieutenant- 
colonel  May,  and  the  Texan  mounted  Volun- 
teers, under  Colonel  Wood,  the  whole  under 
General  Henderson,  were  detached  to  the 
right  to  support  General  Worth,  as  before 

1  Gen.  Worth's  Report,  Sept.  28,  1846 ;  Ripley,  i.  p. 
222  ;  Thorpe's  Monterey,  p.  69.—"  Gen.  Taylor's  Dispatch, 
No.  94,  Oct.  9,  1846. 


related,  and  to  make  an  impression,  if  possi- 
ble, on  the  upper  part  of  the  city.^ 

The  latter  party  had  proceeded  as  far  as 
"  the  gorge  of  the  mountain,"  when  it  was 
ordered  to  countermarch  and  join  the  few 
troops  imder  the  immediate  orders  of  Gen- 
eral Taylor,  near  the  lower  part  of  the  city  ; 
but  it  did  not  reach  there  until  after  the 
troops  under  Lieutenant-colonel  Garland  had 
carried  the  point  against  which  it  had  moved ; 
and  it  did  not,  therefore,  share  in  the  dangers 
or  participate  in  tlie  glory  of  the  day.^ 

The  former  of  these — the  command  of 
Lieutenant-colonel  Garland — moved  forward, 
on  the  road,  towards  the  town,  until  it  had 
nearly  reached  the  mortar-battery,  when  it 
inclined  to  the  left  {^lie  eastward),  and  occu- 
pied a  position  which  was  covered  by  some 
low  shrubbery.  Captain  Field,  of  the  Third, 
with  two  companies,  was  thence  detached  to 
cover  the  engineers,  who,  Avith  Colonel  Kin- 
ney for  a  guide,  were  in  front,  making  a  re- 
connoissance ;  while  the  remainder  of  tlie 
party  appears  to  have  remained  quietly  in 
its  position  until  Major  Mansfield  and  his 
associate  engineers  could  determine,  by  an 
examination  of  the  enemy's  position,  which 
would  be  the  most  advantageous  line  of  ap- 
proach.^ It  was  designed,  as  has  been  stated, 
that  this  movement  should  be  concealed ; 
and  the  chaparral,  and  the  high  corn  which 
grew  there,  were  well  calculated  to  secure 
such  a  result.  At  that  moment,  however, 
the  victorious  troops  under  General  Worth, 
moving  over  the  heights  near  Fort  Federa- 
cion,  arrested  the  attention  of  the  men  as 
they  stood  in  their  places  ;  and  some  zealous, 
but  indiscreet,  individual,  unable  to  enjoy 
the  sight  without  proclaiming  his  satisfac- 
tion, called  for  "  Three  cheers  for  General 
Worth  j  he  has  carried  the  heights  j''''  and 
the  men,  in  their  enthusiasm,  being  not  more 


1  Gen.  Taylor's  Dispatch,  No.  94,  Sept.  9,  1846  ;  MS. 
Diary  of  a  participant. — ^  Gen.  Henderson's  Report,  Oct. 
1,  1846  ;  Gen.  Taylor's  Dispatch,  No.  94,  Oct.  9,  1846. 

'  Lieut.-Col.  Garland's  Report,  Sept.  29,  1846  ;  MS. 
Diary,  &c. 


Chap.  CIII.] 


THE  SIEGE  OF  MOXTEREY. 


469 


priadeut  than  their  leader,  the  demand  Tvas 
responded  to  with  alacrity,  and  revealed  their 
position  to  the  enemy ^  who  prepared  for  their 
reception.''     Immediately  afterwards,  at  the 
request  of  Major  Mansfield,  of  the  engineers, 
the  column  moved  from  its  place  of  conceal- 
ment into  the  open  plain,  for  the  2)urj)ose  of 
supporting  the  covering  part}' ;  and,  at  about 
three-quarters    of  a   mile  distant  from  the 
city,  at  the  request  of  the  same  ofiicer,  the 
line  was  formed — the  Third  infantry,  under 
Major  William  W.  Lear,  being  on  the  right ; 
the  First  infantry,  under  Brevet-ma_i  or  Ab- 
ercrombie,  in  the  centre ;  and  the  Baltimore 
and  Washington  Volunteers,  under  Lieuten- 
ant-colonel Watson,  on  the  left.    The  detach- 
ment moved  forward  in  line,  at  quick  time, 
but  had  proceeded  scarcely  a  hundred  paces 
when    a   fire    was    opened  on   it,   in   front, 
fi-om   Fort   El   Teneria   and   from   the   cit- 
adel   on   its   right    flank,    from   which    the 
line   experienced  some  loss.      Immediately 
aftei'wards  the  covering  party  which  accom- 
panied the  engineers,  in  front,  came  in  con- 
tact with   the    enemy's    skirmishers,  when 
Major  Mansfield  "sent  ba,ck  a  request  that 
the  main  body  should  "  change  its  point  of 
direction  more  to  the  right" — a  movement 
which  is  always  hazardous,  but  especially  so 
when  under  the  enemy's  fire,  with  inexpe- 
rienced and  imperfectly  drilled  troops.     The 
object  of  this  change  was  to  direct  the  de- 
tachment into  the  city,  behind  the  line  of 
batteries   and  the   exterior  defences   on  its 
eastern  and  northeastern  fronts,  instead  of 
leading  them  to  the  front  of  these  works ; 
but  while  the  First  and  Tlaird  infantiy  moved 
steadily  forward,  under  the  change  to  which 
allusion  has  been  made,  the  left  of  the  line — ■ 
the  Baltimore  and  Washington  Volunteers — 
first  faltered,  and  then  broke  into  fragments 
— a  very  few,  without  order,  and  on  their 
individual  merits,  seconding  the  efforts  of 
the  regulars  in  their  assault  on  the  city,  and 
entering  the  city  with  them ;  while  by  far 

>  MS.  "Sketch  of  tlie  Battle  of  Monterey,"  by  a  par- 
ticipant. 


the  greater  part  concealed  themselves  in  the 
neighboring  quarries,  or  sneaked  back  to  the 
camp  at  El  Bosque  de  Santa  Domingo.^  Thus 
deserted  by  their  volunteer  associates, — near- 
ly one-half  the  entire  strength   of  the  de- 
tachment,^ —  the    First    and    Third    moved 
steadily  forward,  by  the  right  flank, — run- 
ning  over    an  unfinished  battery  on   their 
line  of  march, — and  entered  the  city,  by  one 
of  the   streets   which   extended   north   and 
south,  from  the  plain  to  the  Bio  San  Juan, 
Soon   afterwards    a   ditch   obstructed  their 
progress ;  and,  thenceforth,  each  regiment — 
or,  rather,  each  ofiicer,  with  such  men  as  he 
could  collect — appeared  to  fight  on  its  own 
account,  without  especial  regard  to  the  move- 
ments of  its  comrades,  all,  as  with  the  mind 
of  one  man,  however,  pressing  forward  on 
the  enemy,  although  in  different  directions.^ 
The  Third  regiment  crossed  the  ditch  on  a 
log  or  narrow  foot-bridge,  and  formed  in  line 
on  the    street   near   by,   without    effecting 
much  ;  while  the  First — or  rather  the  main 
body  of  that  regiment,   as  Captain  Miller 
had  been   sent   to   escort   Captain   Bragg's 
batteiy,  and  Captain  J.  1^.  Scott  had  been 
detached  in  front  as  a  skirmisher,  leaving 
only   the    two    companies    commanded   by 
Captains  Backus  and  Lamotte,  eighty-eight 
men  in  all — ^halted  on  the  northern  bank  of 
the   ditch ;    and,   after  facing   to   the   front 
(the  eastward),  it  moved  against  a  party  of 
Mexicans,  which  had  opened  a  fire  from  the 
adjacent  shrubbery,  drove  the  latter  from 
its  position,  and  occupied  the  ground  itself. 
In  this  movement  Major  Abercrombie,  the 
commandant  of  the  regiment,  was  wounded, 
and   the    command   devolved    on    Captain 
Electus  Backus,  by  whom  the  little  party 
was  led   forward  about  a  hundred  yards  ; 
and,  at  that  place,  it  also  crossed  the  ditch 

'  MS.  Diary,  &c.;  MS.  "Sketch  of  the  Battle,"  &c.; 
Campaign  in  Northern  Mexico,  p.  165. 

'^  The  1st  infantry  numbered  187  men  ;  the  3d  infantry, 
296  ;  tire  Baltimore  and  Washington  Volunteers,  334. 
Total,  817.— J/S.  ''Sketch,"  &>-c.—»  Lieut.-Col.  Garland's 
Report,  Sept.  29,  1846;  MS.  "Sketch,"  &c.;  MS.  Diary; 
MS.  Map  of  "  Eastern  end  of  Monterey,  Sept.  21,  1846." 


470 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED   STATES. 


[Book  II., 


on  a  log,  and  formed  on  the  same  street  on 
wliich  the  Third  still  stood  in  line,  more  to 
the  westward.^ 

At  this  moment,  as  will  be  seen,  the  First 
and  Third  infantry  occuj)ied  positions  with- 
in the  limits  of  the  city  ;  while  of  the  Balti- 
more battalion  only  some  fragments  were  on 
the  field,  with  their  associates.  The  Third 
regiment,  in  its  original  position,  in  line,  in 
the  street,  was  exposed  to  a  heavy  fire,  both 
from  the  trenches  west  of  Fort  Diablo,  in  its 
front,  and  from  the  street  defences  and  the 
roofs  of  the  houses,  on  its  flanks ;  and  it  suf- 
fered very  severely — Brevet-major  Philip  1^. 
Barbour  falling  at  that  place,  soon  after  he 
had  crossed  the  ditch — until  it  was  with- 
drawn by  Lieutenant-colonel  Garland,  as 
will  be  seen  hereafter.  The  First  regiment, 
meanwhile,  from  its  crossing  place,  moved 
towards  the  east,  under  Captain  Backus,  to- 
wards Fort  El  Teneria  ;  but  it  was  siaddenly 
brought  to  a  stand  by  a  tremendous  fire 
Avhich  was  opened  on  it  by  a  party  of  Mexi- 
cans which  occupied  a  tannery  on  the  north 
side  of  the  street.  Taking  shelter  as  well  as 
they  could,  the  Americans  returned  this  fire, 
and  quickly  compelled  the  enemy  to  seek 
quarters  ;  but  a  subsequent  act  of  treachery 
on  the  part  of  the  garrison  of  this  outpost 
led  the  victors  to  shoot  down  all  except 
eight,  who  were  taken  prisoners^ — the  first 
prisoners  captured  within  the  lines  of  the 
city.  Taking  possession  of  this  position, 
Captain  Backus  quickly  mounted  the  flat 
roof  from  which  he  had  driven  the  Mexi- 
cans ;  ^  when,  for  the  first  time,  the  defences 
of  the  city,  in  that  direction,  were  fairly  be- 
fore him.     On  his  right,  about  two  hundred 


>  MS.  "  Sketch,"  &c.;  MS.  Diaiy.— 2  "  We  ceased  firing, 
bnt  before  we  could  secure  the  prisoners,  they  again  fired  on 
us,  and  compelled  us  to  shoot  down  all  except  eight." — 
MS.  ''Sketch,"  ^c. 

"MS.  "Sketch,"  &c.;  MS.  Diary,  MS.  "  Details  of  the 
Controversy  between  the  Regulars  and  Volunteers,"  &c.; 
MS.  Letter  from  Maj .  Henry  [Commander  of  Sd  regiment)  to 
the  Editor  of  the  Courier  and  Enquirer,  ' '  Oxmp  near  Monterey, 
Dec  21,  1846;"  Col.  Kinney  to  Capt.  Backus,  '' Tampico, 
March  6,  1847  ;"  Gen.  Taylor's  Dispatch,  No.  94,  Oct.  9, 
1846. 


yards  distant,  and  partially  concealed  by 
shrubbery,  was  Fort  Diablo,  with  its  three 
guns  and  its  curtains  on  either  hand  :  direct- 
ly in  front,  and  about  one  hundred  and 
twenty  yards  distant,  was  a  large  and  strong 
stone  building,  which  had  been  used  as  a 
distillery  and  tannery,  on  the  fiat  roof  of 
which,  fully  exposed  to  his  fire,  were  a  large 
body  of  Mexicans,  protected  on  the  opposite 
face  of  the  building — whence  alone  any  op- 
position was  expected — by  a  parapet  of  sand- 
bags :  and,  on  his  left  and  front — directly 
north  from  the  distillery — and  one  hundred 
and  eighteen  yards  distant  from  his  position 
on  the  tannery,  was  the  Fort  El  Teneria — a 
lunette,  the  gorge  of  which  opened  towards 
the  tannery,  and  exposed  one  half  its  area 
to  the  fire  of  those  who  occupied  the  roof  of 
the  latter  building.^ 

It  was  now  between  nine  and  ten  o'clock, 
and  the  little  party  under  Captain  Backus 
had  been  joined  by  Captain  J.  M.  Scott 
with  about  ten  of  his  men ;  and  the  whole 
immediately  occujiied  the  roof  of  the  tan- 
nery, lying  flat  on  its  sui-face,  and  opening, 
over  the  low  parapet  on  "its  eastern  face,  a 
careful  and  destructive  fire  on  the  Mexicans 
who  occupied  the  roof  of  the  distillery. 
"Within  flve  minutes  the  roof  was  cleared  of 
the  enemy  ;  and  by  ten  o'clock  the  building 
was  evacuated — the  troops,  as  well  as  a  body 
of  women  and  children  who  had  sought 
shelter  within  it,  retiring  in  disorder  across 
the  small  branch  of  the  Rio  San  Juan,  here- 
tofore referred  to,  to  Fort  Diablo.^  From 
this  moment — about  ten  in  the  morning— 
both  the  tannery  and  the  distillery  were  in 
possession  of  the  First  infantry ;  and  as  the 
latter  commanded  the  Fort  El  Teneria — the 
key  to  the  eastern  front  of  the  city — one  of 
the  most  important  acts  of  the  great  drama 
had  been  performed  by  Captain  Backus  and 
the  gallant  ninety  whom  he  commanded. 


>  MS.  Map  of  "  Eastern  end  of  Monterey,  Sept.  21, 
1846;"  MS.  Diary.— «  MS.  "Sketch,"  &c.;  MS.  "Details 
of  Controversy,"  &c.;  MS.  Diary;  Maj.  Henry  to  The 
Spirit  of  the  Times. 


Chap.  CIIL] 


THE  SIEGE  OF  MONTEREY. 


471 


Tlae  way  being  somewliat  clear  since  the 
enemy  had  been  driven  from  the  distillery, 
Majors  Mansfield  and  Lear  successively  at- 
tempted to  reconnoitre ;  and  both  retired 
with  an  opinion  that  the  positions  of  the 
brigade  —  both  that  occupied  by  Captain 
Backus,  with  the  First,  and  that  by  Major 
Lear,  with  the  Tliird  regiment — could  not  be 
maintained ;  and  this  opinion  was  reported, 
by  the  former,  to  the  commandant  of  the 
brigade.^  Accordingly  orders  were  given  to 
the  greater  part  of  the  troops  who  had  en- 
tered the  city  to  "Retire  in  good  order, 
slowly ; "  ^  and,  soon  afterwards,  all  those 
v)ho  had  received  the  orders  '•'•through  an 
officer^''  fell  back  amidst  the  vivas  of  the 
enemy  ;  and  the  bells  of  the  cathedral  rang  a 
merry  peal,  in  evidence  of  the  general  joy.^ 
In  the  midst  of  this  exciting  scene  an  at- 
tempt of  the  enemy  to  harass  Lieutenant- 
colonel  Garland's  rear  was  frustrated  by  a 
few  men  belonging  to  the  First  infantry,  led 
by  Captain  Backus,  who  sallied  from  the 
tannery,  charged  on  the  pursuers,  and  rout- 
ed them ;  ^  after  which,  having  received  no 
orders  to  retire,  and  feeling  confident  of  his 
ability  to  hold  his  position,  if  not  to  do  more 
than  that,  with  his  men,  the  Captain  return- 
ed to  his  stronghold  in  the  tannery,  and  did 
not  leave  it  again,  unless  to  pursue  the  ene- 
my in  his  retreat  from  El  Teneria,  until  the 
conquest  of  the  eastern  front  of  the  city  had 
been  completed.* 

While  the  Third  brigade  {Lieutenant-col- 
onel Garland's)  was  thus  engaged.  General 
Taylor  ordered  the  Fourth  infantry  to  its 
support ; "  but  it  did  not  come  on  the  ground 
until  after  the  former  had  retired.^  Three 
small  companies  of  this  regiment,  under 
Major  Allen,  were  considerably  in  advance 

'  MS.  Diary;  MS.  "  Sketch,"  &c.;  Lieut.-Col.  Garland's 
Report,  Sept.  29,  1846.—=  MS.  "Sketcli,"  &c.;  MS.  Diary; 
Maj.  Henry  to  Spirit  of  Times.— ^  MS.  "  Sketch,"  &c. 

*  Ibid.— s  Ibid.;  MS.  Diary  ;  Maj.  Henry  to  Courier  and 
Enquirer,  Dec.  21,  1846;  Same  to  Spirit  of  Times;  Col. 
Kinney  to  Capt.  Backus,  March  6,  1817  ;  Lieut.-Col.  Gar- 
land's Report,  Sept.  29,  1846  ;  'Hiorpe,  pp.  53,  54. 

«  Gen.  Taylor's  Dispatch.  No.  94,  Oct.  9,  1846. 

'  MS.  "Sketch,"  &e.;  Maj.  Henry  to  Spirit  of  Times. 


of  their  associates,  and  came,  suddenly,  and 
without  support,  in  front  of  the  Fort  El 
Teneria,  when  a  most  murderous  fire  was 
opened  on  them,  in  which  "  almost  in  one 
moment,  one-third  of  the  officers  and  men 
were  struck  down,  and  rendered  it  necessary 
for  them  to  retire  and  effect  a  junction  with 
the  two  other  companies  then  advancing," ' 
M'hen  the  entire  regiment  joined  Lieutenant- 
colonel  Garland's  command,  and,  with  it, 
engaged  the  enemy  again  in  the  latter  part 
of  the  day.^ 

It  was  now  nearly  twelve  o'clock,  and  the 
garrison  of  El  Teneria,  elated  with  its  double 
success,  if  such  it  could  be  called,  aj^pears  to 
have  turned  its  attention  to  Captain  Backus 
and  the  First  regiment,  who  still  occupied 
the  roof  and  yard  of  the  tannery,  and  com- 
manded the  evacuated  distillery.  Opening 
the  gorge  of  the  work  the  Mexicans  brought 
a  piece  of  artillery  to  bear  on  the  intruders ; 
while  the  latter,  in  their  turn,  brought  their 
muskets  to  bear  on  the  men  and  mules  with 
which  the  fort  was  crowded.  Before  the 
piece  had  been  discharged  three  times,  the 
gunners  had  been  shot  down  by  the  occu- 
pants of  the  tannery ;  and  the  fire  of  the  lat- 
ter was  turned  on  the  general  occupants  of 
the  fort,  by  which  considerable  loss  was  in- 
fiicted  on  them.^  At  the  same  time,  in  the 
distance,  but  not  yet  within  range  of  their 
fire,  the  Tennessee  and  Mississippi  regiments 
of  Yolunteers,  commanded  by  General  Quit- 
man, were  seen  from  the  Fort  El  Teneria  as 
they  approached  the  front  of  the  work  ; 
when,  without  farther  resistance,  the  greater 
part  of  the  garrison  abandoned  its  post, 
leaving  the  wounded  behind  it ;  and  rushing 
through  the  gorge,  retreated  towards  the 
Fort  Diablo,*  with  Captain  Backus  and  his 

'  Lieut.-Col.  Garland's  Eeport,  Sept.  29, 1846.  See  also 
MS.  "Sketch,"  &c. ;  Maj.  Henry  to  Spirit  of  Times ;  Thorpe, 
p.  54 ;  Ripley,  i.  p.  210. — '  Lieut.-Col.  Garland's  Report, 
Sept.  29,  1846.— 3  MS.  "Sketch,"  &c.;  MS.  Diary;  Maj. 
Henry  to  Spirii  of  Times;  Thorpe,  p.  54. — *  MS.  Diary ;  MS. 
"Sketch,"  &c.;  Col.  McClung,  of  Mississippi  Rifles,  cited 
in  MS.  "Details  of  Controversy,"  &c. ;  Col.  Whiting,  Q. 
M.  G.,  cited  in  same  ;  Col.  Kinney  to  Capt.  Backus,  March 
6,  1847  ;  Maj.  Henry  to  Spiirit  of  Times;  Thorpe,  p.  54. 


4Y2 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


party  on  its  rear.'  While  the  former  was 
pushing  over  the  small  branch  of  the  Rio 
San  Juan,  before  referred  to,  the  Captain 
came  tip  with  it,  and  captured  some  twenty 
men — the  second  success  of  that  kind,  within, 
the  lines  of  the  city,  by  the  same  command 
— and  as  he  was  returning  to  his  post  in  the 
tannery,  or  to  the  fort,  he  discovered,  for 
the  first  time,  the  approach  of  the  Volun- 
teers.^ The  latter,  in  their  haste,  rushed 
into  the  deserted  fori,  finding  no  opponents, 
and,  except  the  dead  and  wounded,  and  a 
veiy  few  who  had  remained,  without  making 
any  resistance,  no  occupants;^  while,  with 
vociferous  cheers,  proclaiming  their  blood- 
less victory  in  their  assault  on  an  abandoned 
battery,  they  immediately  dashed  forward, 
and  were  restrained  with  great  difficulty 
from  firing  on  the  command  of  Captain 
Backus,  as  the  latter,  with  its  prisoners,  was 
quietly  moving  back  to  the  scene  of  its  gal- 
lantry and  of  its  glorious  success.  In  the 
midst  of  the  confusion  which  this  reckless 
conduct  produced,  some  sixteen  of  the  pris- 
oners escaped,  and  four  only  were  retained 
as  trophies  of  the  victory.*  The  command 
of  Captain  Backus  and  the  Yolunteers  re- 
turned to  the  lines ;  the  former,  after  filling 
his  cartridge-boxes  from  those  of  the  killed 
and  wounded,  joined  his  brigade  in  the  sub- 
sequent operations  of  the  day,  Avhile  the  lat- 
ter continued  to  occupy  these  works — the 
fort,  the  distillery,  and  the  tannery — amus- 
ing themselves,  meanwhile,  with  firing  on 
the  Fort  El  Diablo  and  on  the  trenches  in 
its  vicinity,  but  as  no  apparent  benefit  re- 
sulted from  the  fire,  it  is  reasonable  to  sup- 
pose that  but  little  damage  was  done.*^ 

Soon  after  the  successful  issue  of  the 
movements  against  the  Fort  El  Teneria,  and 
its  two  outworks,  Ceneral  Butler  led  the 
Ohio  regiment  of  Yolunteers  against  the 
front  of  the  city,  at  a  point  northwest  from 


IMS.  "Sketch,"  &c.;  MS.  Diary.— =  Ibid. 
'^  MS.  "Sketch,"  &c.;    Maj.  Henr)'  to  Spirit  of  Times; 
Thorpe,  p.  54.— ■•  MS.  Diary;  MS.  "Sketch,"  &c. 
=  MS.  "Sketch,"  &c. 


the  bridge  "  Purisima,"  and  nearly  in  a  line 
between  it  and  the  citadel ;  but  it  was  with- 
drawn by  General  Taylor,  at  the  suggestion 
of  Major  Mansfield,  of  the  engineers.  Imme- 
diately afterwards  he  moved  towards  the 
city  again,  but  farther  to  the  eastward — 
"  striking  at  a  point  in  the  enemy's  line 
between  the  tete-de-pont  of  the  Purisima  and 
Fort  Diablo,"  and  in  a  line  between  the 
the  latter  work  and  citadel.  With  great  gal- 
lantry the  regiment  moved  in  the  face  of  a 
heavy  fire  to  a  point  "  within,  say,  one  hun- 
dred yards  of  the  enemy's  second  fort.  El 
Diablo,  when  it  encountered  an  overwhelm- 
ing cross-fire  from  the  tete-de-pont  of  the 
Purisima ;  while  from  every  house-top  in  the 
vicinity  the  murderoiis  fire  was  also  poured 
down."  In  this  dilemma,  sudden  and  over- 
powering, the  Yolunteers  behaved  nobly. 
"  There  was  no  hesitation  or  wavering,"  says 
an  eye-witness ;  "no  turning  or  even  looking 
to  the  right  or  the  left."  General  Butler,  Col- 
onel Mitchell,  and  Adjutant  Armstrong  fell 
under  the  fire ;  and  soon  afterwards  the  regi- 
ment was  withdrawn  by  direction  of  General 
Hamer.  It  had  no  sooner  reached  the  bor- 
der of  the  plain,  however,  than  it  was  at- 
tacked by  the  Third  and  Seventh  regiments 
of  Lancers,  under  General  Garcia  Conde ; 
but  it  fortunately  found  shelter  behind  one 
of  the  hedges  which  abound  in  that  vicinity, 
and  succeeded  in  repulsing  its  assailants, 
with  considerable  loss.' 

Soon  afterwards,  between  one  and  two 
o'clock,  the  scattered  fragments  of  his  bri- 
gade were  collected  by  Lieutenant-colonel 
Garland ;  and,  under  orders  from  General 
Taylor,  another  attempt  was  made  to  enter 
the  city  from  its  front.  Captain  Miller,  of 
the  First  infantry,  with  his  company,  escort- 
ed Captain  Bragg's  battery,  and  Captain 
Backus,  of  the  same  regiment,  with  three 
skeleton  companies, — the  heroes  of  El  Tene- 


>  Campaign  in  Northern  Mexico,  pp.  166-183  ;  Gen. 
Taylor's  Di.spatch,  No.  94,  Oct.  9, 1846  ;  Gen.  Butler's  Re- 
port, Sept.  30,  1846  ;  Notes  for  the  History,  pp.  74,  75  ; 
Ripley,  i.,  pp.  211,  212. 


ria, — escorted  Ridgely's  battery;  while  the 
Third  and  Fourth  regiments,  and  Colonel 
Watson,  of  the  Baltimore  battalion,  with  a 
fragment  of  his  command,  moved  into  the 
citj  for  the  purpose,  if  possible,  of  carrying 
the  Fort  El  Diablo  at  the  point  of  the  bayo- 
net. "In  attempting  the  execution  of  this 
order,  with  not  more  than  one-half  my  origi- 
nal force,"  Lieutenant-colonel  Garland  says, 
"I  passed  several  barricaded  streets,  raked 
both  by  artillery  and  infantry,  until  I  be- 
lieved the  command  sufficiently  advanced 
into  the  town  to  enable  me  to  enter  the 
rear  of  the  redoubt.  I  then  directed  Captain 
Morris,  who  headed  the  Third  infantry,  to 
enter  the  back  of  a  garden  to  his  left,  and 
press  forward  to  the  street  nearest  the  rivu- 
let ;  Brevet-major  Graham,  with  the  remnant 
of  the  Third  infantry,  followed.  These  two 
commands,  although  few  in  number,  sus- 
tained themselves  in  the  most  admirable 
manner,  under  the  heaviest  fire  of  the  day ; 
for,  instead  of  the  second  redoubt  {El  Dia- 
l)lo\  of  which  we  were  in  search,  we  unlucki- 
ly ran  foul  of  a  tete-de-pont,  the  strongest  de- 
fence of  the  city,  and,  from  the  opposite  side 
of  the  bridge,  two  pieces  of  artillery  were 
brought  to  bear  upon  us  at  a  little  more 
than  a  hundred  yards'  distance.  Here  the 
brave  Morris  fell,  and  his  friend.  Lieutenant 
Hazlett,  who  had  just  placed  him  in  a  house. 
Captain  Henry,  who  succeeded  to  the  com- 
mand of  the  Third  infantry.  Captain  Bain- 
bridge  having  been  wounded  and  retired, 
and  Brevet-major  Graham,  the  senior  officer 
at  this  point,  with  the  Fourth,  in  their  ex- 
posed situation,  maintained  their  position 
against  fearful  odds,  until  their  ammunition 
began  to  fail,  when  hearing  nothing  of  the 
battery  for  which  two  staiF-officers  had,  at 
different  times,  been  dispatched,  I  reluctantly 
ordered  the  truly  Spartan  band  to  retire, 
and  I  am  proud  to  say,  under  all  their  afflic- 
tions, it  was  accomplished  in  good  order."  ^ 

1  Lieut-Col.  Garland's  Eeport,  Sept.  29, 1846 ;  MS.  Diary  ; 
MS.  Sketch  of  the  Battle,  &c.;  Gen.  Taylor's  Dispatch,  No. 
94,  Oct.  9,  1846 ;  Gea.  Twiggs'  Eeport,  Sept.  29,  1846. 
Vol.  II.— 60 


"With  the  exception  of  a  "  demonstration  " 
by  the  enemy's  cavalry,  in  the  direction  of 
the  citadel,  the  operations  of  both  armies 
ceased  with  the  withdrawal  of  the  First  bri- 
gade from  the  city ;  and,  soon  afterwards, 
with  that  great,  good  judgment  which  gen- 
erally marked  General  Taylor's  orders,  he 
proved,  by  his  disposition  of  the  troops,  for 
the  night,  the  extent  of  his  confidence  in  the 
respective  corps  of  his  army.  "  At  the  ap- 
proach of  evening,  all  the  troops  that  had 
been  engaged  were  ordered  back  to  camp, 
except  Captain  Ridgely's  battery  and  the 
regular  infantry  of  the  First  division,  who 
were  detailed  as  a  guard  for  the  Avorks 
during  the  night,  under  the  command  of 
Lieutenant-colonel  Garland.  One  battalion 
of  the  First  Kentucky  regiment  was  ordered 
to  reinforce  this  command."  ^  Tliere  can  be 
no  doubt  of  the  prudence  of  this  course,  not- 
withstanding the  vanity  of  some,  and  the 
interest  of  others,  may  have  led  them  to 
maintain  that  the  Yolunteers  were  the  only 
successful  combatants  in  the  desperate  strug- 
gle through  which  the  army  had  passed ; 
and  those  troops  which  had  been  first  in  the 
action,  and  had  continued,  without  intermis- 
sion, to  oppose  the  enemy,  were  now  signifi- 
cantly and  appropriately  left  to  occupy  the 
position  and  to  guard  the  trophies  of  which 
they  had  been  the  victoi's. 

The  night  of  the  twenty-first,  therefore, 
was  passed  in  significant  silence.  General 
"Worth  and  the  Second  division,  as  has  been 
seen,  spent  it  entirely  exposed  to  the  peltings 
of  a  severe  storm,  on  the  heights  around  the 
Forts  Federacion  and  Soldado — the  scenes  of 
their  gallantry  and  perseverance ;  the  re- 
mains of  the  First,  Third,  and  Fourth  in- 
fantry, under  Lieutenant-colonel  Garland, 
occupied  the  Fort  El  Teneria  and  the  out- 
posts around  it — the  scenes  of  their  bravery 
and  their  triumph — while  the  First  Ken- 
tucky regiment  covered  them,  and  assisted, 
under  direction  of  the  engineers,  in  render- 

1  Gen.  Taylor's  Dispatch,  No.  94,  Oct.  9,  1846.  See 
also  MS.  Diary ;  Gen.  Twiggs'  Report,  Sept.  29,  1846. 


474 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


ing  still  more  secure  the  fruits  of  their  hard- 
earned  victory.^  The  remainder  of  the 
troops,  in  the  distant  camp,  at  El  Bosque 
de  Santa  Domingo,  sought  the  repose,  in 
safety,  which  it  so  much  needed. 

The  next  day  {Se/pt.  22)  no  movements 
were  made,  on  either  side,  on  the  lower,  or 
eastern,  part  of  the  city ;  and  at  noon  the 
guard  which  had  occupied  it  during  the 
night,  except  Captain  Eidgely's  battery,  was 
relieved  and  returned  to  the  camp.^ 

On  the  western,  or  upper  front,  however. 
General  Worth  and  the  Second  division 
completed  what  they  had  commenced  on 
the  preceding  day.  At  three  in  the  morn- 
ing the  troops  were  aroused  to  carry  the 
works  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  valley ; 
and  the  storming  party — embracing  compa- 
nies J  and  G  of  the  Third  artillery,  A  of  the 
Fourth  artillery.  A,  B,  and  D  of  the  Eighth 
infantry,  under  Captain  Screvin,  and  two 
hundred  Texan  riflemen,  under  Lieutenant- 
colonel  Walker  and  Colonel  Hays,  the  whole 
under  Lieutenant -colonel  Childs — moved 
from  its  bivouac  for  that  purpose,  under 
the  guidance  of  Lieutenant  Meade  and  Cap- 
tain Sanders  of  the  Engineers.  "  At  the 
base  of  the  hill  the  force  was  divided  into 
two  parties,  and  silently  commenced  to  climb 
the  dark  slopes.  It  required  all  the  strength 
of  the  men  to  overcome  the  difiiculties  which 
nature  had,  at  places,  thrown  in  their  way. 
Perpendicular  ledges  of  rock  and  projecting 
crags  were  to  be  scaled,  and  thickets  of 
stunted  chaparral  to  be  crept  under.  But 
those  invincible  men  slowly  and  cautiously 
pressed  up  towards  the  lofty  apex,  then 
clothed  with  a  thick  mantle  of  mist.  It 
was  night's  last,  still,  and  dark  hour,  always 
the  most  favorable  for  siich  enterprises." 
At  daybreak  the  storming  party  had  reach- 
ed a  point,  within  one  hundred  yards  of 
the  crest,  where,  among  the  clefts  of  the 
rocks,  an  outpost  of  the  enemy  had  been 

'  Gen.  Taylor's  Dispatch,  No.  94,  Oct.  9, 1846  ;  Thorpe, 
p.  61.— 2  Gen.  Taylor's  Dispatch,  No.  94,  Oct.  9,  1846; 
MS.  Diary ;  MS.  Sketch  ;  Kipley,  i.  p.  223. 


posted  in  apparent  anticipation  of  the  at- 
tack. A  rapid  fire  was  immediately  opened 
on  the  assailants,  which  was  but  the  prelude 
of  a  more  general  fire  from  the  heights 
above.  With  great  coolness,  however,  the 
storming  party  pressed  onward,  without  no- 
ticing the  opposition  even  with  a  shout; 
and  it  was  only  when  the  Texans  had  come 
within  a  few  yards  of  the  top  that  the  un- 
erring fire  of  the  latter,  thrown  into  the  dis- 
ordered ranks  of  the  Mexicans  who  opposed 
them,  prepared  the  way  for  the  bayonets  of 
the  regular  troops,  and,  with  the  latter,  gave 
the  victory  to  the  Americans.^  Dashing 
forward,  therefore,  the  storming  party  was 
not  long  in  dispersing  the  enemy,  and  in 
taking  possession  of  the  summit  of  the  hill, 
and  of  Fort  Independencia,  which  occupied 
that  height ;  but  as  the  enemy  had  disman- 
tled it,  before  this  result  had  been  accom- 
plished, the  value  of  the  acquisition  was  not 
as  great  as  had  been  expected ;  and  the 
fugitives  retired  down  the  slope  towards  the 
Bishop's  Castle,  without  annoyance,  except 
from  the  rifles  and  muskets  of  the  victors.^ 

It  was  soon  discovered  that  the  solid  walls 
of  the  Bishop's  Castle,  which  was  the  next 
point  of  attack,  opposed  too  serious  an  oppo- 
sition to  the  unsupported  small-arms  of  the 
assailants  ;  and  as  the  enemy  had  withdrawn 
the  artillery  from  Fort  Independencia,  it 
became  necessary  to  replace  it  with  other 
pieces  from  the  camp.  Accordingly  Lieu- 
tenant Roland,  of  "  Duncan's  battery,"  Avas 
ordered  forward  from  the  main  camp  with 
a  twelve-pound  howitzer;  and  within  two 
hours,  that  officer,  with  fifty  men  under 
Captain  Sanders  of  the  Engineers,  had  come 
up  with  his  gun  and  ascended  the  rugged 
and  almost  perpendicular  steep,  between 
seven  and  eight  hundred  feet  in  height,  and 
was  gallantly  pouring  a  rapid  and  efi'ective 

'  It  is  stated,  by  the  Mexican  authorities,  that  this 
height  was  occupied  by  only  70  men  of  the  4th  Light-in- 
fantry— Gen.  Garcia  Conde  insisting  that  it  was  inacces- 
sible.—=  Gen.  Worth's  Report,  Sept.  28,  1846;  Gen. 
Taylor's  Dispatch,  No.  94,  Oct.  9,  1846  ;  Campaign  in 
Northern  Mexico,  pp.  192-194  ;  Thorpe,  pp.  70,  71. 


Chap.  CIIL] 


THE  SIEGE  OF  MONTEREY. 


475 


fire  upon  the  rear  of  the  astonished  and  ter- 
ror-stricken Mexicans.  At  the  same  time 
the  Fifth  infantry  under  Major  Scott,  and 
Cajjtain  Blanchard's  company  of  Louisiana 
Yohinteers,  which  Iiad  been  ordered  forward 
from  the  opposite  side  of  the  valley,  reached 
the  heights  of  the  Obispado  in  time  to  par- 
ticipate in  the  operations  against  the  Bish- 
op's Castle.^ 

Supposing  the  enemy  would  endeavor 
to  regain  the  position,  on  the  crest  of  the 
hill,  which  he  had  lost — especially  since  sev- 
eral feints  and  many  sallies  of  light  troops 
had  already  been  made — Lieutenant-colonel 
Childs  had  advanced  two  companies  of  light 
troops,  commanded  by  Lieutenants  Bradford 
and  Ayres,  the  whole  under  Captain  Vinton ; 
with  Colonel  Hays'  Texans  to  cover  their 
right,  and  Lieutenant-colonel  Walker's  Tex- 
ans their  left.  It  was  not  long  before  the 
Mexican  Lancers,  under  General  Torrejon, 
supported  by  a  heavy  body  of  infantry, 
made  their  appearance ;  and  pressing  for- 
ward, at  a  brisk  pace,  they  appeared  deter- 
mined to  attempt  the  expulsion  of  Lieuten- 
ant-colonel Child's  command  from  the  com- 
manding position  which  it  occupied.  As  it 
approached  the  spot  where  Captain  Yinton's 
command  lay  in  ambush,  the  latter  arose 
and  poured  in  its  fire ;  while  the  Lancers, 
with  their  usual  lack  of  courage,  turned  and 
fled,  carrying  confusion  into  the  ranks  of  the 
infantry  which  supported  them,  and  giving 
the  victory  to  the  Americans.  The  latter 
pressed  after  them,  in  pursuit ;  while  the 
confused  mass  rushed  down  the  hill  into  the 
city,  "  spreading  terror,"  or  turning  into  the 
sally-port,  in  company  with  their  pursuers^ 
dashed  pell-mell  into  the  castle,  a  mixed,  in- 
congruous mass ;  and  after  a  brief  struggle 
within  the  walls, — the  constituent  parts  of 
the  mass  resolving  themselves  into  their 
original  elements, — the  stars  and  stripes,  on 
the  flag-staff,  proclaimed  to  the  anxious  citi- 

1  Gen.  M^orth's  Report,  Sept.  28,  1846  ;  Gen.  Taylor's 
Dispatch,  No.  94,  Oct.  9,  1846  ;  Campaign  in  Northern 
Mexico,  p.  195. 


'zens  of  Monterey,  and  to  the  invading  army 
beyond  its  walls,  the  story  of  the  result.' 

General  Worth,  not  less  anxious  than  any 
other  of  the  witnesses  of  this  gallant  exploit, 
immediately  dispatched  Lieutenant-colonel 
Duncan  and  Lieutenant  Mackall,  with  their 
batteries,  to  the  scene ;  and  they  came  up  at 
a  gallop  and  joined  the  victors  of  the  castle 
in  pouring  upon  the  rear  of  the  retiring  and 
confused  masses  of  Mexicans,  as  they  fled 
down  the  hill-side  into  the  city,  a  prompt 
and  terribly  destructive  fire.  Soon  after- 
wards, leaving  a  small  force  to  occupy  the 
the  heights  on  the  oj)posite  side  of  the  val- 
ley,— Forts  Soldado  and  Federacion, — and 
another  to  hold  Fort  Lidependencia,  Gen- 
eral Worth  concentrated  his  division  around 
the  Bishop's  Palace,  on  the  Obispada,  "  and 
prej^aration  was  made  to  assault  the  city  on 
the  following  day,  or  sooner,  should  the  gen- 
eral-in-chief  either  so  direct,  or,  before  com- 
munication be  had,  renew  the  assault  from 
the  opposite  quarter.  Li  the  mean  time, 
attention  was  directed  to  every  provision 
the  circumstances  permitted,  to  alleviate 
the  condition  of  the  wounded  soldiers  and 
officers,  and  to  the  decent  interment  of  the 
dead — not  omitting,  in  either  respect,  all 
that  was  due  to  those  of  the  enemy.^ 

Thus  passed  the  night  of  the  twenty-sec- 
ond— General  Worth  in  possession  of  the 
works  which  commanded  the  western  front 
of  the  city ;  General  Quitman  occupying  the 
Fort  El  Teneria,  the  tannery,  and  distillery, 
on  its  eastern  front ;  and  the  main  body  in 
repose  at  the  camp  at  El  Bosque  de  Santa 
Domingo.  At  the  same  time  the  enemy 
silently  evacuated  the  Forts  El  Diablo,  El 
Libertad,  and — with  the  exception  of  the 
citadel — the  entire  lines  on  the  northern 
and  eastern  fronts  of  the  city ;  and  were 
busily  engaged  in  strengthening  the  interior 

'  Gen.  Worth's  Report,  Sept.  28,  1846;  Notes  for  the 
History,  p.  79  ;  Campaign  in  Northern  Mexico,  pp.  195, 
196.  Some  writers  have  confounded  Col.  Francisco  Barras, 
the  commander  of  this  post,  witli  Gen.  Torrejon,  and 
made  the  former  command  the  sortie. 

2  Gen.  Worth's  Report,  Sept.  28,  1846. 


4Y6 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


works  of  defence,  and  in  concentrating  the 
troops  behind  them.^ 

The  movement  of  the  enemy,  in  his  evac- 
uation of  the  exterior  works  of  the  city, 
having  been  reported  to  General  Taylor  at 
an  early  hour  on  the  twenty-third,  he  sent 
instructions  to  General  Quitman,  leaving  it 
to  his  discretion  to  enter  the  city,  covering 
his  men  by  the  houses  and  walls,  and  to  ad- 
vance carefully  as  far  as  he  might  deem 
prudent ;  and,  at  the  same  time.  General 
Twiggs  was  ordered,  with  his  brigade,  to  act 
as  a  corps  de  reserve.  Immediately  after- 
wards General  Taylor  joined  General  Quit- 
man, who  was  steadily,  but  slowly,  moving 
into  the  city ;  and,  under  his  own  eye,  the 
operations  were  continued.  A  company  of 
riflemen  under  Lieutenant  Graves,  support- 
ed by  Captain  McMurray's  company  of  Ten- 
nessee infantry,  had  been  sent  forward  to 
reconnoitre ;  and,  subsequently.  Colonel  Jef- 
ferson Davis,  with  two  companies  of  Missis- 
sippi rifles,  and  two  of  Tennessee  infantry, 
had  been  sent  forward  against  the  enemy's 
works.  It  soon  became  necessary  to  strength- 
en this  detachment,  and  "  a  brisk  firing  was 
opened  on  both  sides — the  enemy  from  the 
house  tops  and  parapets  attempting  to  drive 
the  Americans  from  the  lodgment  they  had 
eflfected."  General  Quitman  had  also  con- 
sidered it  his  duty  to  order  all  the  effective 
troops  of  his  command,  who  could  be  spared 
from  the  lines  on  the  eastern  front  of  the 
city,  to  support  his  storming  parties ;  and 
when  General  Taylor  came  up  he  ordered 
Captain  Bragg's  battery— which  had  been 
throwing  a  steady  fire  on  the  Mexican  head- 
quarters in  the  cathedral — with  the  Third 
infantry  and  the  Second  Texan  Eangers, 
dismounted,  to  co-operate  in  the  assault. 
The  troops  steadily  pressed  forward ;  the 
enemy,  meanwhile,  contending  manfully  for 
the  possession,  and  contesting,  inch  by  inch, 
as  the  assailants  advanced.     Entering  the 


'  Gen.  Taylor's  Dispatch,  No.  94,  Oct.  9,  1846  :  Notes 
for  the  History,  pp.  75,  76  ;  Gen.  Quitman's  Report,  Sept. 
28,  1846  ;  Campaign  in  Northern  Mexico,  p.  198. 


houses  which  the  enemy  occupied,  the  Amer- 
icans passed  from  roof  to  roof,  or,  by  knock- 
ing holes  through  the  walls,  from  house  to 
house;  and  they  fought,  hand-to-hand,  for 
possession  of  the  buildings,  while  the  bat- 
teries scoured  the  streets,  and  scattered  de- 
struction among  all  those  who  showed  them- 
selves outside  the  dwellings.  Thus,  from 
house  to  house,  and  from  square  to  square, 
the  Volunteers  gallantly,  but  slowly,  forced 
their  way,  until  they  reached  a  street  which 
was  but  one  square  in  rear  of  the  principal 
plaza,  in  and  around  which  the  enemy  had 
mainly  concentrated  his  forces.  At  this 
time,  victorious  and  in  the  heart  of  the  city, 
for  some  cause  which  has  not  been  fully  ex- 
plained, the  troops  were  withdrawn  to  the 
Forts  El  Teneria,  El  Diablo,  and  El  Libertad, 
and  to  the  lines  on  the  eastern  front  of  the 
city ;  while  General  Taylor  determined  to 
"concert  with  General  "Worth  a  combined 
attack  u]3on  the  town."^ 

The  gallant  Worth,  from  his  elevated  po- 
sition on  the  Obispado,  was  an  interested 
spectator  of  the  exciting  scene  which  was 
spread  before  him  ;  and,  with  his  character- 
istic promptitude,  he  hastened  to  participate 
in  the  struggle.  Two  columns  of  attack,  com- 
posed of  light  troops,  in  open  order,  were  or- 
ganized to  move  along  the  two  principal  streets 
which  led  from  his  position  towards  the  great 
square  of  the  city,  with  orders  to  mask  the 
men  wherever  practicable ;  to  avoid  the 
points  which  were  swept  by  the  Mexican 
batteries  ;  to  press  forward  to  the  first  square 
{San  Antonio)',  to  seize  the  end  of  the  streets 
beyond ;  to  enter  the  buildings,  and,  by 
means  of  picks  and  crowbars,  to  break 
through  the  walls;  to  work  from  house  to 
house  and  from  square  to  square,  without 
exposing  the  men  to  the  enfilading  fire  in 
the  streets ;  and,  by  ascending  to  the  roofs 
of  the  houses,  to  place  themselves  upon  the 
same  breast-height  with  the  enemy.  These 
assaulting  parties   were   supported   by   the 

'  Gen.  Taylor's  Dispatch,  No.  94,  Oct.  9,  1846  ;  Gen. 
Quitman's  Eeport,  Sept.  28, 1846  ;  Notes  for  the  Hist.,  p.  76. 


^-^^my  diaori^iJi^^ttLiPUz.'W  q}'  Cz/zcpcl-  2^7^  yze possession,  of  tneS  ." 
JolmeoiL,  Ity  SiC^PubiiBlieTa  .   '!B'e'w"S)x'k:. 


Chap.  CIIL] 


THE  SIEGE  OF  MONTEREY. 


477 


light  batteries  under  Lieutenant-colonel  Dun- 
can, Captain  Eoland,  and  Lieutenants  Mack- 
all,  Martin,  Hays,  L'ons,  Clarke,  and  Curd, 
Avith  reserves  to  guard  tlie  pieces ;  and  the 
most  careful  attention  was  paid,  not  only  to 
secure  the  streets,  but  to  protect  the  troops 
in  their  movements.^ 

From  the  complication  of  these  precau- 
tions, and  the  absence  of  previous  prepara- 
tions, however,  the  troops  were  not  ready  to 
move  before  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon, — 
at  which  time  the  assailants  under  General 
Taylor  had  been  withdrawn,  and  the  full 
force  of  the  enemy  was  concentrated  on  the 
western,  as  it  had  been,  previously,  on  the 
eastern  front, — and  the  same  desperate  and 
powerful  opposition  which  had  been  expe- 
rienced by  Generals  Taylor  and  Quitman 
was  met  by  General  Worth.  [N^otwithstand- 
ing  this  opposition,  however,  the  troops 
worked,  steadily,  through  the  walls,  from 
house  to  house,  driving  the  Mexicans  before 
them,  and  pouring  from  the  flat  roofs  of  the 
houses  a  heavy  fire  into  the  streets  below. 
By  a  singular  coincidence  the  troops  had  also 
worked  their  way,  before  dark,  to  within  a 
single  square  from  the  principal  Plaza — the 
same  distance  at  which  General  Taylor  had 
suspended  his  operations ;  but,  for  some 
reason,  which  does  not  appear,  while  the 
latter  had  withdrawn  his  victorious  troops, 
and  fallen  back  on  the  forts  which  had  been 
captured  on  the  twenty-first.  General  Worth 
maintained  his  position,  with  a  covered  way 
— the  perforated  houses  through  which  he 
had  passed — -in  his  rear ;  and  had  carried  a 
large  building,  the  roof  of  which  commanded 
the  principal  defences  of  the  enemy,  while, 
at  the  same  time,  it  aiforded  a  shelter  to  his 
men.^ 

In  these  positions  the  night  of  the  twenty- 
third  was  passed — General  Worth  (as  at  a 
subsequent  date,  in  another  city)  occupying 

'  Gen.  Worth's  Report,  Sept.  28,  1846  ;  Campaign  in 
Northern  Mexico,  pp.  199.  200  ;  Thorpe,  pp.  78,  79  ;  Notes 
for  the  History,  p.  77. — ^  Gen.  Worth's  Report,  Sept.  28, 
1846  ;  Notes  for  the  History,  p.  77  ;  Ripley,  i.  234-237. 


the  post  of  honor  in  the  heart  of  the  city, 
ready  to  seize,  with  the  earliest  dawn,  the 
full  honors  which  legitimately  belonged  to 
him ;  the  First  brigade  of  Yolunteers  was 
holding  El  Teneria,  El  Diablo,  and  the  ex- 
terior lines  on  the  eastern  front  of  the  city ;  ^ 
while  General  Quitman,  with  his  gallant  and 
victorious  command,  -vpithdra-wn  from  his 
line  of  operations,  and  the  main  body  of  the 
army,  were  reposing  in  the  camp  at  El  Bos- 
que de  Santa  Domingo. 

During  the  evening  the  ten-inch  mortar — 
which  had  been  sent  around  from  the  north- 
ern front  of  the  city — was  mounted  in  the 
Plaza  San  Antonio,  and  opened  its  fire,  with 
great  efi'ect,  on  the  masses  within  the  great 
square  of  the  city  ;  while,  with  great  labor, 
soon  afterwards,  two  howitzers  and  a  six- 
pounder  were  carried  from  the  camp,  and 
raised  to  the  roof  of  the  large  buildino-  near 
the  same  place,  from  which,  not  only  the 
square  itself,  but  the  defences  with  which  it 
was  suiTOunded,  were  completely  and  en- 
tirely commanded.^  Within  an  hour  after 
this  mortar  opened  its  fire  General  Ampudia 
addressed  a  letter  to  General  Taylor  propos- 
ing "  to  evacuate  the  city  and  its  fort,  taking 
with  him  the  personnel  and  materiel  which 
have  remained,  and  under  the  assurance  that 
no  harm  shall  ensue  to  the  inhabitants  who 
have  taken  a  part  in  the  defence;"^  but  the 
latter,  on  the  morning  of  the  twenty-fourth, 
replied  "  that  his  duty  com|)elled  him  to  de- 
cline acceding  to  it."  A  complete  surrender 
of  the  town  and  garrison,  the  latter  as  pris- 
oners of  war,  was  then  demanded,  although 
"  terms  "  were  ofi'ered  ;  and  hostilities  were 
suspended,  and  t^velve  o'clock,  at  the  quar- 
ters of  General  Worth,  was  the  time  desig- 
nated for  the  delivery  of  an  answer.*  At 
eleven  o'clock  General  Ampudia,  in  person. 


1  Gen.  Quitman's  Report,  Sept.  28  ;  Gen.  Hamer's  Re- 
port, Sept.  28,  1846  ;  Thorpe,  p.  80. 

2  Gen.  Worth's  Report,  Sept.  28, 1846  ;  Furber,  p.  110  ; 
Thorpe,  pp.  79,  80. 

^  Gen.  Ampudia  to  Gen.  Taylor,  9  p.  m.,  Sept.  23. 
■»  Gen.  Taylor  to  Gen.  Ampudia,  Sept.  24. 


478 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UJTITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


met  General  Taylor;^  and,  soon  afterwards, 
a  capitulation  was  agreed  to,  the  terms  of 
wliieh  were  subsequently  drawn  up  by  com- 
missioners of  both,  nations^— the  city,  works, 
and  the  greater  part  of  the  public  property 
being  surrendered  to  the  Americans ;  the 
Mexican  officers  retaining  their  side-arms, 
the  cavalry  and  infantry  their  arms  and  ac- 
coutrements, and  the  artillery  a  battery  of 
six  pieces  with  twenty-one  rounds  of  ammu- 
nition ;  the  Mexican  troops,  within  seven 
days,  agreeing  to  retire  from  the  city ;  the 
citadel  to  be  evacuated  and  occupied  by  the 
Americans  at  ten  o'clock  the  next  day ;  an 
armistice  of  eight  weeks  being  agreed  to ; 
and  the  Mexican  flag,  when  struck  at  the 
citadel,  to  be  saluted  by  its  own  battery^ — 
and,  at  the  appointed  time,  two  companies 
from  each  regiment  of  the  Second  division 
{General  Worth'' s)  and  one  section  of  each 


battery  in  the  same  command,  under  Gen- 
eral Smith,  took  possession  of  the  citadel.^ 

In  this  memorable  siege  and  defence  the 
Americans  lost  Lieutenant-colonel  Watson, 
Major  Barbour,  Captains  Morris,  Field,  Mc- 
Kavett,  and  Allen,  Lieutenants  Woods,  Ir- 
win, Hazlett,  Hoskins,  Hett,  and  Putnam, 
and  one  hundred  and  eighteen  men  hilled ; 
General  Butler,  Colonel  Mitchell,  Lieuten- 
ant-colonel McClung,  Majors  Mansfield,  Ab- 
ercrombie,  Lear,  and  Alexander,  Captains 
Williams,  Lamotte,  Bainbridge,  Catlin, 
George,  Downing,  and  Gillespie,  Lieuten- 
ants Terrett,  Dilworth,  Graham,  Eussell, 
Potter,  Wainwright,  Armstrong,  Matter, 
McCarty,  Niles,  Scudder,  Nixon,  Allen, 
Cook,  Arthur,  Peese,  and  Howard,  and 
three  hundred  and  thirty-seven  men  wound- 
ed, and  two  men  missing  •  ^  that  of  the  ene- 
my is  not  known. 


CHAPTER     CIY. 

December  14,  1§46,  to  March  3,  1§47. 

THE     EXPEDITION     AGAINST     CHIHUAHUA. 


Reference  has  been  made,  in  a  preceding 
chapter  of  this  volume,  to  the  expedition 
commanded  by  General  Kearney,  to  its  con- 
quest of  New  Mexico,  to  its  subsequent  di- 
vision into  three  separate  commands,  and  to 
the  operations  of  one  of  the  three  parties  in 
the  conquest  of  California.^  As  was  seen  in 
that  place,  a  detachment  from  General  Kear- 
ney's command  was  left  at  Santa  Fe,  under 
Colonel  Doniphan,  with  orders  to  proceed  to 
Chihuahua,  and  to  report  to  General  Wool 
for  duty;*  and,  after  the  necessary  prepara- 
tions had  been  made,  before  proceeding  to 
Chihuahua,  it  moved  from  Santa  Fe  against 
the  ISTavajo  Indians,  whose  depredations  had 

'  Gen.  Taylor's  Dispatch,  No.  94,  Oct.  9,  1846  ;  Furber, 
p.  110. — '  Memoranda  of  the  transactions  in  connection 
■with  the  capitulation,  by  Col.  Jefferson  Davis. 

'  Articles  of  Capitulation,  &c. — *  Vide  Chap.  CII. 

"  Vide  p.  459 ;  Gen.  Kearney's  "  General  Orders,"  No.  30. 


been  very  severely  felt  by  the  people  of  ISTew       ' 
Mexico.^ 

At  length,  in  December,  1846,  the  troops 
destined  for  Chihuahua  rendezvoused  at  Yal- 
verde ;  and  on  the  fourteenth  of  that  month 
Major  Gilpin  moved  towards  El  Paso  with 
three  hundred  men ;  on  the  sixteenth,  Lieu- 
tenant-colonel Jackson  followed  with  two 
hundred ;  and  on  the  nineteenth.  Colonel 
Doniphan,  with  the  remainder  of  his  com- 
mand, about  three  hundred  and  fifty  men, 
the  provision  and  part  of  the  baggage  train, 
moved  in  the  same  direction.  In  marching 
over  the  Great  Desert  the  men  suffered  very 

»  Gen.  Worth's  Report,  Sept.  28,  1846. 

2  Gen.  Taylor's  Dispatch,  No.  94,  Oct.  9,  1846.  The 
names  of  all  the  killed  and  wounded,  with  their  regiments 
and  companies,  appear  in  Thorpe's  Monterey. 

3  Col.  Doniphan's  Dispatch  to  Adj. -Gen.  (no  date); 
Cutts'  Conquest  of  New  Mexico  and  California,  p.  76. 


Chap.  GIV.] 


THE  EXPEDITIO^T  AGAINST  CHIHUAHUA. 


479 


severely,  both  from  the  cold  and  from  want 
of  water ;  and  on  the  twenty-second,  the 
three  divisions  united,  and  encamped  near  a 
small  town  named  Dona  Ana,  where  plenty 
of  the  necessaries  of  life  were  readily  pro- 
cured. On  the  following  day  the  army 
moved  again;  and  on  the  afternoon  of  the 
twenty-fifth  it  had  proceeded  as  far  as  Bra- 
zito  (;the  Little  Arm),  where,  on  the  eastern 
bank  of  the  River  Eio  Grande  del  ISTorte,  on 
an  open,  level  prairie,  bordered  by  chaparral, 
it  had  commenced  to  form  an  encampment 
for  the  night.  ^ 

Tlie  advance-guard  had  halted,  and  the 
men  were  scattered  in  every  direction  in 
search  of  wood  and  water,  for  cooking  pur- 
poses, and  of  fodder  for  their  animals ;  while 
the  trains — both  of  provisions  and  baggage — - 
were  scattered  along  the  road,  in  the  rear, 
for  many  miles.^  It  is  said  by  the  enemy 
that  no  precautions  had  been  taken  to  insure 
the  safety  of  the  expedition,  and  that  Don 
Antonio  Ponce -^ — the  commandant  of  the 
Lancers — ^had  reconnoitred  "  to  his  satisfac- 
tion, and  unobserved  ; "  *  while  it  is  admit- 
ted, by  a  friend,  "that  Colonel  Doniphan 
and  several  of  his  officers  and  men,"  even  at 
that  early  hour,  while  the  camp  was  still  in- 
complete, and  the  trains  still  exposed,  "  were, 
at  this  moment,  engaged  in  playing  a  game 
of  tTiree-trickrlooP'"  The  operations  of  the 
Mexicans,  so  auspiciously  commenced,  were 
carried  on  with  no  less  success ;  and,  by 
adroit  management,  the  enemy's  column  had 
reached  the  immediate  front  of  the  American 
position  before  it  was  discovered.® 

The  Mexicans  were  formed  in  order  of 
battle — the  infantry  of  El  Paso,  seventy  in 
number,  being  in  the  centre ;  the  company 
of  Collame,  part  of  that  of  Chihuahua,  and 
the  auxiliary  squadrons  of  El  Paso,  on  the 

J  Col.  Doniphan  to  Adj.-Gen.,  No.  1,  March  4,  1847  ; 
Lieut.  Kiibben's  Letter,  Dec.  26,  1846.— «  Col.  Doniphan 
to  Adj.-Gen.,  No.  1,  March  4, 1847  ;  Hughes'  Doniphan's 
Campaign,  p.  260. — '  Not  General  Ponce  de  Leon,  as  many 
have  supposed. — *  Notes  for  the  History,  &c.,  p.  169. 

^  Huglies,  p.  260  — »  Notes  for  the  History,  p.  169  ; 
Hughes,  p.  260. 


left ;  and  a  picket  of  the  Second  cavalry, 
the  companies  of  the  IS^orth  and  of  San 
Elceario,  and  the  remainder  of  that  of  Chi- 
huahua, on  the  right ;  the  howitzer,  which 
accompanied  the  party,  remaining  with  the 
rear-guard.^  The  Americans,  having  no  time 
to  take  theu-  animals,  so  suddenly  had  the 
enemy  sprung  upon  them,  rallied  on  foot, 
under  any  flag  which  they  first  came  to,^ — 
the  left  being  composed,  nominally,  of  com- 
panies F  and  A,  with  Lieutenant-colonel 
Mitchell's  command  of  Second  regiment  of 
Missouri  Mounted  Yoliinteers ;  the  centre,  of 
companies  D,  H,  and  G ;  and  the  right  of 
companies  B,  C,  and  E, — and,  for  the  protec- 
tion of  the  flanks,  they  were  thrown  back,  at 
a  slight  angle,  from  the  main  body.^ 

Before  the  engagement  opened.  Lieuten- 
ant-colonel Ponce  dispatched  a  messenger 
with  a  hlach  flag,  demanding  that  the  com- 
mander of  the  American  troops  should  ap- 
pear before  him  for  a  conference,  declaring, 
at  the  same  time,  that,  unless  it  was  com- 
plied with,  he  would  charge  and  take  him, 
neither  asking  or  giving  quarter.  As  Colonel 
Doniphan  justly  remarks,  the  reply  to  this 
insolent  demand — "  Charge  and  be  d — d  " 
— "  was  more  abrupt  than  decorous."* 

The  action  immediately  commenced  by 
the  enemy  throwing  forward  his  entire  line 
— the  infantry  in  the  centre  deploying  as 
skii-mishers  as  it  advanced,  the  howitzer, 
from  the  rear,  at  the  same  time,  opening  its 
fire.  The  Americans  ,^returned  the  fire,  at 
long  distance,  with  their  rifles,  and  produced 
a  serious  impression  on  the  ranks  of  the  ene- 
my ;  yet  he  appears  to  have  moved  forward 
with  considerable  coolness.  His  right  wing, 
led  by  Lieutenant-colonel  Ponce  in  person, 
was  pushed  "into  the  closest  fire;"  but, 
although  "the  charge  was  a  handsome  one," 
he  was  driven  back,  and  a  counter-charge, 


1  Notes  for  the  History,  p.  170.— ^  Hughes,  p.  261  ; 
Ripley,  i.  p.  457. — '  Col.  Doniphan  to  Adj.-Gen.,  No.  1, 
March  4,  1847  ;  Map  in  Hughes'  "Doniphan's  Expedition," 
p.  263.— ••  Col.  Doniphan  to  Adj.-Gen.,  No.  1,  March  4, 
1847  ;  Hughes,  p.  262 ;  Ripley,  1.  p.  458. 


480 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


by  some  eighteen  or  twenty  men,  under 
Captain  Reid,  after  a  warm  engagement  of 
twenty  minutes,  eiFectually  dispersed  it.  At 
the  same  time  his  left  was  engaged,  with  no 
more  success,  against  the  American  right, 
where  his  charge  had  been  met  with  equal 
gallantry ;  and  the  centre,  also,  had  been 
driven  back  by  company  G,  with  the  loss  of 
the  howitzer.' 

While  the  several  divisions  of  the  enemy's 
force  were  thus  driven  back,  a  section  of  his 
right  wing  dashed  forward  and  attacked  the 
wagons ;  but  the  teamsters,  also,  were  pre- 
pared for  his  reception,  and  this  movement 
M^as  not  successful.^ 

Thus,  defeated  on  every  hand,  the  enemy 
fell  back,  leaving  his  provisions,  a  number 
of  carbines,  and  other  property,  on  the  field 
of  action ;  while  the  Americans,  with  the 
provisions  which  they  had  captured,  and  the 
wine  which  was  found  among  the  stores  of 
the  enemy,  spent  a  merry  Christmas-night 
on  tlie  field  of  battle.'' 

The  Americans,  as  before  stated,  numbered 
eight  hundred  and  fifty-six  men ;  the  Mexi- 
cans are  said  to  have  numbered  twelve  hun- 
dred and  twenty,  of  whom  five  hundred  and 
thirty-seven  were  cavalry.*  The  loss  of  the 
former  was,  "none  killed,  seven  wounded, 
all  since  recovered  ;"*  that  of  the  latter  was 
forty-three  killed,  and  about  one  hundred 
and  fifty  wounded,  of  whom  a  large  number 
died  subsequently.*" 

The  enemy's  main  body  immediately  aban- 
doned El  Paso, — a  fine  town,  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  battle-field, — and,  on  the  twenty-sev- 
enth, it  was  occupied  by  the  Americans  with- 
out opposition,  the  authorities  and  inhabit- 
ants seeking,  at  the  hands  of  the  latter,  the 


1  Col.  Doniphan  to  Adj.  Gen.,  No.  1,  March  4,  1847  ; 
Hughes,  pp.  262-266. 

2  Hughes,  p.  265.—=  Ibid.,  p.  267. 

*  Col.  Doniphan  to  Adj  -Gen.,  No.  1,  March  4,  1847. 

6  Ibid.;  Ripley,  i.  p.  459.  Mr.  Hughes  (p.  266)  says 
eight  were  wounded. 

«  Col.  Doniphan  to  Adj. -Gen.,  No.  1,  March  4,  1847; 
Ripley,  i.  p.  459.  Mr.  Hughes  (p.  266)  says  seventy-one 
were  killed. 


protection  which  had  not  been  afi'orded  by 
their  own  countrymen.^ 

At  this  place  Colonel  Doniphan  remained 
until  the  eighth  of  February,  1847,  when, 
having  been  reinforced  by  the  arrival  of 
Major  Clark's  artillery,  from  Santa  Fe,  at 
the  head  of  nine  hundred  and  twenty-fuur 
effective  men,  he  resumed  his  march  towards 
Chihuahua.^  Nothing  occurred,  which  re- 
quires especial  notice,  until  the  evening  of 
the  twenty-seventh,  when  information  was 
received  that  the  enemy  had  fortified  the 
pass  of  the  Sacramento, — about  fifteen  miles 
in  advance,  and  about  the  same  distance 
from  Chihuahua, — where  he  appeared  to  be 
preparing  to  resist  the  farther  progress  of 
the  detachment. 

At  sunrise  on  the  twenty-eighth,  after 
forming  the  wagon-trains  into  four  columns, 
for  safety,  and  masking  the  force  between 
the  trains,  the  detachment  moved  forward, 
through  an  open  prairie  valley,  towards  the 
enemy.^ 

This  valley,  or  plain,  is  bounded  on  either 
hand  by  chains  of  sterile  mountains,  and  is 
about  seven  miles  wide.  From  the  western- 
most range  a  spur,  iipwards  of  three  miles  in 
length,  projects ;  while,  from  the  opposite 
side,  also,  a  similar,  but  lower,  spur  rises  up 
and  intersects  the  valley,  a  short  distance 
above  the  former.  Between  these  two  spurs 
fiows  the  Rio  de  Sacramento ;  while  the 
road,  along  which  the  army  moved,  after 
crossing  the  latter  spur  or  high  ground, 
wound  around  the  former  and  passed  along 
the  valley.  The  slopes  and  summit  of  the 
latter  spur,  or  high  ground,  over  which  the 
road  passed,  were  the  sites  on  which  the 
enemy  had  thrown  up  his  works ;  and  they 
appear  to  have  been  well  calculated,  by  an 
enfilading  fire,  to  command  the  road  and  se- 
cure the  pass.     Upwards  of  thirty  distinct 

'  Col.  Doniphan  to  Adj. -Gen.,  No.  1,  March  4,  1847; 
Hughes,  p.  269  ;  Notes  for  the  History,  p.  171. 

»  Col.  Doniplian  to  Adj. -Gen.,  No.  2,  March  4,  1847; 
Hughes,  pp.  286,  287.— =  Col.  Doniphan  to  Adj. -Gen., 
No.  2,  March  4,  1847;  Hughes,  p.  301;  Maj.  Gilpin's 
Report,  March  2,  1847. 


Chap.  CIV.] 


THE  EXPEDITION  AGAINST  CHIHUAHUA. 


481 


batteries  appear  to  have  been  constructed  at 
tlie  more  commanding  points ;  and,  through 
the  exertions  of  the  inhabitants  of  Chihua- 
hua, these  works,  and  their  vicinity,  had 
been  manned  with  large  bodies  of  well-ap- 
pointed troops,  under  Generals  Heredia  and 
Garcia  Conde — the  infantry  occupying  the 
defences,  the  cavalry,  four  deep,  between 
the  batteries,  or,  two  deep,  in  front  of  and 
masking  them.^ 

When  the  American  column  had  come 
within  a  mile  and  a  half  of  the  enemy's  po- 
sition, it  diverged  to  the  right,  in  order  to 
avail  itself  of  the  peculiarity  of  the  ground 
in  that  direction.  Perceiving  this  move- 
ment. General  Heredia  ordered  his  cavalry, 
with  four  field-pieces,  to  move  in  that  direc- 
tion, under  the  command  of  General  Garcia 
Conde,  and  to  check  the  progress  of  the 
Americans ;  while,  soon  afterwards,  in  per- 
son, with  the  infantry  and  artillery,  he 
moved  in  the  same  direction,  and  formed  in 
line  on  the  right  of  the  cavalry.  In  the 
mean  time,  the  head  of  the  American  col- 
umn had  gained  the  crest  of  the  lower  spur, 
on  which  the  enemy  was  posted ;  and  as  soon 
as  the  cavalry  had  come  within  range  of  the 
American  battery  the  pieces  were  rapidly 
unlimbered,  and  opened  a  destructive  fire ; 
while  the  Mexicans,  also,  opened  a  fire  from 
their  battery,  but  without  much  efi^ect,  im- 
mediately afterwards.^ 

The  Mexican  historian  thus  relates  the 
efi'ect  of  this  cannonade :  "  The  first  dis- 
charges from  their  {flie  American)  batteries 
produced  the  natural  eifect.  Our  {the  Mexi- 
can) cavalry,  chiefly  composed  of  soldiers 
who  had  never  heard  the  sound  of  a  cannon, 
and  so  placed  as  to  be  unable  to  perform 
any  manoeuvre,  exposed  to  a  fire  which  pro- 
duced considerable  slaughter,  could  not  long 
stand  their  ground,  without  showing,  by  the 
undulations  in  their  line,  symptoms  of  that 

'  Notes  for  the  History,  pp.  173,  174 ;  Col.  Doniphan 
to  Adj.-aen.,  No.  2,  March  4,  1847  ;  Ripley,  i.  pp.  459-461. 

2  Col.  Doniphan  to  Adj. -Gen.,  No.  2,  March  4,  1847  ; 
Notes  for  the  History,  p.  175 ;  Hughes,  pp.  305,  306. 
Vol.   n.-61 


disorder  which  their  chiefs  and  officers 
strove,  unsuccessfully,  to  prevent.  Our  ar- 
tillery, also,  opened  their  fire  upon  the  ene- 
my in  vain.  The  cavalry  soon  lost  all  order, 
and  many  of  them  dispersed,  involving  the 
infantry  in  the  confusion,  m  which  force  the 
same  circumstances  happened.  This  had  a 
decisive  effect  on  the  result  of  the  action. 
The  enthusiasm  of  our  troops,  exposed  to  so 
imfortunate  a  trial,  suffered  a  terrible  blow 
in  that  dismay  and  confusion,  which  revealed 
to  them  their  weakness  and  misfortune.  The 
ineffectual  efforts  of  the  chiefs  and  officers  to 
restore  the  line  of  battle,  demonstrated  that 
the  confidence  of  the  soldiers  was  lost.  The 
firing  being  now,  for  a  few  moments,  sus- 
pended on  both  sides,  General  Heredia  gave 
orders  to  retire  to  the  intrenchments,  and 
this  being  done,  the  dead  and  wounded  were 
taken  from  the  field.  One  piece  of  artil- 
lery, which  they  had  dismounted  for  us,  and 
every  thing  on  the  field,  were  abandoned."  ^ 
The  result  of  this  first  movement,  thus 
impartially  recorded  by  the  Mexican  author- 
ities, was  truly  disastrous  to  the  Mexican 
arms ;  and  the  American  column  imme- 
diately resumed  its  march.  By  inclining 
still  farther  to  the  right.  Colonel  Doniphan 
endeavored  to  avoid  the  batteries  on  the 
enemy's  right ;  and  when  he  had  advanced 
in  that  direction  as  far  as  he  could  with 
safety,  without  coming  within  range  of  a 
heavy  battery  on  the  opposite  spur,  on  his 
right,  he  ordered  Captain  Weightman,  with 
his  battery  of  two  twelve-pound  howitzers, 
to  charge  on  the  enemy's  left,  while  Cap- 
tains Eeid,  Parsons,  and  Hudson,  with  their 
troops  of  cavalry,  were  ordered  to  suj^port 
the  movement.  Through  some  misunder- 
standing on  the  part  of  the  Adjutant,  the 
covering  party  moved  without  concert ;  and, 
while  Captain  Weightman,  with  his  battery, 
and  Captains  Eeid  and  Hudson,  separately, 
dashed  down  against  the  Mexican  left,  Cap- 
tain Parsons  engaged  the  enemy  nearer  the 

'  Notes  for  the  History,  p.  175. 


482 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


centre — Captain  Eeid  being  the  first  of  tlie 
party,  however,  who  was  successful  in  se- 
curing a  foothold  within  the  lines.  Soon 
afterwards  the  enemy  rallied,  however,  and 
drove  Captain  Eeid  from  his  position, — on 
the  extreme  left  of  the  Mexican  centre, — in 
which  he  succeeded  in  killing  Major  Owens, 
the  only  American  who  was  killed  in  the 
action.^ 

Within  a  few  minutes  the  entire  company 
commanded  by  Captain  Eeid  concentrated 
its  strength,  and  gallantly  recaptured  the 
battery  from  which  he  had  been  driven ; 
and,  almost  at  the  same  moment,  Captains 
Weightnian,  Parsons,  and  Hudson  carried 
the  battery  which  covered  Captain  Reid's 
left  flank.2 

The  main  body,  also,  had  come  up  within 
one  hundred  and  fifty  yards  of  the  Mexican 
works ;  and,  having  been  dismounted,— the 
fourth  man  of  every  seven  holding  the 
horses  of  his  six  associates, — the  entire  line 
was  vigorously  assaulted  ;  while  Major 
Clark,  with  his  battery  of  four  six-pounders, 
opened  his  fire  on  a  body  of  cavalry,  which, 
from  the  extreme  right  of  the  Mexican  cen- 
tre, was  threatening  the  wagons  on  the  rear 
of  the  American  column  of  attack.  This 
body  of  cavalry  was  quickly  dispersed,  by 
the  very  efiicient  fire  of  Major  Clark's  bat- 
tery ;  while,  with  equal  success,  the  several 
companies,  in  their  places  in  the  line,  pressed 
forward,  drove  the  enemy  from  his  intrench- 
ments,  and  occupied  the  works.  The  Mexi- 
cans defended  their  works  with  great  obsti- 
nacy, yet  the  assailants,  with  a  determina- 
tion which  could  not  be  withstood,  dashed 
in  with  their  sabres,  after  having  discharged 
their  rifles,  and  the  enemy  fled  in  great  con- 
fusion.^ 

During  the  entire  period  of  the  action  the 
heavy  battery  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
valley,  near  the  Rancheria  Sacramento,  to 
which  reference  has  been  made,  continued 
to  annoy  the  Americans  with  a  heavy  cross- 

•  Col.  Doniphan  to  Adj. -Gen.,  No.  2,  March  4,  1847  ; 
Hughes,  p.  308;  Lieut.-Col.  Mitchell's  Report,  March  5, 
1847  ;  Maj.  Gilpin's  Eeport,  March  2,  1847. 

"  Hughes,  pp.  308-311.— »  Col.  Doniphan  to  Adj. -Gen., 
No.  2,  March  4,  1847  ;  Lieut.-Col.  Mitchell's  Eeport, 
March  5,  1847  ;  Maj.  Gilpin's  Eeport,  March  2,  1847. 


flre ;  and  no  sooner  had  the  lines  been  taken 
than  the  attention  of  Colonel  Doniphan  was 
directed  to  it.  A  movement  of.  part  of  the 
troops,  and  Captain  Weightman's  howitzers, 
was  immediately  ordered,  wdiile  Major  Clark 
opened  on  it,  with  his  battery,  from  one  of 
the  heights  on  the  battle-field.  The  first  fire 
of  the  latter  silenced  one  of  the  guns,  the 
third  cut  one  of  the  ammunition-wagons  in 
two,  and  the  enemy  became  satisfied  that 
farther  resistance  was  useless.  Without  any 
delay,  therefore,  he  abandoned  the  position, 
and  '•'•The  Battle  of  the  Sacramento''''  was 
ended.^ 

The  strength  of  the  Americans  was  nine 
hundred  and  twenty-four  men ;  that  of  the 
Mexicans,  four  thousand  two  hundred  and 
twenty-three.^  The  loss  of  the  former  was 
Major  Owen  Tcilled  and  eleven  men  wound- 
ed j  that  of  the  latter  was  three  hundred 
and  four  men  killed,  a  larger  number  wound- 
ed, and  forty  prisoners,  while  the  spoils  of 
victory  included  vast  quantities  of  provis- 
ions, six  thousand  dollars  in  specie,  and 
arms  and  ammunition  of  great  value.^ 

The  army  occupied  the  field  of  battle 
during  the  night ;  on  the  following  day 
{March  1)  the  advance-guard,  under  Lieu- 
tenant-colonel Mitchell,  occupied  Chihuahua, 
without  opposition ;  and  on  the  second.  Col- 
onel Doniphan,  with  the  main  body,  also 
entered  the  city  in  triumph.* 

The  great  purpose  of  the  campaign  had 
now  been  accomplished,  and  the  capital  of 
Central  Mexico  had  fallen.  The  heaviest 
blow  which  Mexico  had  experienced  had 
now  fallen  on  her ;  and  never  before  had  so 
marked  an  evidence  of  her  weakness  been 
exhibited  to  the  world.  A  mere  handful  of 
undisciplined  Volunteers  had  marched  tri- 
umphantly through  her  northern  provinces  ; 
some  of  her  most  accomplished  generals,  and 
the  most  intelligent  of  her  troops,  had  been 
met  and  ovei'come ;  and  the  colors  of  her 
enemy  floated  in  triumph  over  the  capitals 
of  New  Mexico,  Alta  California,  and  Chi- 
huahua. 

1  Col.  Doniphan  to  Adj. -Gen.,  No.  2,  March  4,  1847  ; 
Lieut.-Col.  Mitchell's  Eeport,  March  5, 1847;  Maj.  Clarli's 
Eeport,  March  2, 1847.— '^  Col.  Doniphan  to  Adj. -Gen.,  No. 
2,  March  4, 1847.—'  Hughes,  p.  313.—^  Ibid.,  pp.  313-316. 


CHAPTER     CY. 


January  23  to  February  5,  1847. 

THE      INSURRECTION      IN      NEW     MEXICO. 


The  march,  from  Santa  Fe,  of  the  main 
body  of  "  The  Ai-my  of  the  West,"  under 
General  Kearney ;  and,  subsequently,  that 
of  the  detachment  under  Colonel  Doniphan, 
have  been  noticed  in  preceding  chapters 
of  this  volume ;  and  the  movements  of  the 
troops  who  were  left  at  that  place,  under 
Colonel  Sterling  Price,  require  a  passing 
notice. 

The  command  of  Colonel  Price  embraced 
the  Second  regiment  of  Missouri  Mounted 
Volunteers,  the  battalion  of  Missouri  Mount- 
ed Volunteers,  under  Lieutenant  -  colonel 
Willock,  two  companies  of  infantry,  under 
Captains  Angney  and  Murphy,  one  of  light- 
artillery,  under  Captain  Fischer,  "  The  La 
Clede  Rangers,"  under  Lieutenant  Elliott,  a 
detachment  of  the  First  regiment  of  dra- 
goons, under  Captain  Burgwin,  and  some 
smaller  bodies  of  troops,  under  Lieutenants 
Dyer  and  Wilson — the  whole  nu-mbering 
about  two  thousand  men.  The  dragoons 
were  posted  at  Albuquerque  to  maintain 
tranquillity  on  the  Eio  Grande ;  two  hun- 
dred men  of  the  Second  Volunteers,  under 
Major  Edmondson,  were  near  Cebolleta ; 
Captain  Hendley,  with  a  small  party,  was  in 
the  valley  of  the  Mora;  and  the  remainder 
of  the  force  was  in  Santa  Fe.^ 

The  natives  in  IS'ew  Mexico,  like  those  in 
California,  had  witnessed  the  change  of  gov- 
ernment with  impatience ;  and  they  watched 
for  an  opportunity  to  throw  it  off  at  the 
earliest  possible  moment.  With  this  pur- 
pose they  had  held  secret  meetings,  and  had 
organized  an  insurrection ;  and  on  the  nine- 
teenth of  December  outbreaks  had  been 
made  at  Don  Fernando  de  Taos,  at  the 
Arroya  Honda,  and  on  the  Rio  Colorado — 
the  Governor  of  the  Territory,  the  sheriff,  the 
circuit-attorney,  the  prefect,  and  two  friendly 
Mexicans  havino-  been  killed  at  Taos,  seven 


Americans  at  Arroya  Honda,  and  two  on 
the  Rio  Colorado. 

As  it  was  evident  that  the  object  of  the 
insurgents  was  "  to  put  to  death  every 
American  and  every  Mexican  who  had  ac- 
cepted office  under  the  American  govern- 
ment," Colonel  Price  promptly  concentrated 
his  forces  in  Santa  Fe ;  and  on  the  twenty- 
third  of  January  he  marched  against  them 
from  that  city  with  companies  D,  K,  L,  M, 
and  IT,  of  the  Second  regiment  of  Missouri 
Mounted  Volunteers,  the  battalion  of  infant- 
ry under  Captain  Angney,  a  company  of 
Santa  Fe  Vohmteers,  under  Captain  St. 
Vrain,  and  four  mounted  howitzers — three 
hundi'ed  and  fifty-three  rank  and  file,  and 
all,  except  the  Santa  Fe  Volunteers,  dis- 
mounted. Orders  were  left  for  company  A, 
of  the  Second  Volunteers,  and  Captain  Bur- 
gwin, with  one  of  his  troops,  to  join  the  ex- 
pedition. 

Soon  after  noon,  on  the  twenty-fom-th. 
Captain  St.  Vrain,  who  led  the  column,  dis- 
covered the  insurgents  in  position  near  the 
town  of  CaiSada,  and  preparations  were  im- 
mediately made  to  attack  them,  before  they 
could  escape  or  occupy  more  commanding 
positions.  For  this  purpose  the  troo^DS  hast- 
ened forward,  leaving  the  wagons  in  the 
rear,  to  come  up  at  their  leisure ;  and, 
hastily  forming  his  men.  Colonel  Price  ap- 
proached the  enemy. 

The  Rio  Chicito,  near  which  the  insur- 
gents were  posted,  flows  through  a  narrow 
valley,  on  either  hand  of  which  are  high 
groimds ;  and  the  road  from  Santa  Fe  to 
Canada  passes  tliis  valley  and  the  river 
nearly  at  right  angles,  after  which  it  in- 
clines to  the  west,  and  runs  parallel  with 
the  heights  until  it  enters  the  town.  The 
high  grounds  referred  to,  on  the  northern 
bank  of  the  stream,  command  not  only  the 
ford,  but  the  road  between  the  ford  and  the 
town ;    and   it   was   on   these  heights,   and 


484 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


under  cover  of  three  strong  houses  at  their 
base,  that  the  insurgents  awaited  the  arrival 
of  Colonel  Price. 

The  action  commenced  at  about  two 
o'clock,  by  the  artillery  which  Colonel  Price 
had  thrown  forward,  beyond  the  creek,  and 
ap-ainst  the  insurgents'  right  flank — the  main 
body  awaiting  the  arrival  of  the  wagons, 
under  cover  of  the  high  bluff  bank  on  the 
northern  side  of  the  stream.  The  howitzers 
opened  their  fire  on  the  houses,  as  well  as 
upon  the  heights  beyond,  but  it  appears  to 
have  done  but  little  damage ;  and  the  enemy 
reciprocated,  by  attempting,  at  that  time,  to 
cut  off  the  wagons  which  were  slowly  coming 
up,  in  the  rear.  The  latter  movement  was 
checked  by  Captain  St.  Yrain,  who  was  or- 
dered back  from  the  front  for  that  purpose ; 
the  foi'mer  was  kept  up,  although  compara- 
tively harmless,  until  the  wagons  liad  ad- 
vanced beyond  all  danger,  when  more  ener- 
getic measures  were  adopted. 

As  the  house  which  the  enemy  occupied, 
opposite  the  right  flank  of  Colonel  Price's 
line,  sheltered  a  considerable  force,  whose 
fire  was  somewhat  annoying,  Captain  Ang- 
ney  was  ordered  to  move  against  it  with  his 
battalion  ;  and,  after  a  short  struggle,  the 
charge  was  crowned  with  success.  A  charge 
was  next  ordered  on  all  the  points  occupied 
by  the  enemy  in  any  force ;  when  Captain 
Angney,  with  liis  battalion,  supported  by 
company  K,  of  the  Volunteers,  and,  subse- 
quently, by  company  M,  of  the  same  regi- 
ment, and  Captain  St.  Yrain's  Santa  Fe 
Volunteers,  moved  against  the  principal  po- 
sition of  the  enemy  on  the  heights  in  the 
rear,  while,  by  a  simultaneous  movement, 
the  artillery,  supported  by  companies  D,  L, 
and  N,  of  the  Volunteers,  moved  against  the 
other  houses  in  which  the  enemy  had  found 
shelter,  and  against  the  high  grounds  in 
their  rear. 

After  a  short,  but  severe,  struggle,  the  in- 
surgents gave  way  in  all  directions,  and  fled 
into  the  hills  beyond  the  reach  of  their  vic- 
tors, the  lateness  of  the  hour,  and  the  charac- 
ter of  the  ground  among  which  they  had 
found  refuge,  rendering  pursuit  both  hope- 
less and  hazardous. 

In   this    engagement,—"  The   Battle   of 


Canada," — as  before  stated,  the  Americans 
numbered  three  himdred  and  fifty -three 
men,  exclusive  of  ofiicers ;  tlie  enemy  is  said 
to  have  numbered  fifteen  hundred.  The  loss 
of  the  former  was  two  killed,  and  Lieutenant 
Irvine  and  five  men  wounded  /  of  the  latter, 
thirty-six  were  hilled,  forty-five  were  taken 
prisoners,  and  many  were  wounded. 

On  the  twenty-seventh.  Colonel  Price 
left  Canada ;  and,  on  the  next  day,  was 
joined  by  Captain  Burgwin,  with  company 
G,  First  regiment  of  dragoons,  company  A, 
of  the  Second  Missouri  Mounted  Volunteers, 
and  a  six-pounder ;  and,  on  the  twenty -ninth, 
he  marched  to  La  Joya,  where  he  learned 
that  the  insurgents  had  rallied  at  the  Pass 
of  Embudo,  where  they  intended  to  dispute 
his  passage. 

Finding  that  the  road  was  impracticable 
for  artillery  or  wagons.  Colonel  Price  halted 
at  La  Joya,  while  a  detachment — embracing 
companies  G,  of  the  First  dragoons,  and  K, 
of  the  Missouri  Mounted  Volunteers,  and 
the  Santa  Fe  Volunteers,  one  hundred  and 
eighty  in  number,  the  whole  under  Captain 
Burgwin — ^was  sent  forward  to  attack  the 
enemy. 

The  detachment  pushed  forward,  through 
the  rugged  defile  along  whicli  the  road  to 
Embudo  winds  its  course  among  the  moun- 
tains, until  it  came  within  sight  of  the  pass 
where  the  enemy  was  posted.  At  that  spot 
the  defile  becomes  so  contracted  that  scarcely 
three  men  can  march  abreast ;  while  the  ab- 
rupt sloj)es  of  the  mountains,  on  either  hand 
— rendered  still  more  defensible  by  the  dense 
masses  of  thick  cedars  and  the  large  frag- 
ments of  rock  which  everywhere  cluster 
along  the  mountain  sides — afforded  shelter 
for  the  opposing  forces  which  could  not 
have  been  easily  improved.  When  the  head 
of  the  little  column  had  reached  the  imme- 
diate vicinity  of  the  pass.  Captain  St.  Vrain 
dismounted  his  command  and  ascended  the 
mountain  on  his  left,  "  doing  much  execu- 
tion." At  the  same  time  heavy  flanking 
parties  were  thrown  out,  on  either  hand, 
under  the  command,  respectively,  of  Lieu- 
tenants White  and  Mcllvaine,  while  Captain 
Burgwin  moved  througli  the  defile,  on  the 
road,  with  the  main  body.     As  these  parties 


Chap.  CV.] 


THE  INSURRECTION  IN  NEW  MEXICO. 


485 


advanced,  simultaneously,  the  insurgents  fell 
back  in  the  direction  of  Embudo,  "bound- 
ing along  the  steep  and  rugged  sides  of  the 
mountains  with  a  speed  that  defied  pursuit." 
While  the  engagement  was  still  pending, 
Captain  Slack,  of  company  L,  was  pushed 
forward  from  La  Joya,  and  relieved  Lieuten- 
ant White's  flanking  party,  while  Lieutenant 
Ingalls,  at  the  same  time,  relieved  Lieuten- 
ant Mcllvaiiie ;  and,  with  renewed  energy, 
the  pursuit  was  continued,  although  without 
inflicting  any  serious  injury  on  the  fugitives. 
Soon  afterwards.  Captain  Burgwin  and  his 
entire  command  debouched  into  the  open 
valley  in  which  Embudo  is  situated,  when  his 
flanking  parties  were  called  in,  "The  Battle 
OF  THE  Pass  of  Embudo"  ended,  and  the  vil- 
lage was  occupied  without  any  opposition. 

In  this  action,  one  man  was  hilled  and  one 
severely  wounded,  among  the  Americans ; 
while  of  the  Mexicans,  about  twenty  were 
hilled  and  sixty  wounded. 

Colonel  Price  and  his  command  steadily 
advancing  into  the  enemy's  country, — al- 
though the  severity  of  the  weather  rendered 
the  march  a  tedious  and  difiicult  one,— on 
the  third  of  February,  1847,  they  entered 
Don  Fernando  de  Taos ;  and,  on  the  same 
day,  the  Pueblo  de  Taos — the  stronghold  of 
the  insurgents — was  reconnoitred.  It  was 
found  to  be  a  position  of  considerable 
strength,  being  surrounded  by  adobe  walls 
and  strong  pickets,  while  within  the  in- 
closure  two  large  and  unusually  high  build- 
ings,— each  capable  of  sheltering  five  or  six 
hundred  men, — the  parish  church,  and  many 
of  the  smaller  buildings,  furnished  means  of 
defence. 

After  having  reconnoitred  the  enemy's 
position  and  his  several  defences,  Colonel 
Price  determined  to  attack  the  western  front 
of  the  Pueblo,  where  the  church  stands  ;  and 
at  two  o'clock  Lieutenant  Dyer  was  ordered 
to  open  his  fire,  with  the  howitzers  and  six- 
pounder,  at  two  hundred  and  fifty  yards 
distance ;  but,  after  it  had  been  continued 
two  hours  and  a  half,  it  was  discontinued 
for  the  want  of  ammunition,  and  the  troops 
returned  to  Don  Fernando. 

At  an  early  hour  the  next  day  {Feh.  4), 
the   troops  were  put  in   motion   a   second 


time ;  but  a  different  plan  of  attack  had 
been  adopted  by  the  Colonel  in  command. 
On  the  eastern  front  of  the  city  were  posted 
the  Santa FeYolunteers  {Captain  St.Vrain^s) 
and  company  L  {Captain  SlacFs),  of  the 
Missouri  Yolunteers,  for  the  purpose  of  cut- 
ting oif  the  retreat  of  any  of  the  insurgents 
who  might  attempt  to  escape  to  the  moun- 
tains ;  on  the  northern  front,  three  hundred 
yards  from  the  wall,  was  posted  the  main 
body  of  the  detachment,  with  Lieutenant 
Dyer,  the  six-pounder,  and  two  of  the  how- 
itzers ;  and  on  the  western  front  were  posted 
Captain  Burgwin,  with  his  company  of  the 
First  dragoons,  company  D  {Captain  Mc- 
MillaQv's),  of  the  Missouri  Yolunteers,  and 
Lieutenant  Hassandaubel,  with  two  how- 
itzers. 

At  nine  o'clock  the  batteries  opened  on 
the  town,  but  after  two  hours'  steady  fire  it 
was  found  impossible  to  breach  the  walls  ol 
the  church,  against  which  it  had,  principally, 
been  directed,  and  the  fire  was  suspended, 
in  order  that  the  Pueblo  might  be  stormed. 
Soon  afterwards,  by  simultaneous  move- 
ments, the  northern  front  was  assaulted  by 
Captains  Angney  and  Barber,  and  Lieuten- 
ant Boone,  with  the  infantry  battalion  and 
conij)anies  IST  and  A,  of  the  Missouri  Yolun- 
teers ;  and  the  western  front  by  Captains 
Burgwin  and  McMillan.  In  the  face  of  a 
heavy  fire  of  small-arms,  thrown  through 
loop-holes  in  the  walls,  the  former  estab- 
lished themselves  under  the  western  front  of 
the  church,  and  with  axes  attempted  to 
breach  its  walls  ;  while,  at  the  same  time, 
the  roof  was  fired,  by  means  of  a  temporary 
ladder,  by  one  of  their  party ;  the  latter,  in 
front  of  the  church,  at  the  same  time,  at- 
tempted to  force  the  doors,  in  the  face  of  a 
fire  not  less  destructive  than  the  other.  The 
latter  party,  after  making  desperate  efforts, 
was  compelled  to  retire  from  the  doorway 
of  the  church,  with  the  loss  of  its  gallant 
leader.  Captain  Burgwin,  who  was  mortally 
wounded ;  the  former,  against  a  defence 
which  was  not  less  determined,  succeeded 
in  cutting  several  small  holes  through  the 
wall,  and  in  throwing  several  hand-grenades 
into  the  interior  of  the  building,  "  doing 
good  execution"  among  its  defenders.     En- 


486 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


couraged  by  tMs  success  tlie  six-pounder  was 
carried  around,  and  poured  a  heavy  fire  of 
grape  into  the  town  until  half-past  three 
o'clock,  when  it  was  run  up  within  sixty 
yards  of  the  church,  and  ten  rounds  were 
poured  into  the  breach,  making  it  wide 
enough  for  the  purpose  of  the  assault.  The 
gun  was  then  advanced  within  ten  yards  of 
the  breach,  and  a  shell  and  three  rounds  of 
grape  were  thrown  among  the  occupants  of 
the  building  ;  after  which  the  storm iug-party 
entered,  without  opposition,  and  completed 
the  work. 

There  appears  to  have  been  no  farther  op- 
position, and  the  insurgents  fled  from  the 
works  on  the  western  front  of  the  town, 
taking  refuge  in  the  large  buildings  on  the 
eastern  front,  or,  in  vain,  attempting  to  es- 
cape to  the  mountains.  The  latter  were  in- 
tercepted by  Captains  Slack  and  St.  Yrain, 
and  fifty-one  were  killed,  only  two  or  three 
of  them  escaping ;  the  former  remained  in 
the  town,  and,  in  the  end,  surrendered. 


The  night  of  the  fourth  was  passed  by  the 
troops  in  the  buildings  which  had  been 
evacuated  by  the  insurgents ;  and  on  the 
morning  of  the  fifth,  at  the  solicitations  of 
the  enemy,  seconded  by  the  appeals  of  the 
women  and  the  aged  people,  the  submission 
of  the  insurgents  was  received,  on  the  con- 
dition that  Tomas,  one  of  their  principal 
chiefs,  should  be  surrendered — a  condition 
which  was  complied  with. 

In  this  obstinate  affair, — "  The  Battle  of 
THE  Pueblo  de  Taos," — the  Americans  lost 
seven  hilled  and  forty-five  wounded^  many 
of  whom  afterwards  died  ;  the  insurgents 
lost  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  hilled^  be- 
sides those  who  were  wounded. 

With  this  afl^air  the  insurrection  was 
quelled ;  and  no  farther  trouble,  worth 
notice,  occurred  in  New  Mexico. 

[This  chapter  has  been  wholly  based  on  the  Report  of 
Col.  Price  to  the  Adjutant-general  of  the  Army,  and  on 
the  maps  which  accompanied  it ;  no  other  original  author- 
ity having  been  found  on  the  subject.] 


CHAPTER    CYI 


Fetoruaiy  22   and   23,    184t. 

THE      BATTLE      OF      BUENA      VISTA. 


The  siege  and  the  surrender  of  the  city  of 
Monterey  have  been  heretofore  referred  to, 
in  a  preceding  chapter  of  this  volume  ;  and 
immediately  after  the  flag  of  Mexico  had 
been  lowered  on  the  citadel,  the  garrison  be- 
gan its  retreat,  falling  back  on  Saltillo,  from 
which  place,  soon  afterwards,  it  was  ordered 
to  march  to  San  Luis  de  Potosi,  where  "it 
formed  the  base  of  a  new  army,"  under 
Santa  Anna,  which  met,  and  was  defeated 
by,  Greneral  Taylor,  at  Buena  Yista.^ 

A  revolution  in  the  government  of  Mexico 
had  overturned  Paredes,  and  restored  the 
exiled  Santa  Anna  to  jiower ;  and  the  lat- 
ter, with  the  assistance  of  a  loan  from  the 
Church,  had  organized  a  strong  force  against 
the  "  Army  of  Occupation"  commanded  by 

•  Notes  for  the  History,  pp.  79,  80  ;  Gen.  Taylor's  Dis- 
patch, No.  98,  Oct.  15,  1846. 


General  Taylor.  For  this  purpose  the  forces 
were  moved  from  Mexico,  Saltillo,  Guadala- 
jara, Guanajuato,  and  other  jjarts  of  the  coun- 
try, until  twenty-two  thousand  five  hundred 
and  fifty-three  men  were  concentrated  at  that 
point,  under  Generals  Mora  y  Yillamil,  Mi- 
cheltorena,  Yanderlinden,  Blanco,  Corona, 
Pacheco,  Lombardini,  Guzman,  Minon,  Ju- 
vera,  Torrejon,  Andrade,  Parrodi,  Yazquez, 
and  Urrea,  with  General  Santa  Anna  at  the 
head  of  the  army.^ 

During  this  interval.  General  Taylor  and 
the  Secretary  of  War  were  engaged  in  an 
unpleasant  correspondence,  showing  ill-feel- 
ing on  both  sides ;  ^  and  on  the  thirteenth  of 
November,  the  former,  in  pursuance  of  his 
design  to  move  on  Mexico,  from  the  north, 

1  Notes  for  the  History,  pp.  81,  82.—'  Gen.  Taylor's 
Dispatches,  No.  98,  Oct.  15  ;  No.  107,  Nov.  8. 


'  1 


Chap.  CVI.] 


THE  BATTLE  OF  BUENA  VISTA. 


487 


moved  to  Saltillo  ^tL.  General  "Worth's  di- 
vision and  a  small  party  of  the  Second  dra- 
goons, entering  that  place,  withont  oj^posi- 
tion,  on  the  sixteenth.^  General  Worth  Tvas 
left  in  command  of  that  position,  Avhile  Gen- 
eral Taylor  returned  to  Monterey,^  and  on 
the  thirteenth  of  December  he  detached 
General  Twiggs  to  Victoria, — still  farther  in 
advance  than  Saltillo, — while,  on  the  four- 
teenth. General  Quitman,  "with  the  Volun- 
teers, marched  for  the  same  place.^  On  the 
seventeenth,  the  Second  regiment  of  infant- 
ry and  Second  regiment  of  Tennessee  (foot) 
Volunteers,  from  Camargo,  joined  the  col- 
umn;^ while  General  Patt-erson,  with  the 
Illinois  brigade  of  Volunteers  and  the  Ten- 
nessee regiment  of  cavalry,  was  also  ordered 
to  move  towards  Victoria.®  On  the  twenty- 
ninth,  General  Quitman  occupied,  without 
opposition,  the  city  of  Victoria — a  strong 
body  of  the  enemy's  cavalry  retiring  before 
him  ;  and  on  the  fourth  of  January,  1847, 
General  Taylor,  with  General  Twiggs'  divi- 
sion, and  General  Patterson,  with  the  Illi- 
nois and  Tennessee  troops,  also  reached  the 
same  place.*' 

It  was  while  this  column  was  moving  from 
Monterey  towards  Victoria,  that  the  well- 
known  "  Worth  stampede  " — so  called — took 
place.  Intelligence  had  reached  General 
Worth,  at  Saltillo,  that  General  Santa  Anna, 
taking  advantage  of  the  division  of  the  Amer- 
ican army,  "  designed  to  strike  a  heavy  blow 
at  that  place ;  and,  if  successful,  then  at  Gen- 
eral Wool's  force  at  Parras;"'  and  he  had 
dispatched  the  intelligence  to  General  Tay- 
lor, then,  witli  the  main  body,  at  Montemo- 
relos,  en  route  for  Victoria ;  to  General  But- 
ler, commanding  at  Monterey ;  and  to  Gen- 
eral Wool,  who,  with  a  strong  body  of  troops, 
had  moved  through  the  southwestern  wilder- 
ness, from  Port  Lavacca,  in  Texas,  towards 
Chihuahua,  and  had  taken  post  at  Parras.^ 
By  forced  marches,  each  of  these  Generals 
moved  to  the  relief  of  the  gaUant  command- 

'  Gen.  Taylor's  Dispfgiches,  No.  Ill,  Nov.  16  ;  No.  11-3, 
Nov.  24,  1846.— 2  Ibid.,  No.  112,  Nov.  23.—=  Ibid.,  No. 
122,  Dec.  14.—'  Ibid.,  No.  123,  Dec.  22.— ^  Maj.  Bliss, 
j\.  A.  G.,  to  Gen.  Patterson,  Nov.  28 —«  Gen.  Taylor's 
Dispatch.  No.  1,  Jan.  7,  1847.— '  Ibid.,  No.  123,  Dec.  22, 
1846. — "  Baylies  Campaign  in  Mexico,  p.  19. 


er  of  the  Second  division,  at  Saltillo;^  and 
it  was  while  thus  en  route  from  Parras  that 
General  Wool  first  perceived  the  superior 
facilities  for  defence  which  the  Pass  of  An- 
gostura afforded,^  and  which  he  employed 
so  advantageously,  at  a  subsequent  date,  in 
checking  the  progress  of  General  Santa 
Anna,  in  the  well-known  action  which  is  the 
subject  of  this  chapter. 

The  subsequent  discovery  of  the  untruth 
of  the  reports  referred  to,  produced  corre- 
sponding changes  in  the  disj)Osition  of  the 
forces, — General  Taylor  resuming  his  march 
towards  Victoria,  where  he  arrived  on  the 
fourth  of  January,  1847  ;^  General  Butler 
taking  the  command  at  Saltillo,  while  his 
troops  returned  to  Monterey ;  *  and  General 
Wool  encamping  between  the  Pass  of  An- 
gostura and  the  hacienda  of  Buena  Vista,^ — 
General  Santa  Anna,  in  the  mean  time,  re- 
maining at  San  Luis  de  Potosi,  drilling  his 
troops  and  preparing  for  more  active  and 
important  operations."" 

Soon  afterwards  orders  were  issued  by 
General  Scott  for  the  withdrawal  of  the 
greater  part  of  General  Taylor's  command, 
for  the  pui'poses  of  the  campaign  which  the 
former  officer  had  opened  against  the  city 
of  Mexico  ; '  and  General  Taylor  was  com- 
pelled to  fall  back  from  Victoria  on  Monte- 
rey, leaving  General  Wool  at  Buena  Vista, 
in  command  of  the  advance.^  This  reduc- 
tion— General  Scott  having  taken  the  greater 
part  of  the  regulars,  Duncan's  and  Taylor's 
batteries,  and  "the  best"  of  the  Volunteer 
forces — left  General  Taylor  at  the  head  of 
two  squadrons  of  regular  di'agoons,  four  bat- 
teries (in  all  sixteen  guns)  of  regular  artil- 

1  Gen.  Taylor's  Dispatch,  No.  123,  Dec.  22,  1846. 

2  Tliis  interesting  fact— involving  the  successful  resist- 
ance of  the  Mexican  army  by  the  fragments  of  the  Ameri- 
can Ai-my  of  Occupation— is  fully  set  forth  in  a  letter 
from  Capt.  J.  H.  Carlton  to  Gen.  Wool,  dated  ''Buena 
Vista,  Mexico,  July  27,  1847,"  as  well  as  in  the  valuable 
little  work,  by  Capt.  Carlton,  on  "The  Bailie  of  Buena 
Vista."— ^  Gen.  Taylor's  Dispatches,  No.  123,  Dec.  22  ; 
No.  124,  Dec.  26  ;  No.  125,  Dec.  26,  1846 ;  No.  1,  Jan.  7, 
1847. — *  Campaign  in  Northern  Mexico,  pp.  273,  274. 

^  Baylie's  Campaign  in  Mexico,  p.  24. 

"  Notes  for  the  History,  pp.  89-93.—'  Gen.  Scott  to  Gen. 
Taylor.  No.  1,  Dec.  20, 1846  ;  Same  to  same,  Jan.  3, 1847  ; 
Same  to  Gen.  Butler,  Jan.  3  and  8,  1847. 

e  Gen.  Taylor's  Dispatch,  No.  5,  Jan.  26, 1847. 


488 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


lery,  one  company  of  regular  artillery,  the 
Kentucky  and  Arkansas  regiments  of  Mount- 
ed Yolunteers,  eight  regiments  of  Volunteer 
infantry,  and  two  pieces  of  Volunteer  artil- 
lery ;  ^  and  rendered  it  utterly  impossible  for 
the  latter  to  make  any  movement,  if,  indeed, 
he  was  strong  enough  to  defend  his  positions 
at  Saltillo  and  Monterey. 

Tn  the  mean  time, — while  General  Santa 
Anna  occupied  San  Luis  de  Potosi,  and  Gen- 
eral Taylor  was  at  Victoria, — the  orders  from 
General  Scott  were  sent  through  General 
Butler  at  Saltillo,  and  by  the  latter  were 
transmitted  to  head-quarters  at  Victoria  by 
special  messengers.  One  of  these  messen- 
gers. Lieutenant  John  A.  Richey,  who  was 
bearing  to  General  Taylor  the  "  Confiden- 
tial" letter  of  General  Scott  to  General  But- 
ler, dated  January  3,  1847, — in  which  the 
former  had  communicated  to  the  latter  the 
entire  plan  of  operations,  the  withdrawal  of 
the  troops  from  the  "  Army  of  Occupation," 
and  other  important  information, — was  mur- 
dered on  his  way,  and  his  papers  were  car- 
ried to  Santa  Anna.^  By  this  means  the  ene- 
my became  fully  acquainted  with  the  de- 
signs of  the  General-in-chief,  the  weakness 
of  the  Army  of  Occupation,  and  the  move- 
ments of  the  latter  which  would  be  neces- 
saiy  to  insure  its  safety ;  and  he  appears  to 
have  arranged  his  own  plans  to  conform  to 
this  new  and  important  state  of  affairs. 
Scouts  were  sent  out  in  front  of  his  army  in 
greater  numbers  and  with  stronger  force 
than  usual,  and  several  parties  of  Americans 
were  cut  off  and  taken  prisoners  ;  strong 
bodies  of  troops  moved  towards  Saltillo,  and 
appeared  to  threaten  the  American  position  ; 
and  other  evidences  were  manifested  of  the 
change  of  policy  which  influenced  the  ene- 
my's movements.  Yet  a  remarkable  degree 
of  ignorance  prevailed,  concerning  the  real 
purposes  of  General  Santa  Anna,  notwith- 
standing General  Taylor  assumed  the  per- 
sonal command  of  the  troops  at  Saltillo,  and 
removed  his  head-quarters  thither  on  the 
second  of  February;^   and  it  is  said  that. 


'  Gen.  Taylor's  Dispatch,  No.  5,  Jan.  26,  1847. 

'  Ibid.,  No.  6,  Jan.  26,  1847.— ^  Ibid.,  No.  12,  Feb.  4, 

1847. 


almost  up  to  the  very  moment  when  General 
Wool  opened  the  action  of  Buena  Vista, 
General  Taylor  disbelieved  the  report  that 
General  Santa  Anna  had  moved  against 
him.'  Li  addition  to  this  ignorance  of  the 
purposes  of  the  enemy.  General  Taylor  ap- 
pears to  have  felt  disposed  to  act  offensively ; 
and  he  advanced,  with  his  small  personal 
command,  to  Agua  Nueva, — eighteen  miles 
from  Saltillo, — on  the  fifth  of  February;^ 
and  within  the  following  week  he  was  joined, 
at  that  place,  by  General  Wool  and  the 
greater  part  of  the  troops;^  but  having  sub- 
sequently discovered  the  weakness  of  the 
new  position,  and  the  enemy  having  assem- 
bled, in  a  very  heavy  force,  at  Encai-nacion, 
thirty  miles  in  front  of  Agua  ISTueva,  on  the 
twenty-first  of  February  he  fell  back  on 
Buena  Vista,  leaving  a  small  covering  party 
of  cavalry  at  Agua  ISTueva.* 

It  appears  that  General  Santa  Anna,  soon 
after  the  capture  of  the  American  dispatches, 
resolved  to  take  advantage  of  the  weakness 
of  General  Taylor's  command,  and  to  crush 
it  before  moving  against  General  Scott ;  and 
his  troops  were  moved  from  San  Luis  de 
Potosi  with  that  object.  First  General  Tor- 
rejon  moved  to  Bocas,  with  the  Third  bri- 
gade of  cavalry,  eight  hundred  and  eight  in 
number ;  and  he  was  followed  by  the  Sec- 
ond, one  thousand  and  ninety-four  in  num- 
ber, to  the  Verrado,  under  General  Juvera  ; 
by  the  Fourth,  three  hundred  and  ninety  in 
number,  to  the  Cedral,  under  General  An- 
drade ;  and  by  the  First,  fourteen  hundred 
and  eighteen  in  number,  to  Encarnacion, 
under  General  Minon.  These  were  fol- 
lowed, on  the  twenty-eighth  of  January,  by 
the  artillery,  five  hundred  and  eighty-four 
in  number,  with  the  trains  and  raateriel  of 
war,  the  Sappers  and  Miners,  and  the 
company  of  organized  American  deserters, 
known  as  that  of  St.  Patrick  ;  on  the  twenty- 
ninth,  by  the  First  division,  four  thousand 
eight  hundred  and  thirty-nine  in  number, 
under  General  Pacheco  ;  on  the  thirtieth,  by 
* 

•  Gen.  Taylor's  Dispatch,  No.  14,  Feb.  14,  1847  ;  Bay- 
lie's  Campaign  in  Mexico,  pp.  26,  27. — '  Gen.  Taylor's 
Dispatch,  No.  13,  Feb.  7,  1847;  Eipley,  i.  p.  381. 

3  Gen.  Taylor's  Dispatch,  No.  14,  Feb  14,  1847. 

«  Ibid.,  No.  18,  March  6, 1847;  Eipley,  1.  pp.  385,  386. 


Chap.  CVI.] 


THE  BATTLE  OF  BUENA  VISTA. 


4S9 


tlie  Second  division,  four  thousand  three 
liundred  in  number,  under  General  Lombar- 
dini ;  and  on  the  thirty-first,  by  the  Third 
division,  three  thousand  one  hundred  and 
ninety-seven  in  number,  under  General  Or- 
tega— General  Santa  Anna  following  on  the 
second  of  February.  During  the  march  the 
Mexicans  sufiered  severely  from  the  ex- 
treme cold ;  and,  when  at  Matehuala,  they 
were  strengthened  by  the  junction  of  Gen- 
eral Parrodi's  brigade — one  thousand  strong. 
Between  the  seventeenth  and  twenty-first  of 
February,  this  army  rendezvoused  at  Encar- 
nacion  :  at  one  o'clock  on  that  day,  the  light 
corps  and  Hussars,  under  General  Ampudia, 
led  the  way  to  Agua  Kueva,  followed  by  the 
main  body ;  and  at  night  it  halted  at  the 
Pass  of  the  Cai'uero.  On  the  twenty- second, 
it  moved  forward  to  Agua  l^ueva,  driving 
thence  a  small  party  of  American  cavalry ; 
and  during  the  forenoon  it  appeared  before 
the  American  lines  at  Buena  Yista,'  to  which 
place,  as  already  stated.  General  Taylor  had 
retreated. 

The  Pass  of  Angostura — or,  as  the  Ameri- 
cans call  it,  of  Buena  Vista — is  a  position  of 
great  strength.  The  lofty  chain  of  moun- 
tains which  separates  the  plain  north  of  Sal- 
tillo  from  that  of  La  Encantada,  is  broken 
by  a  narrow  valley  of  irregular  width, 
through  which  pass  the  road  and  a  small 
stream,  which  flows  to  the  northward.  This 
small  valley  difi'ers  in  width,  from  a  mile 
and  a  half  to  fom*  miles,  and  is  bounded,  on 
either  hand,  by  rugged  mountains,  which 
are  some  two  to  three  thousand  feet  in 
height,  and  inaccessible,  except  for  light 
troops.  From  Saltillo,  the  northern  extrem- 
ity of  this  valley,  to  the  hacienda  San  Juan 
de  la  Buena  Vista,  a  distance  of  five  miles, 
the  road  continues  along  the  eastern  side  of 
the  little  stream,  on  wliich  the  ground — 
forming  a  plateau  or  table — is  some  sixty  or 
seventy  feet  higher  than  that  on  the  western 
bank.  The  next  mile  the  road  runs  over  a 
series  of  dry  ravines,  which  cross  it  diago- 
nally from  the  mountains  on  the  left,  when 
it  descends  to  the  bottom  of  the  valley,  and 


'  Notes  for  the  History,  pp.  94, 114-122  ; 
375-377. 

Vol.  IL— 62 


Ripley,  i.  pp. 


follows  a  narrow  strip  of  land  which  extends 
between  the  stream  and  several  abrupt  spurs 
of  the  mountains,  or  of  the  upper  plateau, 
which  juts  out  upon  it,  and  which  are  sep- 
arated from  each  other,  at  unequal  distances, 
by  ravines,  which  are  much  broader  and 
deeper  than  the  former,  and  parallel  with 
them.  Thence  it  winds  gradually  up  to  the 
plain  of  La  Encantada.  One  of  these  spurs 
referred  to  extends  so  near  to  the  stream 
that  there  is  scarcely  sufiicient  room  left  for 
the  passage  of  the  road ;  while  the  abrupt 
sides  of  the  spur,  its  commanding  position, — • 
completely  controlling  the  road,  to  the  south- 
ward, for  a  great  distance, — and  the  compli- 
cated network  of  gullies  which  the  stream 
has  made  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  road, — ■ 
presenting,  in  themselves,  a  formidable  ob- 
stacle to  the  progress  of  any  species  of  troops 
whatever,  from  that  direction, — all  tend  to 
make  the  Pass  of  Angostura,  as  that  spot  is 
called,  "  the  Thermopylae  of  Mexico."^ 

The  American  army  had  been  placed 
under  the  command  of  General  Wool  on 
the  preceding  evening,  —  General  Taylor 
having  proceeded  to  Saltillo,  with  a  small 
force,  "  to  provide  against  the  attack  medi- 
tated by  General  Mifion,"  with  the  First 
brigade  of  Mexican  cavalry,  who  had  threat- 
ened that  place  by  way  of  the  Pass  of  Palo- 
mas  Adentro  and  a  narrow  and  winding 
pathway  over  the  mountains,^ — and  on  the 
evening  of  the  twenty-first  he  had  posted 
the  First  Illinois  regiment  {Colonel  ffardhi' s) 
on  the  top  of  the  spur  which  forms  the  east- 
ern bounds  of  the  pass,  with  orders  to  throw 
up  a  parapet  on  its  crest,  and  to  dig  a  ditch 
and  throw  up  a  parapet  on  the  opposite  side 
of  the  road  and  around  the  edge  of  the  gully. 
Knowing  the  vital  importance  of  that  part 
of  the  position,  at  eight  o'clock  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  twenty-second,  General  Wool  had 
also  ordered  a  section  of  Captain  Wash- 
ington's battery  to  occupy  the  pass ;  and 
orders  were  given  to  the  Illinois  regiment, 
at  the  same  time,  to  dig  a  ditch  and  make  a 
parapet  across  the  road,  for  the  protection  of 


'  Carlton's  Buena  Vista,  pp.  5-9  : 

Mexico,  pp.  27,  28  ;  Ripley,  1.  pp. 

2  Gen.  Wool's  Report,  March  4  ; 


Baylie's  Campaign  in 
889-391. 
Carlton,  pp.  27,  28. 


490 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


the  artillery.  At  nine  o'clock  the  enemy 
came  within  sight  of  the  pickets  stationed 
at  La  Encantada,  three  and  a  half  miles  in 
front  of  the  pass ;  and  while  messengers 
hastened  to  Saltillo  with  the  intelligence, 
General  "Wool  moved  his  command  to  the 
immediate  vicinity  of  the  pass,  and  prepared 
for  the  reception  of  the  enemy.^ 

He  had  posted  Captain  Washington's  bat- 
tery of  eight  pieces  across  the  road  at  the 
pass,  its  left  resting  on  the  spur  of  the 
mountain,  while  its  right  was  covered  by^ 
two  companies  of  the  First  Illinois  regiment, 
under  Lieutenant-colonel  Weatherford  ;  and 
six  companies  of  the  same  regiment,  under 
Colonel  Hardin,  occupied  the  summit  of  the 
spur  on  the  left  of  the  artillery ;  the  Second 
Kentucky  regiment,  under  Colonel  McKee, 
was  ]30sted  on  a  spur  covering  the  rear  of 
the  pass,  and  suj^porting  the  battery ;  and 
the  Second  Illinois  regiment  {Colonel  Bis- 
seWs)  was  posted  on  Colonel  McKee's  left ; 
the  Arkansas  and  Kentucky  regiments  of 
Mounted  Volunteers,  under  Colonels  Yell 
and  Marshall,  were  posted  on  the  extreme 
left,  on  the  upper  plateau,  near  the  base  of 
the  mountains ;  and  the  Second  and  Third 
Indiana  regiments,  under  Colonels  Bowles 
and  Lane,  and  Captain  Stein's  squadron  of 
dragoons,  were  posted  on  a  ridge  imme- 
diately in  the  rear  of  the  front  line,  as  a  re- 
serve.^ 

At  this  time  General  Taylor  reached  the 
pass,  and  the  Mississippi  Eifles,  under  Col- 
onel Davis,  Lieutenant-colonel  May's  dra- 
goons, and  the  light  batteries  of  Captains 
Sherman  and  Bragg — the  troops  which  Gen- 
eral Taylor  brought  with  him  from  Saltillo — 
were  added  to  the  reserve.^ 

At  eleven  o'clock  General  Taylor  was 
summoned  to  surrender  at  discretion,  at 
which  time  General  Santa  Anna  informed 
him  that  the  Amei'ican  army  was  surround- 
ed by  twenty  thousand  men,  and  that  "it 
could  not,  in  any  human  probability,  avoid 
suffering  a  rout  and  being  cut  to  pieces ; " 
and  the  General,  with  great  composure,  re- 
turned the  well-known  answer,  in  which  he 

1  Gen.  Wool's  Report,  March  4 ;  Ripley,  i.  p.  392. 

2  Gen.  Wool's  Report,  March  4.— ^  Ibid. 


"declined  acceding  to  the  request"  of  his 
opponent.^ 

The  Mexican  advance  had  halted  just  be- 
yond cannon-shot  from  the  pass,  and  appears 
to  have  awaited  the  arrival  of  his  main  body ; 
while  he  deployed  his  forces  on  either  side 
of  the  road,  as  they  came  up,  and  made 
demonstrations  of  a  desire  to  turn  the  left  of 
the  American  position.  To  counteract  any 
similar  movement  which  might  be  made  on 
the  right  flank, — without  being  aware  that 
such  a  movement  could  not  be  successful,  in 
consequence  of  an  impassable  marsh,  which 
is  in  front  of  that  position, — before  he  left, 
at  the  close  of  the  day,  for  Saltillo,  General 
Taylor  ordered  the  Second  Kentucky  regi- 
ment of  infantry  {Colonel  McKee's),  and 
Captain  Bragg's  battery,  with  a  detach- 
ment of  mounted  men,  from  the  reserve 
to  the  west  side  of  the  stream,  on  the  right 
and  somewhat  in  advance  of  the  pass ;  while, 
for' the  purpose  of  checking  the  movement 
on  the  left,  the  Kentucky  and  Arkansas  regi- 
ments of  cavalry,  dismounted,  were  moved 
up  the  slope  of  the  mountain,  supported  by 
the  Indiana  rifle  battalion,  under  Major  Gor- 
man ;  while  three  of  Captain  Washington's 
pieces,  under  Lieutenant  O 'Brian,  supported 
by  the  Second  Indiana  regiment,  under  Col- 
onel Bowles,  for  the  same  purpose,  were  or- 
dered to  move  to  the  head  of  the  plateau,  on 
the  left  of  the  pass,  for  the  purpose  of  pre- 
venting the  enemy  from  coming  around  the 
base  of  the  mountains,  up  the  ravine,  and  to 
the  plateau,  on  the  left  of  the  battery,  which 
was,  in  reality,  the  key  of  the  position.^ 

At  this  time, — about  three  o'clock, — the 
action  was  opened  on  the  upper  plateau  by 
the  Mexican  artillery ;  and  immediately  af- 
terwards the  Mexican  light  troops,  under 
General  Ampudia,  who  had  crept  up  the 
slope  of  the  anountains,  opened  their  fire  on 
the  American  riflemen,  while  in  both  cases 
the  recipients  of  the  fire  returned  it  with 
great  spirit  and  much  effect.^ 

'  The  correspondence  of  both  Generals  was  inclosed  in 
Gen.  Taylor's  Dispatch,  No.  15,  Feb.  24,  1847.  Capt. 
Carlton  says  the  flag  through  which  Gen.  Santa  Anna  sent 
this  summons  was  borne  by  the  Surgeon-general  of  the 
army,  a  German,  named  Vanderlinden. 

^  Gen.  Wool's  Report,  March  4  ;  Ripley,  i.  pp.  393,  394. 

3  Gen.  Wool's  Report,  March  4  ;  Ripley,  i.  p.  395. 


Chap.  CVI.] 


THE  BATTLE  OF  BUENA  VISTA. 


491 


During  the  remainder  of  the  day  the  con- 
tending parties  contented  themselves  with 
the  operations  of  these  light  troojDS,  on  the 
side  and  at  the  foot  of  the  mountains,  with- 
out opening  a  fire  from  any  other  part  of 
the  lines ;  and  at  dark  a  shell  was  thrown 
up  by  the  enemy  as  a  signal  for  the  suspen- 
sion of  the  fire,  when  the  action  was  entirely 
discontinued,  both  parties  bivouacking  on 
the  field ;  ^  while  General  Taylor,  with  the 
Mississippi  Eifles  and  Lieutenant -colonel 
May's  dragoons,  returned  to  his  quarters  at 
Saltillo,  where  he  spent  the  night.^ 

When  the  action  had  terminated  on  the 
twenty-second,  General  Santa  Anna  is  said  to 
have  addressed  his  troops  in  a  pertinent 
speech,  in  which  "  he  referred  to  the  wi-ongs 
which  had  been  inflicted  upon  their  country 
by  the  barbarians  of  the  l^orth — wrongs 
which  could  not  be  submitted  to  without 
eternal  disgrace,  and  which  could  be  re- 
di'essed  only  by  the  last  resort  of  nations. 
The  United  States  of  the  E"orth  had,  coward- 
like, presumed  on  their  strength  alone,  and 
wantonly  set  at  defiance  every  principle  of 
right.  They  had  provoked  this  war,"  he 
said,  "under  the  cover  of  other  objects  to 
be  gained,  but  really  for  their  own  aggran- 
dizement, and  the  acquisition  of  territory 
clearly  the  property  of  the  United  States  of 
the  South.  The  one  country  aimed  only  at 
the  entire  destruction  of  the  nationality  of 
the  other.  He  wished  to  call  their  whole 
attention  to  that  single  fact;  and  not  only 
to  that,  but  to  a  thousand  others,  which, 
like  that,  would  make  them  burn  to  take  ter- 
rible vengeance  on  the  mercenary  invaders 
of  their  soil.  He  called  upon  them  to  look 
upon  their  country.  What  met  theu*  sight  ? 
Its  possessions  wrested  away ;  its  dignity  in- 
sulted ;  its  fair  fields  ravaged ;  its  citizens 
slauffhtered ;  its  hearths  and  homes  made 
desolate.  Others  had  gone  forth  to  vindi- 
cate these  wrongs,  but  they  had  fallen ;  and 
now  their  blood,  which  had  drenched  the 
fields  of  Palo  Alto,  Resaca  de  la  Palma,  and 
Monterey,  called  on  them,  their  brethren, 
with  an   eloquence  that   must  reach  their 

1  Gen.  Wool's  Report,  March  4. 

2  Gen.  Taylor's  Dispatch,  No.  18,  March  6,  1847  ;  fiip- 
ley,  i,  p.  397. 


hearts,  to  avenge  their  death.  He  reminded 
them  that  they  had  crossed  deserts,  had  suf- 
fered hunger,  and  thirst,  and  fatigue,  with- 
out a  murmur.  Long  and  weary  had  been 
their  march ;  but  now  they  should  be  re- 
warded with  rej^ose,  and  the  enjoyment  of 
the  abundance  which  filled  the  ample  gran- 
aries of  the  mm-derers  of  their  brethren. 
He  concluded  by  saying  that  the  Americans 
were  but  a  handful,  and  at  his  mei'cy ;  that 
he  had  magnanimously  oflered  to  spare  their 
lives,  and  even  to  treat  them  with  consid- 
eration ;  that  they  had  vain-gloriously  re- 
jected his  clemency,  leaving,  as  the  only 
alternative,  theii*  utter  extermination,  with- 
out pity  or  quartery  ^ 

This  sjDeech  was  received  with  loud  cries 
of  ''''Yiva  Santanna^  '^Viva  la  HepiMica" 
and  '■'•Lihertad  6  Muerta  / "  while  the  fine 
military  band  which  belonged  to  the  Mexi- 
can general's  guard  played  some  of  the 
finest  of  the  Mexican  national  airs — ^both 
the  cheers  and  the  music  being  distinctly 
heard  within  the  American  lines.^ 

With  the  close  of  this  exciting  scene — not 
less  so  in  the  American  camp  than  in  that 
of  the  enemy,  under  the  influence  of  excited 
imaginations,  while  the  sounds  of  the  ap- 
plause and  the  music  swept  through  the 
valley — the  most  sullen  silence  took  most 
absolute  possession  of  the  entire  surround- 
ing country  ;  and,  for  a  time,  the  most 
dreary  and  unrelieved  darkness  added  hor- 
rors to  the  cheerless  and  foreboding  night. 
The  dark  forms  of  the  mountains,  on  either 
hand  of  the  valley,  under  any  circumstances, 
would  have  shut  out  the  light  and  made  the 
night  more  unpleasant,  yet  even  this  power 
was  increased  by  the  black  and  storm-bear- 
ing clouds  which  drifted  across  the  scene, 
and  by  the  cold  winds  and  the  drizzling  rain 
which  chilled  the  bodies,  if  they  did  not 
check  the  confidence,  of  the  thousands  who 
were  exposed  to  their  influence.  So  intense, 
indeed,  was  the  cold,  that  the  Americans 
built  fires  along  the  sides  of  the  mountains, 
and  sought  a  temporary  relief  from  the  un- 
certain warmth  which  they  sent  out.^ 

1  Carlton,  pp.  45-47.  See  also  Baylie's  Campaign  in 
Mexico,  pp.  30,  31.— =  Carlton,  p.  47.—^  Baylie's  Campaign 
in  Mexico,  p.  31 ;  Notes  for  the  History,  p.  123. 


492 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


During  tlie  night,  witli  great  good  judg- 
ment, General  Santa  Anna  had  strengthened 
General  Ampudia's  light  troops  in  the  moun- 
tains on  the  left  of  the  American  line,  by  or- 
dering the  Fourth  regiment  of  the  line  for 
his  support ;  ^  and,  at  the  dawn  of  day,  after 
having  driven  in  the  American  pickets,^  the 
Mexicans  renewed  the  contest  at  the  same 
place,  which  they,  correctly,  knew  "  was  ex- 
tremely important  in  deciding,  the  action."^ 
At  the  same  time,  with  equal  vigilance,  Gen- 
eral Wool  had  strengthened  Colonel  Marshall 
with  a  battalion  of  riflemen  from  the  Second 
Illinois  regiment,  under  Major  Trail ;  and, 
as  soon  as  it  was  light  enough,  they  were 
ordered  forward  to  renew  the  action.  The 
light  troops  which  were  thus  intended  to 
hold  General  Ampudia  in  check,  were  the 
dismounted  Kentucky  riflemen,  under  Cap- 
tains Shawham,  Beard,  Milan,  and  Penning- 
ton, and  Lieutenant  Field ;  the  Indiana  rifle 
battalion,  under  Major  Gorman  ;  and  the 
four  Illinois  rifle  coraj^anies,  under  Major 
Trail ;  and,  notwithstanding  the  overpower- 
ing numbers  of  the  enemy  which  were  op- 
posed to  them,  it  is  said  "  they  stood  as  firm 
as  the  rocks  of  the  mountain."  "  They  were 
but  a  handful,  as  compared  with  the  ene- 
my," says  Colonel  Marshall,  "but  they  yield- 
ed not  an  inch  of  ground  for  at  least  two 
hours,  dui-ing  which  I  was  gratified  to  ob- 
serve that  they  kept  their  front  clear  within 
rifle-shot,  though  the  enemy  was  enabled  to 
turn  their  left  flank,  and  another  regiment 
pressed  down  the  mountain  to  their  right, 
with  the  view  of  cutting  ofi^  the  whole  from 
the  main  body."  * 

The  movements  of  the  enemy  indicating 
his  intention  to  make  a  bold  push  on  the 
left  flank  of  the  American  line,  General 
Wool  provided  for  its  defence ;  and  while 
the  light  troops  were  contesting  for  the  pos- 
session of  the  slopes  of  the  mountains,  both 
the  Generals  in  command — Santa  Anna  and 
Wool — formed  the  respective  armies  for  the 
approaching  contest.    In  the  American  lines, 

>  Notes  for  the  History,  p.  124 ;  Gen.  Wool's  Report, 
March  4.—'  Gen.  Wool's  Report,  March  4,  1847. 

s  Notes  for  the  Histor)',  p.  122.—''  Gen.  Wool's  Report, 
March  4  ;  Col.  Marshall's  Report,  March  1 ;  Notes  for  the 
History,  p.  124 ;  Gen.  Taylor's  Dispatch,  No.  18,  March  6. 


the  Second  Kentucky  Volunteers  {Colonel 
MoKee's\  Captain  Bragg's  battery,  and  Cap- 
tain Pike's  squadron  of  Arkansas  Yolunteer 
Cavalry,  were  ordered  from  the  extreme 
right, — opposite  to,  and  in  advance  of,  the 
pass,  where  they  had  been  posted  by  Gen- 
eral Taylor,  on  the  preceding  evening ;  while 
Captain  Sherman's  battery,  and  six  com- 
panies of  the  Second  Illinois  regiment  of 
Yolunteers  {Colonel  BisseW s),  were  sent  to 
the  left,  on  the  plateau,  to  support  Lieuten- 
ant O'Brian's  battery,  and  the  Second  Indi- 
ana regiment  {Colonel  Bowies'),  with  orders 
to  General  Lane,  who  commanded  there,  to 
defend  the  position  to  the  last  extremity. 
At  the  same  time.  Captain  Washington's 
battery  and  Colonel  Hardin's  regiment  of 
Illinois  Yolunteers  defended  the  pass,  sup- 
ported by  the  Third  Indiana  regiment  of 
Yolunteers  {Colonel  Land's) ;  the  Arkansas 
and  Kentucky  Mounted  Yolunteers — except 
those  of  them  who  were  engaged,  on  foot,  in 
the  mountains,  under  Colonel  Marshall,  and 
Captain  Pike's  squadron — were  posted  near 
the  head  of  a  broad  ravine  which  covered 
the  rear  of  the  plateau,  to  support  the  rifle- 
men, should  they  be  driven  from  the  moun- 
tains ;  and  two  troops  of  the  First  dragoons, 
under  Captain  Stein,  and  Major  McCuUoch's 
Texans,  were  held  in  readiness  to  support 
either  the  riflemen  in  the  mountains,  or  the 
troops  on  the  left  of  the  centre,  as  circum- 
stances might  require.^ 

Against  this  handful  of  troops,  thus  posted, 
the  hosts  of  the  enemy  moved  at  an  early  hour, 
in  four  dense  columns.  That  on  his  right, 
against  the  American  left, — at  the  head  of  the 
plateau,  and  on  the  slope  of  the  mountain, — 
commanded  by  General  Ampudia,  has  been 
noticed  already.  The  second  was  "  the  Cen- 
tre of  the  Army,"  under  General  Lombar- 
dini,  which  was  directed  to  move  up  one  of 
the  ravines,  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  road, 
against  the  head  of  the  j)lateau ;  while  the 
third, — "  the  Yanguard  of  the  Army,"  imder 
General  Pacheco, — moving  up  another  of  the 
ravines,  was  ordered  to  unite  with  the  sec- 
ond, at  the  head  of  the  plateau,  and,  with  it, 
to  break  through  the  American  left,  where 

1  Gen.  Wool's  Memoranda,  May  21,  1860. 


Chap.  CVI.] 


THE  BATTLE  OF  BUENA  VISTA. 


493 


Lieutenant  O'Brian's  and  Captain  Sherman's 
batteries,  and  the  regiments  of  Yolunteers, 
under  Colonels  Bowles  and  Bissell,  had  been 
posted.  At  the  same  time,  General  D.  San- 
tiago Blanco,  of  the  Engineers,  at  the  head 
of  the  reo-iment  of  Eno-ineers,  the  mixed  reg-i- 
ment  of  Tampieo,  that  known  as  the  "Fijo 
de  Mejico,"  and  the  body-guard  of  General 
Santa  Anna, — the  regiment  of  Hussars, — 
supported  by  a  heavy  battery,  under  Gen- 
eral Mora  y  Villamil,  moved  along  the  val- 
ley against  the  pass  of  Angostura,  which 
was  the  key  of  the  American  position  ;  and 
General  Ortega,  with  the  remainder  of  the 
troops,  was  held  in  reserve,  in  the  extreme 
rear  of  the  enemy's  line.^ 

Between  seven  and  eight  o'clock  in  the 
morning  of  the  twenty -tliird  of  February, 
General  Blanco  moved  down  the  valley,  to- 
wards the  pass,  against  Captain  Washing- 
ton's battery ;  -  and,  with  a  degree  of  modesty 
which  is  honorable  to  that  gallant  officer,  the 
Captain  thus  narrates  the  result : — "  The  ra- 
pidity and  precision  of  our  fire  scattered  and 
dispersed  this  force  in  a  few  minutes,  with 
considerable  loss  on  his  side,  and  little  or  none 
on  our  own."^  The  compact  column  of  the 
enemy  could  not  ^vithstand  the  terrible  effect 
of  this  fire ;  and,  after  wavering  a  moment, 
it  halted,  and,  finally  sought  shelter,  in  con- 
fusion, in  the  mouth  of  one  of  the  ravines, 
behind  the  spur  which  projected  into  the 
valley.* 

Li  the  mean  time.  Captain  Washington 
had  notified  General  Wool  of  the  movement 
of  General  Blanco ;  and  the  former  had 
hastened  to  the  pass  to  superintend  the 
defence  of  that  very  important  position. 
During  this  temporary  absence  of  the  Gen- 
eral from  the  plateau,  the  columns  of  the 
enemy,  under  Generals  Lombardini  and  Pa- 
elieco, — in  conjunction  with  a  battery  of 
three  eight-pounders,  on  the  right  and  rear 
of  their  line  of  march, — attacked  the  left  of 
the  American  centre,  where,  as  before  stated, 
had  been  posted  General  Lane,  with  Lieu- 
tenant O'Brian's  and  Captain  Duncan's  bat- 

1  Notes  for  the  History,  p.  124. — =  Gen.  Wool's  Report, 
March  4.— ^  Capt.  Washington's  Report,  Feb.  28. 

*  Gen.  Taylor's  Dispatch,  No.  18,  March  6  ;  Gen.  Wool's 
I'.eport,  March  4  ;  Carlton,  pp.  67,  68. 


teries,  and  the  Second  Illinois  and  the  Sec- 
ond Indiana  regiments  of  Yolunteers.  This 
attack  was  resisted  with  great  spirit  and 
success ;  and  Lieutenant  O'Brian's  guns, 
"  which  were  admirably  served,  swept  down 
whole  platoons  of  the  enemy  at  every  dis- 
charge." The  head  of  the  Mexican  columns 
was  quickly  thrown  into  disorder,  and  suf- 
fered severely  from  this  fire, — the  fine  corps 
of  Guanajuato,  which  was  in  front,  having 
been  nearly  annihilated, — and  as  they  had 
gradually  fallen  back,  General  Lane  ordered 
Lieutenant  O'Brian  and  Colonel  Bowles  to 
advance,  notwithstanding  the  disparity  ap- 
peared too  great  to  promise  a  permanent 
success.  The  gallant  Lieutenant  promptly 
obeyed  the  order,  and  limbering  up  his 
pieces,  he  advanced  some  fifty  or  sixty 
yards  down  the  spur,  placed  his  pieces  in 
battery,  and  renewed  his  fire.  It  was  not 
so,  however,  with  the  Second  Indiana  regi- 
ment, which,- — from  some  unexplained  cause, 
in  which  the  regiment  appears  to  have  had 
no  share, — had  been  ordered  by  its  Colo- 
nel {Bowles)  to  retreat,  notwithstanding  the 
firmness  with  which  it  had  withstood  the 
shock  of  the  enemy's  first  advance,  a  few 
minutes  before.  By  this  defection — which 
no  effort  of  General  Lane  and  his  stafl",  or  of 
General  Wool,  who  had  returned  to  the  pla- 
teau in  season  to  witness  the  disastrous  fiight 
of  the  regiment,  could  remedy — the  unflinch- 
ing Lieutenant  O'Brian  was  left  with  no  im- 
mediate support ;  while  General  Santa  Anna 
was  not  slow  in  taking  advantage  of  the  dis- 
aster, and  in  returning  to  the  attack.  In  the 
language  of  the  Mexican  Engineers,  "  new 
columns  were  organized,  and  successfully 
charged,  with  extraordinary  firmness ; "  and 
Lieutenant  O'Brian,  with  the  loss  of  one  of 
his  four-pounders, — the  horses  and  cannon- 
iers  of  which  had  been  either  killed  or  dis- 
abled,— the  Second  Illinois  regiment,  and 
Captain  Sherman's  battery,  were  compelled 
to  change  then-  position,  and  to  fall  back 
nearer  to  the  head  of  the  plateau.^ 

The  Mexicans  now  appeared  in  great  force 

'  Gen.  Wool's  Report,  March  4 ;  Lieutenant  O'Brian's 
Report,  Feb.  28  ;  Scribner's  Camp-life  of  a  Volunteer 
{Second  Indiana  regiment),  p.  60  ;  Gen.  Wool's  Memoranda, 
May  21,  1860  ;  Ueut.  O'Brian's  Report,  Feb.  28. 


494 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


on  the  plateau,  and  commenced  the  descent 
towaixls  the  height  which  covered  the  left  of 
Captain  Washington's  position  at  the  pass ; 
hut,  at  this  moment,  Major  Mansfield  came 
up,  with  the  Second  Kentucky  regiment 
{Colonel  IlcKee's).,  and  Caj)tain  Bragg's  bat- 
tery, which  General  Wool  had  ordered  up 
from  the  extreme  right,  on  the  opposite  side 
of  the  valley,  where  General  Taylor  had 
posted  them  the  preceding  afternoon  ;  while, 
at  the  same  time,  General  Blanco's  com- 
mand having  been  repulsed  at  the  pass,  as 
before  stated.  Colonel  Hardin  was  also  or- 
dered up  the  plateau,  with  the  First  Illi- 
nois regiment,  which  had  covered  Captain 
Washington's  left  at  the  pass.  These,  with 
O'Brian's  and  Sherman's  batteries,  and  the 
Second  Illinois  regiment,  were  quickly  form- 
ed in  line,  extending  entirely  across  the  head 
of  the  plateau,  from  near  the  head  of  the 
gorge  on  its  front,  to  the  brink  of  the  ravine 
in  its  rear ;  and  once  more,  from  the  entire 
line,  Sherman,  Bragg,  and  O'Brian — a  glo- 
rious trio — hurled  their  well-directed  and 
terribly-destructive  fire  into  the  dense  masses 
of  the  Mexican  columns.  For  a  short  time 
this  teriible  cannonade  was  withstood  by  the 
Mexicans;  and  it  was  returned  with  great 
spirit.^ 

While  this  spirited  engagement  was  going 
on, — both  parties  contending  manfully  for 
the  possession  of  the  plateau,^ — the  heavy 
masses  of  Mexican  cavalry  (finding  no  op- 
position to  their  progress,  since  the  three 
regiments  of  Yolunteers  and  the  three  bat- 
teries were  actively  engaged  with  the  in- 
fantry and  artillery  of  the  divisions  of  Gen- 
erals Lombardini  and  Pacheco)  swept  across 
the  head  of  the  plateau,  between  the  Mex- 
ican columns  and  the  foot  of  the  moiin- 
tain ;  ^  while  the  light  troops  which  were 
engaged  in  the  mountain,  with  General  Am- 
pudia,  fearing  that  they  might  be  cut  off 
from  the  main  body,  fell  back,  across  the 
gorge  which  covered  the  rear  of  the  Ameri- 
can line,  towards  the  hacienda  of  Buena 
Yista ;  and  General  Ampudia  pressing  for- 
ward  after   them,   the    entire   face    of   the 


1  Gen.  Wool's  Report,  March  4,  1847  ;    Gen.  Wool's 
Memoranda,  May  21,  1860.—"  Ibid.;  Carlton,  p.  70. 


mountain,  and  the  upper  part  of  the  pla- 
teau, together  with  the  upper  part  of  the 
gorge  in  front  and  rear  of  it,  were  occupied 
by  the  Mexicans — the  small  body  of  cavalry 
which  had  been  posted  in  the  rear  of  the  left 
flank  having,  in  the  mean  time,  also  been 
swept  away  with  the  current  towards  the 
hacienda.^ 

As  has  been  already  stated,  the  advance 
of  Generals  Lombardini  and  Pacheco,  at  the 
upper  part  of  the  plateau,  was  resisted  with 
great  spirit  by  the  Second  Illinois  regiment 
{Colonel  BisseWs),  the  Second  Kentucky 
regiment  {Colonel  3fcKee's),  the  six  compa- 
nies of  the  First  Illinois  regiment  {Colonel 
Tlardiii^ s)^  and  the  batteries  under  Captains 
Sherman  and  Bragg  and  Lieutenant  O'Brian, 
— which  had  formed  a  line  across  the  head 
of  the  plateau  for  that  purpose, — and,  not- 
withstanding the  determination  of  General 
Santa  Anna  and  his  movement  of  reinforce- 
ments, both  of  men  and  artillery,  he  was  driv- 
en back,  in  confusion,  to  the  base  of  the  moun- 
tains, and  the  entire  plateau  was  again  in  the 
undisputed  possession  of  the  Americans.^ 

At  this  moment  both  the  armies  were 
greatly  scattered  —  Generals  Torrejon  and 
Ampudia,  with  the  Mexican  cavalry  and 
light  troops  which  they  commanded,  had 
succeeded  in  turning  the  extreme  left  of  the 
American  line,  and  were  moving  towards 
the  rear,  with  the  American  light  troops, 
the  Arkansas  and  KenJ;ucky  cavalry  {Col- 
onels Yell  and  Marshall),  and  the  debris  of 
the  Second  Indiana  regiment  of  Yolunteers 
{Colonel  Bowles),  retiring  before  them  ;  Gen- 
eral Santa  Anna,  with  the  divisions  of  Gen- 
erals Lombardini  and  Pacheco,  had  been 
driven  from  the  plateau,  in  front  of  the 
American  centre, — which  still  occupied  its 
position,— and  had  sought  refuge  in  the  ra- 
vines and  gorges  at  the  base  of  the  moun- 
tains ;  the  Mexican  reserves,  under  General 
Ortega,  still  occupied  their  position  in  the 
rear  of  their  lines  ;  Generals  Blanco  and 
Yillamil,  with  their  commands,  had  been 
driven  from  before  the  pass  by  the  gallant 

'  Gen.  Taylor's  Dispatch,  No.  18,  March  6  ;  Gen.  Wool's 
Report,  March  4  ;  Carlton,  pp.  70,  71. 

2  Gen.  Wool's  Report,  March  4 ;  Gen.  Wool's  Memoranda, 
May  21,  1860  ;  Carlton,  pp.  71-73  ;  Baylie,  p.  33. 


Chap.  CVI.] 


THE  BATTLE  OF  BUENA  VISTA. 


495 


Captain  Waslaington  and  his  batteiy,  and 
had  found  refuge  in  the  neighboring  gorges  ; 
and  Colonel  May's  squadron  of  dragoons, 
and  the  Mississippi  riflemen, — General  Tay- 
lor's body-guard, — were  not  on  the  field. 

Immediately  afterwards,  —  after  the  re- 
pulse of  the  Mexicans, — while  the  armies 
were  thus  situated,  General  Taylor,  accom- 
panied by  Colonel  May's  dragoons,  reached 
the  plateau,  from  Saltillo,  where  he  had  spent 
the  night,  and  assumed  the  command — the 
Mississippi  Rifles  following  him,  some  three 
miles  distant ;  and  General  Wool  thus  re- 
lieved from  duty  on  the  plateau,  after  a 
short  conversation  with  the  commanding 
general,  hastened  to  the  left  and  rear,  for 
the  purpose  of  remedying  the  mischief  which 
had  befallen  the  army  in  that  direction,  and 
to  arrest  the  progress  of  the  enemy  towards 
the  rear  of  the  position.^ 

Thus  relieved  from  the  responsibility  of 
the  chief  command,  as  well  as  the  more  im- 
mediate command  on  the  plateau.  General 
Wool,  as  before  stated,  hastened  to  the  left 
and  rear,  in  pursuit  of  the  Second  Indiana 
regiment,  in  order  to  rally  them,  and  with 
them  and  the  other  regiments  which  had  re- 
tired before  the  Mexican  cavalry  and  light 
troops,  to  arrest  the  progress  of  the  enemy 
to  the  rear  of  the  position.  He  overtook 
General  Lane,  Colonel  Bowles,  and  Major 
Gorman — the  first  and  last  wounded — in  the 
deep  and  broad  ravine  which  bounded  the 
rear  of  the  American  position,  and  after 
giving  such  orders  as  he  deemed  necessary, 
he  continued  the  pursuit  of  the  enemy. 
About  midway  between  the  Hacienda  of 
Buena  Yista  and  the  plateau,  he  met  the 
Mississippi  lifiemen,  under  Colonel  Jeiferson 
Davis,  who  had  left  the  road,  and  were 
taking  a  diagonal  course  towards  the  pla- 
teau. Colonel  Davis,  also,  was  busil}^  en- 
gaged in  a  laudable  attempt  to  rally  the  fu- 
gitives who  were  retreating  before  the  Mexi- 
cans, and  he  appealed  to  them  to  return 
with  him  and  renew  the  fight,  pointing  to 
his  noble  resiiment  as  a  mass  of  men  behind 


'  Gen,  Taylor's  Dispatch,  No.  18,  March  6  ;  Gen.  Wool's 
Eeport.  March  4  ;  Gen.  Wool's  Memoranda,  May  21  and 
24,  1860. 


whom  they  might  form  in  security.  With 
here  and  there  an  honorable  exception.  Col- 
onel Davis's  appeal  was  disregarded.^ 

General  Wool  next  directed  the  attention 
of  Colonel  Davis  to  a  body  of  Mexicans 
which  was  coming  down  from  the  foot  of 
the  mountains  ;  and  the  latter  moved  to  op- 
pose its  progress,  while  the  General,  in  per- 
son, hastened  to  bring  up  a  regiment  to  sup- 
port the  riflemen.^ 

During  the  General's  absence,  and  while 
the  Mississippians  were  thus  engaged,  a  large 
body  of  lancers,  under  General  Torrejon, 
had  passed  along  the  base  of  the  mountains, 
on  the  left  of  Colonel  Davis,  and  had  moved 
against  the  Hacienda  of  Buena  Yista.  Here 
it  was  met  by  the  Kentucky  and  Arkansas 
Yolunteer  cavalry,  under  Colonels  Marshall 
and  Yell,  and  the  riflemen  under  Majors 
Gorman  and  Trail ;  and,  after  a  spirited 
skirmish,  he  was  compelled  to  retire,  with 
considei'able  loss — a  part  of  the  fugitives 
retreating  right  and  left,  while  the  greater 
part  of  them  joined  the  party  with  which 
Colonel  Davis  had  engaged.  In  this  gallant 
defence.  Colonel  Yell  and  Captain  Porter, 
of  the  Arkansas  regiment,  and  Adjutant 
Yaughn,  of  the  Kentucky  regiment,  were 
killed.3 

By  this  time  General  Wool  had  joined 
the  Mississippi  riflemen,  with  the  Third  In- 
diana Yolunteers  {Colonel  Lcmeh),  and  with 
these  regiments,  a  small  party  of  the  fugi- 
tive Second  Indiana  regiment,  under  Colonel 
Bowles,  and  a  field-piece,  under  Lieutenant 
Kilburn ;  and  subsequently,  with  the  batteries 
under  Captains  Sherman  and  Bragg  (which 
had  been  sent  from  the  plateau  for  that  pur- 
pose by  General  Taylor),  he  moved  against 
the  columns  of  the  Mexicans  who  had  turned 
the  extreme  left  of  the  line,  and,  after  a  series 
of  most  brilliant  engagements,  he  succeeded 


1  Gen.  Wool's  Memoranda,  May  21  and  24,  1860  ;  Bay- 
lie,  pp.  83,  34;  Col.  Davis'  Report,  March  1,  1847  ;  Carl- 
ton, pp.  76,  77. — ^  Gen.  Wool's  Memoranda,  May  21  and 
24,  1860;  Col.  Davis'  Report,  March  1,  1847;  Baylie,  p. 
34._3  Gen.  Taylor's  Dispatch,  No.  18,  March  6  ;  Gen. 
Wool's  Report,  March  4,  1847  ;  Gen.  Wool's  Memoranda, 
May  21  and  24,  1860  ;  Col.  Marshall's  Report,  March 
1,  1847;  Lieut. -Col.  Roane's  Eeport,  Feb.  27;  Scribner, 
pp.  65,  66. 


496 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


in  driving  them  back  on  their  main  body, 
with  great  loss.^ 

It  was  during  this  retreat  that  two  thou- 
sand Mexicans,  anxious  to  escape  the  fire  in 
their  rear,  as  well  as  a  destructive  fire  on 
their  flank  from  the  troops  on  the  plateau, 
had  sought  shelter  in  the  recesses  of  the 
mountains,  and  were  huddled  together  in  a 
helpless,  disorderly  mass.  At  this  moment 
the  goodness  of  General  Taylor's  heart  inter- 
ceded in  their  behalf,  notwithstanding  they 
were  enemies  ;  and  he  hesitated  before  sacri- 
ficing a  single  life — even  that  of  an  enemy — 
unnecessarily.  With  the  merciful  desire  of 
saving  life,  therefore,  he  dispatched  Lieuten- 
ant Crittenden,  his  Aid-de-camp,  with  a  flag, 
and  demanded  the  surrender  of  this  party ; 
but  instead  of  complying  with  the  demand, 
the  Mexicans  availed  themselves  of  the  op- 
portunity afforded  them,  and  marched  out 
of  the  gorge,  wliile  the  troops  under  Gen- 
eral Wool,  under  orders  from  General  Tay- 
lor, silently  looked  on,  without  being  per- 
mitted to  fire  a  shot,  or  take  a  step  to  pre- 
vent their  escape.^ 

Immediately  after  General  Taylor  had 
dispatched  this  flag  by  Lieutenant  Critten- 
den, and  after  having  ordered  Colonel  Har- 
din to  attack  a  Mexican  battery  which  was 
on  the  plateau,  directing  its  fire  against 
General  Wool, — who  was  busily  engaged 
with  the  Mexicans  whom  he  had  driven 
from  the  left  and  rear,  as  already  related, — 
he  left  the  plateau.  In  accordance  with  this 
order.  Colonel  Hardin  moved  with  his  regi- 
ment,— the  First  Illinois, — the  Second  Illi- 
nois {Colonel  JSissdVs),  and  the  Second  Ken- 
tucky {Colonel  McKee's)  regiments ;  but  he 
had  scarcely  left  his  position  when  he  met 
the  Mexicans  whom  General  Wool  had 
driven  from  the  rear,  and  he,  too,  com- 
menced to  harass  the  disordered  columns  of 
the  fugitives.  Perceiving  the  result  of  the 
movements  of  his  troops  to  the  left  and  rear 
of  the  American  position,  and  properly  sup- 


'  Gen.  Taylor's  Dispatch,  No.  18,  March  6  ;  Gen.  Wool's 
Report,  Mai-ch  4,  1847  ;  His  Memoranda,  May  21  and  24, 
1860;  Col.  Davis'  Report,  March  1,  1847. 

■"  Gen.  Taylor's  Dispatch,  No.  18.  March  6  ;  Gen.  Wool's 
Report,  March  4,  1847  ;  His  Memoranda,  May  21  and  24, 
1860  ;  Baylie,  p.  35  ;  Carlton,  pp.  80,  81. 


posing  that  the  good-fortune  of  the  morning 
was  no  longer  attending  the  banners  of  Gen- 
erals Ampudia  and  Torrejon,  General  Santa 
Anna  determined,  by  a  bold  movement,  to 
rescue  his  apparently  lost  columns  by  an- 
other movement  against  the  plateau,  and,  at 
the  same  time,  to  venture,  on  that  final 
movement,  the  fortunes  of  the  day.  Ac- 
cordingly, with  all  his  reserves,  and  the  re- 
mains of  his  scattered  forces,  he  moved 
forward  without  attracting  the  attention  of 
General  Taylor, — who  commanded  in  person 
on  the  plateau, — and,  during  the  temporary 
absence  of  the  latter,  he  pouiei  the  masses 
of  his  entire  army  on  the  handful  of  men 
who  had  remained  to  defend  that  part  of 
the  field. ^  Lieutenant  O'Brian  was  the  first 
to  feel  the  force  of  this  inundation ;  and  his 
two  remaining  pieces  were  taken  from  him. 
ISText,  the  First  and  Second  Illinois  and  the 
Second  Kentucky  regiments  of  Volunteers 
{Colonels  Hardin'' s,  BisselVs,  and  McKee^s) 
were  met  and  overpowered,  with  great  loss  ;^ 
and  the  most  triumphant  success  aj)j)eared 
to  be  within  reach  of  the  enemy.  Un- 
fortunately for  him,  however,  the  master- 
spirit of  the  little  army — he  who  had  select- 
ed the  position,  formed  the  line  of  battle, 
and  commenced  the  contest,  and  under 
whose  personal  direction,  a  few  minutes 
before,  the  triumphant  progress  of  the  Mexi- 
can columns  had  been  arrested  and  turned 
back  in  disgraceful  defeat — at  that  moment 
hurried  forward  with  the  batteries  of  Cap- 
tains Sherman  and  Bragg,  the  Mississipjii 
Rifles,  and  the  Third  and  part  of  the  Second 
Indiana  regiments.  On  their  arrival  on  the 
plateau  the  batteries  met  General  Taylor  re- 
turning from  his  temporary  absence,  who  or- 
dered them  into  battery,  when  they  opened  a 
destructive  fire  on  the  head  of  the  enemy's 
columns,  first  checking,  and,  finally,  repuls- 
ing them.  At  the  same  time,  the  rifles  and 
the  Indianians  gallantly  poured  a  heavy  fire 
into  the  right  flank  of  the  assailants,  and 
contributed  to  their  repulse ;  and  the  latter, 

'  Gen.  Wool's  Report,  March  4 ;  Gen.  Taylor's  Dispatch, 
No.  18,  March  6,  1847.— «  Gen.  Taylor's  Dispatch,  No. 
18,  March  6,  1847  ;  Lieut.  O'Brian's  Report,  Feh.  28  ; 
Maj.  Fry's  Report,  March  3;  Lieut.-Col.  Washington's 
Report,  Feb.  26. 


Chap.  CYI.] 


TPIE  BATTLE  OF  BTJENA  VISTA. 


497 


subsequently,  drove  a  body  of  Lancers  into 
the  mountains.^ 

Soon  afterwards  General  Santa  Anna  made 
a  second  demonstration,  and  threatened  to 
renew  his  assault  on  the  plateau ;  while 
General  Wool  concentrated  the  troops  on 
the  plateau,  and  General  Taylor  ordered 
Lieutenant-colonel  May  to  cover  the  left 
and  rear  of  the  position  with  the  regular 
dragoons  of  his  command.'  The  enemy  did 
not  return,  however,  and  The  Battle  of 
BuEXA  YiSTA,  or,  as  the  Mexicans  call  it. 
The  Battle  of  Angostura,  ended. 

A  gallant  officer,  who  mingled  in  the 
thickest  of  the  fight,  thus  closes  his  excel- 
lent and  detailed  account  of  the  action : — 
"  As  the  sun  sank  lower  and  lower,  the  occa- 
sional rattle  of  musketry  gave  place  to  drop- 
ping shot,  which,  in  tm-n,  became  less  and  less 
frequent,  and  at  length  entirely  ceased.  The 
fire  of  the  artillery  on  both  sides  had  grad- 
ually subsided  ;  the  sun  went  down ;  the 
heavy  and  reverberated  report  of  cannon 
had  longer  and  more  uncertain  intervals ; 
finally  it  was  hushed,  and  a  profound  and 
painful  silence  succeeded,  and  again,  the 
cold,  deepening  shadows  of  evening  began 
silently  to  steal  over  the  field.  The  two 
armies  were  still  there,  and  were  still  sternly 
regarding  each  other,  face  to  face.  They 
were  standing  almost  upon  the  same  ground 
where  they  had  respectively  stood  the  night 
hefore.  But  in  the  Mexican  lines  we  could 
hear  no  animated  harangue,  no  resj)onding 
vivas,  nor  approving  cheers  ;  and  the  night 
wind  brought  not  to  our  ears  again  the 
witchery  of  that  sweet  music.  One  could 
hardly  realize,  as  he  now  looked  upon  the 
dark  masses  of  the  two  armies,  that  they 
had  been  so  mingled  in  bloody  strife  since 
he  last  saw  them  similarly  situated ;  all  was 
now  so  calm.  Indeed,  hardly  a  sound  coiTld 
be  heard,  save  the  occasional  dismal  flapj^ing 
of  the  wings  of  the  fierce  zapalotes,^  now 
hovering  over  the  pass,  or  the  distant  and 


1  Gen.  Taylor's  Dispatch,  No.  18.  March  6,  1847  ;  Gen. 
Wool's  Memoranda.  May  i\  and  24,  1860. 

2  Carlton,  pp.  117-119  ;  Baylie,  p.  37. 

3  A  species  of  vulture,  which  flies  by  night  as  well  as 
by  day,  and  is  very  fierce. 

Vol.  II.— 63 


almost  human  yell  of  the  huiigry  wolf,  an- 
swered by  others  away  in  the  gloomy  re- 
cesses of  the  surrounding  mountains.  They 
were  abeady  beginning  to  gather  in  to  their 
horrible  repast.  And  now,  scarcely  an  evi- 
dence of  the  conflict  could  be  seen,  except 
when  one  took  a  closer  sm-vey  of  the  groi:nd 
about  him.  There,  scattered  on  every  hand, 
how  many  and  many  were  the  dark  forms 
which  met  his  eye  of  what  had  been  stalwart 
men  and  powerful  steeds !  some  lying  as  if 
asleep,  and  some  in  strange,  unnatural  pos- 
tures, with  the  moonlight  resting  steadily 
and  coldly  on  the  bright  points  of  uniforms 
and  trappings,  all  still  and  firm  as  if  they 
were  belted  to  stone — not  tremulous  and 
moving,  as  when  on  breathing,  animated 
beings.  These  were  fearful  proofs  of  the 
desperate  struggle  which  had  gone  by. 
These  ghastly  figures,  with  the  immovable 
luminous  points  resting  upon  them,  were 
the  solemn  characters,  the  terrible  hiero- 
gh-phics,  traced  upon  the  field,  which,  being 
deciphered  amid  the  obscmity  of  night,  told 
in  mute  but  eloquent  language  how  dreadful 
a  day  had  passed." 

In  the  battle  of  Buena  Yista  there  is 
but  little  doubt  of  the  correctness  of  Gen- 
eral Santa  Anna's  statement  respecting  the 
strength  of  the  Mexican  forces — that  it  num- 
bered twenty  thousand  efifective  men  ;  ^  the 
American  army,  including  officers,  num- 
bered four-  thousand  seven  hundred  and 
fifty-nine,  of  whom  three  hundred  and 
eighty-two  were  sick  or  disabled.^  The  loss 
of  the  former  is  not  known,  although  Gen- 
eral Taylor  estimated  it  to  be  about  fifteen 
himdred,  biit  he  said  would  "probably  reach 
two  thousand;"^  that  of  the  Americans  was 
Colonels  Hardin,  Yell,  and  McKee,  Lieuten- 
ant-colonel Hemy  Clay,  jr.,  and  one  adjutant, 
eight  captains,  fifteen  lieutenants,  and  two 
hundred  and  thii-ty-nine  non-commissioned 
officers  and  privates  'killed ;  General  Lane, 
Colonel  Jefierson  Davis,  one  major,  eleven 


1  General   Santa   Anna  to  General  Taylor,  Feb.   22, 
1847. 

2  "Returns  of  the  troops  engaged,"  &c.,  appended  to 
Gen.  Taylor's  Dispatch,  No.  18,  March  6,  1847. 

'  Gen.  Taylor's  Dispatch,  No.  18,  March  6,  1847. 


498 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  IL 


captains,  twenty-seven  lieutenants,  and  four 
hundred  and  fifteen  non-commissioned  offi- 
cers and  privates  wounded;  and  twenty- 
three  non-commissioned  ofiicers  and  privates 
missing} 

During  the  dreary  night  of  the  twenty- 
third  the  Mexican  army  precipitately  aban- 
doned its  position,  and  fell  back  to  Agua 


Nueva,  and  thence,  on  the  twenty-seventh, 
to  San  Luis  de  Potosi.^ 

Thenceforth  a  new  scene  of  operations  was 
opened,  in  a  different  part  of  Mexico,  under 
other  cominanders ;  and  the  military  services 
of  the  gallant  Taylor  and  Wool  were  con- 
fined to  less  active  but  not  less  responsible 
duties  of  camp-life. 


CHAPTER    CVII 


March   9    to    September   14,    1817. 

THE  CAMPAIGN  UNDER  GENERAL  SCOTT: 

Including  the  Siege  and  Capture  of  Vera  Cruz  ;  the  Actions  at  Puenta  del  Medio  and  Medellin  ;  the  Capture  of 
Alvarado,  Tuspan,  Perote,  Puebla,  La  Haya,  and  Tobasco  ;  the  Actions  at  Ceuro  Gordo,  Amozoque,  Paso  de 
Ovegas,  National  Bridge,  San  Juan  de  los  Llanos,  Miba  Flores,  Oka  Laka,  Contreras,  San  Antonio,  Churu- 
Busco,  MoLiNO  DEL  Rey,  Chapultepec,  Mexico  ;  the  Second  Actions  at  Paso  de  Ovegas,  the  National  Bridge,  and 
Cerro  Gordo  ;  the  Siege  of  Puebla  and  the  Battle  of  Huantla  ;  and  the  Affairs  at  Atlixco  and  Matamoras. 


As  has  been  stated  in  a  preceding  chapter 
of  this  volume.  General  Scott  was  ordered 
to  organize,  and  to  take  the  command  of,  an 
army  which  was  designed  to  move  against 
the  city  of  Mexico  by  way  of  Yera  Cruz ; 
and  he  had  withdrawn,  for  this  purpose,  the 
greater  part  of  the  regular  troops,  and  many 
of  the  Yolunteers,  from  General  Taylor's 
command.^ 

In  conformity  with  the  orders  referred  to, 
on  the  thirtieth  of  November,  1846,  General 
Scott  had  sailed  from  the  city  of  New 
York,^  and  on  the  nineteenth  of  December, 
he  reached  New  Orleans.*  On  the  twenty- 
third  he  had  left  the  latter  place,^  and  on 
the  thirtieth  he  had  reached  Matamoras, 
from  which  place  he  had  gone  up  the  Rio 
Grande,  as  far  as  Camargo,  apparently  un- 
determined whether  to  take  command  of  the 
victorious  "Army  of  Occupation," — super- 
seding General  Taylor, — or  to  proceed  to 
"the  new  and  more  distant  theatre."®  On 
the  seventh  of  January,  1847, — after  having 
issued  the  orders  for  the  withdrawal  of 
General  Taylor's  troops,  giving  him  a  de- 

1  Returns  of  killed,  wounded,  and  missing,  appended 
to  Gen.  Taylor's  Dispatch,  No.  18.— «  Vide  Chap.  CVI. 

'  Mansfield,  p.  364.— «  Gen.  Scott  to  Sec.  of  War,  No. 
2,  Dec.  21,  1846  ;  Same  to  Gen.  Taylor,  Dec.  20,  1846. 

^  Gen.  Scott  to  Sec.  of  War,  No.  3,  Dec.  23,  1846. 

"  Gen.  Scott  to  Sec.  of  War,  No.  4,  Dec.  30,  1846. 


tailed  statement  of  his  purposes,^ — he  re- 
turned to  the  mouth  of  the  E,io  Grande;* 
and  on  the  twenty-second  of  the  same  month, 
General  Worth,  with  the  head  of  his  divi- 
sion of  regular  troops,  had  reached  the  same 
place.*  On  the  fifteenth  of  February  the 
General  left  Brazos  Santa  lago  ;  on  the  twen- 
tieth, Tampico ;  and  on  the  twenty-first  he 
reached  the  rendezvous  at  Lobos,  where  the 
First  and  Second  Pennsylvania,  the  South 
Carolina,  two-thirds  of  the  Louisiana,  and  de- 
tachments from  the  Massachusetts  and  the 
New  York  regiments  had  arrived  before  him.* 

On  the  sixth  of  March  General  Scott 
arrived  ofi"  Yera  Cruz ;  ®  on  the  seventh,  in 
company  with  Commodore  Conner,  who 
commanded  the  naval  auxiliary  forces,  he 
proceeded  in  the  steamer  Petrita^  and  recon- 
noitred the  city  and  the  castle  of  San  Juan 
de  Ulloa,  and  the  adjacent  shores;^  and  on 
the  ninth  the  debarkation  was  effected,  in 
entire  safety.^ 

The  spot  which  had  been  selected  as  the 
landing-place  of  the  troops  was  the  beach  of 

'  Carlton,  pp.  129-132,  142,  143.— »  Gen.  Scott  to  Gen. 
Butler,  "Confidential,  Camargo,  Jan.  3,  1847." 

3  Gen.  Scott  to  Gen.  Butler,  "Mouth  of  Rio  Grande, 
Jan.  8,  1847."— «  Gen.  Scott  to  Sec.  of  War,  No.  6,  Jan. 
24,  1847.—^  Gen.  Scott  to  Sec.  of  War,  No.  12,  Feb.  28, 
1847.—°  Semmes,  p.  125.—'  Ibid.;  Mansfield,  p.  367. 

«  Gen.  Scott  to  Sec.  of  War,  No.  13,  March  12. 


Chap.  CVIL] 


THE  CAMPAIG]^  UNDER  GENERAL  SCOTT. 


499 


Collado/  abreast  of  the  Island  of  Sacrifi- 
cios,-  and  about  three  or  four  miles  from 
Yera  Cruz.^  On  the  morning  of  the  ninth 
the  men  were  furnished  with  two  days'  pro- 
visions in  their  haversacks,  and  were  ordered 
to  sling  their  canteens,  filled  with  water.^ 
Soon  afterwards  they  were  transferred  from 
the  transports  to  the  decks  of  the  ships  of 
war  and  the  steamers  ;  and,  between  eleven 
and  twelve  o'clock,  the  fleet — led  by  Com- 
modore Conner,  in  the  Haritan,  and  fol- 
lowed by  General  Scott,  in  the  Massachu- 
setts— got  under  way,  in  gallant  style ;  filed, 
one  by  one,  out  of  the  narrow  pass  which 
leads  from  the  anchorage  at  Anton  Lizardo  ; 
and  within  two  hours  approached  that  at 
the  Sacrificios — ■"  each  dropping  her  anchor 
and  swinging  into  her  appropriated  place 
without  the  least  confusion,  and  with  the 
most  admirable  precision."^ 

The  successful  management  of  this  de- 
barkation having  been  the  subject  of  gen- 
eral admiration,  it  cannot  be  passed  without 
a  more  extended  notice  than  such  move- 
ments generally  receive ;  and  the  graphic 
description  which  has  been  given  by  an  in- 
telligent eye-witness, — a  gallant  participant 
in  the  toils  and  dangers,  as  well  as  the 
glories  of  the  war,— will  best  convey  to  the 
reader  a  correct  idea  of  the  splendor  of  the 
scene.  "  The  surf-boats,"  he  says,  "  sixty- 
seven  in  number,  and  each  one  manned  by 
experienced  seamen  of  the  navy,  were  hauled 
alongside  of  the  ships ;  the  soldiers,  with 
their  arms  and  accoutrements,  were  passed 
into  them ;  and  as  each  boat  received  her 
complement,  she  shoved  ofi^,  and  laid  on  her 
oars,  at  a  little  distance,  until  the  others 
should  be  ready.  The  post  of  honor,  on  this 
memorable  occasion,  was  given  to  Brevet 
Brigadier-general  Worth,  who  had  so  re- 
cently distinguished  himself  before  Mon- 
terey— it  being  decided  by  the  General-in- 
chief,  that  his  division  (the  First  of  regulars, 
which  afterwards  became  so  celebrated  in 
the  valley  of  Mexico)  should  be  the  first  to 
flout  our  flag  in  the  enemy's  face.     Accord- 

'  Notes  for  the  History,  p.  181. — ^  Semmes,  p.  125. 
^  Ripley,   ii.   p.   18. — ''  Autobiography   of  an   English 
soldier  in  the  American  army,  p.  144 
^  Semmes,  p.  126. 


ingly,  when  all  was  ready,  the  General, 
whose  fine  military  person  and  bearing  had 
already  won  the  hearts  of  such  of  the  officers 
of  the  navy  as  had  come  in  contact  with  him, 
descended  into  one  of  the  man-of-war's  boats, 
prej^ared  for  him,  and  placing  himself  at  the 
head  of  his  troops,  the  latter  moved,  in  a  semi- 
circle, towards  the  shore.  Commodore  Con- 
ner had  previously  directed  two  steamers, 
the  Sjntfire,  Commander  Tattnal,  and  the 
Vixen,  Commander  Sands,  with  five  gun- 
schooners,  to  anchor  in  line,  abreast  of  the 
beach,  to  cover  the  landing,  in  case  any  op- 
position should  be  made.  This  part  of  the 
movement  had  already  been  handsomely  ex- 
ecuted. E'othing  could  exceed  the  beauty 
of  this  spectacle,  as  viewed  from  the  poop  of 
the  flag-ship.  It  was  just  before  sunset,  an 
hour  at  which  all  the  beauties  of  the  Mexi- 
can coast  are  wont  to  stand  out  in  bold  and 
beautiful  relief.  The  day  had  continued  as 
clear  as  it  had  begun,  and  the  sea-breeze,  as 
it  died  gradually  away,  had  left  behind  it  a 
glazed  and  unrufiled  sea.  The  magnificent 
mountain  of  Orizaba,  with  its  snow-clad 
summit,  which  had  been  hidden  from  view 
most  of  the  day,  suddenly  revealed  itself 
with  startling  distinctness  and  grandeur ; 
the  distant  Cofre  of  Perote  loomed  up,  also, 
in  blue  and  mystic  beauty ;  and  the  bold 
and  rugged  outline  of  the  coast  seemed  more 
bold  and  rugged  still,  from  the  refracting 
power  of  the  atmosphere. 

"The  walls  of  the  town  and  castle,  the 
domes  of  the  churches,  and  the  rigging  and 
mast-heads  of  the  foreign  men-of-war,  an- 
chored at  Sacrificios,  all  filled  with  curious 
and  eager  spectators,  completed  a  scene 
which  made  a  lively  impression  uj)on  the 
minds  of  all  beholders.  The  boats  reaching 
the  shore,  in  fine  style,  the  troops  debarked 
in  good  order ;  and,  in  a  few  minutes  after- 
wards, a  detachment,  which  had  wound  its 
way  up  one  of  the  sand-hills,  unfurled  the 
American  fiag,  and  waving  it  proudly,  plant- 
ed it  in  the  land  of  Cortez.  By  common 
consent,  a  shout,  such  as  seamen  only  can 
give,  arose  at  this  moment  from  the  decks 
of  all  the  ships  of  war  present,  which  was 
joined  in,  and  prolonged,  by  such  portions 
of  the  army  as  had  not  yet  landed.     The 


500 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


debarkation  now  went  briskly  forward,'  and 
before  ten  o'clock  p.  M.,  the  wbole  force 
present,  consisting  of  about  twelve  thousand 
men,  was  safely  landed,  without  the  occvir- 
rence  of  a  single  mistake  or  accident ;  an 
event  unparalleled  in  the  history  of  similar 
operations,  and  of  which  any  naval  com- 
mander might  well  be  proud."  ^ 

"  The  environs  of  the  city  outside  the  fire 
of  its  guns,  and  those  of  the  castle,  being 
broken  into  innumerable  hills  of  loose  sand, 
from  twenty  to  two  hundred  and  fifty  feet 
in  height,  with  almost  impassable  forests  of 
chaparral  between,"  and  the  scarcity  of  carts 
and  pack-mules,  which  made  the  transporta- 
tion of  su.bsistence  along  the  entire  proposed 
line  of  investment  a  work  of  great  difiiculty, 
the  entire  line  was  not  occupied  on  the  night 
of  the  ninth,  or  until  the  twelfth ;  and  at 
that  time,  even,  it  was  only  accomplished 
with  great  difficulty  and  labor,  and  with 
some  loss,  both  of  officers  and  men.^ 

At  this  time  General  Worth's  command 
occupied  a  position  immediately  southeast 
from  the  city,  and  this  was  considered  the 
front  of  the  attack.  The  centre  was  occu- 
pied by  the  Volunteers  under  General  Pat- 
terson— under  whose  command  were  Gen- 
erals Quitman,  Pillow,  and  Shields.  The 
Second  division  of  regulars,  under  General 
Twiggs,  completed  the  line,  on  the  north ;  * 
and  some  firing  had  taken  place,  with  loss 
on  both  sides.^ 

At  the  same  time  the  garrison  of  Yera 
Cruz  consisted  of  three  thousand  three  hun- 
dred and  sixty  men,  that  of  the  castle  of 
San  Juan  of  one  thousand  and  thirty  men ;  ® 


'  "Brevet  Brig. -Gen.  Worth's  brigade  of  regulars  led 
the  descent,  quickly  followed  by  the  division  of  United 
States  Volunteers  under  Maj.-Gen.  Patterson  and  Brig.- 
Gen.  Twigg's  reserve  brigade  of  regulars.  The  whole 
army  reached  the  shore  in  fine  style,  and  without  direct 
opposition,  accident,  or  loss,  driving  the  enemy  from  the 
ground  to  be  occupied." — Gm.  Scott's  Dispatch,  No.  13, 
3Iarch  12,  1847. — ^  Semmes'  Afloat  and  Ashore,  pp.  127, 
128.  See  also  Ripley,  ii.  pp.  21-23  ;  Notes  for  the  Hist., 
p.  181  ;  Autobiog.  of  English  Soldier,  pp.  144-150  ;  Mans- 
field's Scott,  pp.  369-372  ;  MS.  Diary  of  an  Officer,  March 
9,  1847.—'  Gen.  Scott  to  Sec.  of  War,  No.  13,  March  12, 
1847  ;  Semmes,  pp.  128,  129.— '  Gen.  Scott  to  Sec.  of 
War,  No.  13,  March  12,  1847  ;  Mansfield,  pp.  372,  373. 

^  MS.  Diary,  March  11.— »  Notes  for  the  History,  pp. 
182.  183. 


and,  although  a  commendable  degree  of  en- 
thusiasm existed  in  the  ranks  of  both,  the 
scarcity  of  provisions  speedily  checked  their 
ardor.^ 

The  enemy  harassed  the  besiegers  with 
small  parties  of  light  troops,  and  a  series 
of  heavy  storms  ("northers,"  as  they  are 
termed)  prevented  the  debarkation  of  sup- 
plies and  artillery  in  sufficient  quantities.^ 
It  was  not  until  the  twenty-second,  there- 
fore, that  the  engineers  reported  that  the 
batteries  were  sufficiently  advanced  to  re- 
ceive seven  mortars,  when  Colonel  Bank- 
head,  the  "  Chief  of  Artillery,"  ^^laced  that 
number  in  battery.^ 

At  two  o'clock,  the  mortars  being  ready, 
and  "  the  labors  for  planting  the  remainder  of 
the  heavy  metal  being  in  progress,"  General 
Scott  addressed  a  summons  to  General  Mo- 
rales, the  Governor  of  Yera  Cruz,^  and  within 
two  hours  the  latter  replied,  declining  to 
lower  his  flag,  and  inviting  the  former  to 
"  commence  his  operations  of  war  in  the 
manner  which  he  may  consider  most  advan- 
tageous." * 

At  a  quarter-past  four  o'clock  the  fire  was 
opened  from  three  batteries  {Ifumhers  One., 
Two,  and  Three),  with  great  animation  and 
apparent  efi^ect,  and  without  any  material 
diminution,  until  the  surrender  of  the  city. 
During  the  twenty-second  the  batteries  were 
commanded  by  Captain  Brooks,  Lieutenant 
Shackelford,  and  Captain  Yinton — the  latter 
of  whom  was  killed  by  a  cannon-shot  at 
about  four  o'clock.^  On  the  twenty-third. 
Captains  McKenzie,  Anderson,  and  Taylor 
commanded  ;  and  battery  Numher  Four  was 
completed  with  three  twenty-four  pounders.^ 
On  the  night  of  the  twenty-fourth,  another 
twenty-four  pounder  and  an  eight-inch  how- 
itzer were  added  to  Numher  Four  /  and  on 
the  morning  of  the  twenty-fifth,  three  more 

1  Notes  for  the  Hist.,  p.  182  ;  MS.  Diary,  

■"  Gen.  Scott  to  Sec.  of  War,  No.  13,  March  12  ;  No.  14, 
March  14 ;  No.  15,  March  17  ;  No.  16,  March  18. 

=  Col.  Bankhead's  Report,  March  24.—*  Gen.  Scott  to 
Gen.  Morales,  March  22,  appended  to  Gen.  Scott's  Dis- 
patch, No.  18,  March  23  ;  Notes  for  the  History,  p.  183. 

'  Gen.  Morales  to  Gen.  Scott,  March  22,  1847,  appended 
to  same  dispatch. — °  Col.  Bankhead's  Report,  March  24  ; 
Notes  for  the  History,  p.  184. — ■"  Col.  Bankhead's  Report, 
March  25. 


Chap.  CVII.] 


THE  CAMPAIGN  UNDER  GENERAL  SCOTT. 


501 


twenty-four  pounders  and  another  eiglit-incli 
howitzer  were  added  to  the  same  battery. 
On  the  twenty-sixth,  additional  mortar-plat- 
forms were  finished,  and  four  large  mortars 
were  placed  in  battery.^ 

Dm-ing  the  same  time,  while  the  batteries 
under  Colonel  Bankhead  were  poiiring  in 
their  murderous  missiles  from  the  rear  of 
the  town,  two  steamers  and  five  small  ves- 
sels^ approached  within  about  a  mile  and  a 
half  of  the  shore,  and,  "  according  to  pre- 
vious arrangement  with  Commodore  Perry," 
they  also  opened  a  brisk  fire  upon  the  city  ;^ 
wliile  Captain  Auliek,  on  the  twenty-fourth, 
was  permitted  to  land  with  about  twelve 
hundred  seamen  and  six  pieces  of  heavy  ar- 
tillery, to  join,  as  "  a  Naval  Battery,"  in  the 
dano-ers  and  the  honors  of  the  contest.'' 

The  fire  continued,  on  both  sides,  with 
great  spirit,  until  the  twenty-sixth,  when 
overtures  were  received  from  General  Lan- 
dero,  on  whom  General  Morales  had  de- 
volved the  chief  command  ;^  and  on  the 
twenty-sixth.  Generals  Worth  and  Pillow 
and  Colonel  Totten  were  appointed  Com- 
missioners from  the  American  army  to  ad- 
just the  terms  of  capitulation.''  After  con- 
siderable discussion,  terms  were  agreed  to, 
and  articles  signed,  on  the  twenty-seventh  of 
March,  by  which  the  garrisons  of  the  city 
and  castle  surrendered  as  prisoners  of  war;^ 
and  at  ten  o'clock  on  the  twenty -ninth,  the 
American  colors  were  hoisted,  with  all  the 
honors,  on  the  works  of  both  the  city  and 
the  castle.* 

In  this  memorable  siege  the  army  threw 
about  two  thousand  five  hundred  shot  and 
shells,^  while  the  naval  battery  threw  one 


'  Col.  Bankhead's  Report,  March  28. — «  The  steamers 
Spitfire,  Com.  Tattnal,  and  Vixen,  Com.  Sands  ;  and  the 
schooners  Bonila,  Lieut.  Benham  ;  Reefer,  Lieut.  Sterrett ; 
Pelrel,  Lieut.  Shaw  ;  Falcon,  Lieut.  Griassin  ;  and  Tampico, 
Lieut.  Griffin.— 3  Gen.  Scott  to  Sec.  of  War,  No.  18,  March 
23  :  Semmes,  pp.  130,  131 ;  Notes  for  the  Hist.,  pp.  184, 
185.—"  Gen.  Scott  to  Sec.  of  War,  No.  18,  March  24  ; 
Semmes,  pp.  132-141 ;  Notes  for  the  History,  p.  185. 

'  Gen.  Scott  to  Sec.  of  War,  No.  19,  March  29. 

^  Credentials  of  Commissioners,  &c.,  appended  to  Gen. 
Scott's  Dispatch,  No.  19. — '  Articles  of  Capitulation  ; 
Notes  for  the  History,  p.  194. 

8  Gen.  Scott  to  Secretary  of  War,  No.  19,  March  19  ; 
Notes  for  the  History,  p.  196. 

»  Col.  Banlihead's  Report,  March  28. 


thousand  Paixhan  shells  and  eight  hundred 
round-shot^  into  the  city  and  its  defences. 

The  loss  of  the  Mexicans  was  very  severe, 
both  in  life  and  property.  It  is  said,  by  the 
Mexican  historians,  that  four  or  five  hun- 
dred of  the  inhabitants  of  the  city  "  had  per- 
ished," and  that  "  six  hundred  soldiers  had 
shed  their  blood,  and  four  hundred  of  them 
had  been  killed;"^  while  "the  condition  of 
the  place  was  frightful.  From  the  gate  of 
La  Merced  to  the  Parish,  not  a  single  house 
was  uninjured.  The  greater  part  of  them 
was  destroyed,  and  the  streets  were  impassa- 
ble, from  the  rubbish.  From  the  Parish  to 
the  Caleta,  although  not  on  the  same  level, 
all  the  houses  were  damaged.  There  was  no 
light,  and  there  was  no  passing  by  the  side- 
walks, for  fear  the  balconies  would  fall."^ 
The  same  authorities  depict,  in  most  glowing 
colors,  the  misery  which  had  been  entailed 
on  the  inhabitants, — especially  on  the  aged, 
the  women,  and  the  children, — and  the  re- 
cital of  the  afiliction  of  these — "  groups  of 
women,  of  all  classes,  were  to  be  seen  carry- 
ing little  bundles  of  clothes,  running  about 
the  streets,  terrified,  and  out  of  breath,  with 
distress  depicted  in  their  countenances,  and 
everywhere  that  kind  of  dread  prevailed 
which  arises  from  the  memory  of  a  past  dan- 
ger, when  a  future  is  expected  ;  the  mother, 
with  her  tender  children  in  her  arms,  hast- 
ened along  in  search  of  a  secure  asylum, 
which  sad  reality  denied  her ;  the  young 
daughter,  guiding  the  steps  of  the  aged  man, 
raised  her  eyes  to  heaven,  streaming  with 
tears,  imploring  a  retreat,  to  save  the  life  of 
the  author  of  her  being ;  the  little  boy,  ter- 
rified by  the  dismay  of  his  mother,  hardly 
able  to  keep  up,  following  her" — brings  a 
sad  account  against  the  "glories"  of  the  war. 

In  the  American  camp  but  little  loss  was 
experienced.  Midshipman  Shubrick,  of  the 
navy,  and  four  seamen  were  killed  at  the 
l^aval  Battery ;  *  and  Captains  Yinton  and 
Alburtis  and  nine  men  were  liilled ',  and 
Lieutenant-colonel  Dickenson,  of  the  South 
Carolina  Volunteers,  Lieutenant  Niell,  of 
the   Second  dragoons,  and  fifty-three  men 


'  Semmes,  pp.  140,  141. — ^  Notes  for  the  History,  p. 
195.—='  Ibid.,  pp.  189,  190.—"  Semmes,  p.  141. 


502 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


wounded.,  in  all  the  operations  attending  tlae 
siege,  including  the  skirmishes.^ 

General  Worth  was  placed  in  command  of 
the  city  and  castle — a  position  which  justly 
belonged  to  him,  as  his  division  had  "  per- 
formed most  of  the  duties  at  the  batteries;" 
and,  soon  afterwards.  Captain  Backus,  of  the 
First  infantry,  and  his  company, — the  heroes 
of  El  Teneria,  at  Monterey, — were  detached 
to  the  castle  of  San  Juan  de  Ulloa.^ 

Immediately  after  the  surrender  of  Vera 
Cruz,  the  celebrated  expedition  to  Alvarado, 
of  which  the  world  has  heard  so  much,  was 
planned  and  put  into  execution.  The  naval 
forces  had  made  two  attempts,  on  the  same 
p>lace,  at  an  earlier  date,  without  success ;  ^ 
and  with  great  show  of  power  the  third  ex- 
pedition left  Yera  Cruz  on  the  thirtieth  of 
March — the  army  being  represented  by  the 
South  Carolina,  Georgia,  and  Alabama  regi- 
ments of  Volunteers,  a  squadron  of  cavalry, 
under  Miljor  Beale,  and  a  section  of  light 
artillery,  under  Lieutenant  Judd,  the  whole 
under  General  Quitman;*  while  the  navy 
was  represented  by  the  frigate  Potomac  and 
steamer  Mississippi,  the  sloop  of  War  St. 
Ifary's.,  the  steamers  Spitfire.,  Vixen,  and 
Water  Witch,  the  brig  Porpoise,  one  bomb- 
ketch,  and  the  live  small  gun-schooners,* 
and  by  the  sloop  of  war  Albany  and  the 
steamer  Scourge,  which,  as  an  advance,  had 
been  dispatched  some  days  earlier.''  On  the 
approach  of  the  joint  expeditions,  messen- 
gers met  them  with  the  intelligence  that  the 
positions  which  had  twice  overcome  the  ef- 
forts of  the  navy,  and  which  had  now  called 
forth  the  powerful  demonstration  which  was 
approaching  the  town,  had  surrendered  to 
the  cool  daring  of  Lieutenant  Hunter,  of  the 
steamer  Scourge,  without  loss  or  damage !  ^ 
and  the  laurels  which  Avould  otherwise  have 
graced  the  brows  of  a  Commodore  and  a 
General — to  say  nothing  of  the  subordinate 
officers   of  the   army  and  the  navy— were 

1  Report  of  killed,  &c.,  signed  "  Winfield  Scott,"  and 
dated,  "  Head- quarters  of  the  Army,  Vera  Cruz,  April  6, 
1847."— 2  MS.  Diary  of  an  Officer,  March  29. 

'Ripley,  ii.  p.  54;  Thurber,  p.  565. — <  Gen.  Quitman's 
Report,  April  7,  1847.—*  Thurber,  p.  565. 

*  Semmes,  p.  147.—'  G-en.  Quitman's  Report,  April  7  ; 
Ripley,  ii.  pp.  54,  55. 


already  reposing  on  that  of  a  junior  officer, 
without  inflicting  any  injury  or  disquieting 
any  nerves.  Unfortunately,  they  were  not 
long  allowed  to  remain  there.  The  unfortu- 
nate Lieutenant — who,  single-handed,  had 
accomplished  successfully  what  his  Commo- 
dore, with  all  his  power,  had  failed  to  per- 
form— had  exhibited,  too  plainly,  the  ineffi- 
ciency of  the  latter,  and  he  was  subjected  to 
an  arrest,  a  court-martial,  and  a  virtual  dis- 
missal from  the  service ! — a  course  of  treat- 
ment which  the  President,  prompted  by  the 
voice  of  the  people,  promptly  and  effectually 
remedied.^ 

On  the  eighth  of  April,  having  made  all 
necessary  preparations  for  that  purpose.  Gen- 
eral Scott  moved  the  Second  division  of  resr- 
ular  troops  {Gen.  Twiggs')  from  the  city  to- 
wards Mexico ;  -  and  on  the  following  day, 
the  Volunteers  under  General  Patterson,  ex- 
cept General  Quitman's  brigade  and  the  Ten- 
nessee regiment,  followed.^ 

While  General  Scott  had  been  operating 
against  Vera  Cruz,  the  President  of  the  Re- 
public, General  Santa  Anna,  had  hastened 
down  from  San  Luis  de  Potosi, — wliither  he 
had  retired  after  the  battle  of  Buena  Vista, — 
and  had  prepared  to  resist  the  progress  of  the 
army  towards  Mexico.  With  this  purpose  he 
had  established  his  head-quarters  at  his  haci- 
enda of  Encero,  on  the  fifth  of  April ;  and, 
having  added  to  the  army  the  fragments  of 
the  veteran  regiments  which  had  met  General 
Taylor  at  the  Pass  of  Angostura,  and  forced 
many  of  the  dispersed  soldiers,  who  had  given 
their  pai'ol  at  Vera  Cruz,  to  re-enter  the  ser- 
vice, he  fortified  the  strong  pass  of  Cerro 
Gordo,  and  awaited,  at  that  place,  the  ap- 
proach of  the  American  columns.* 

The  position  which  the  Mexicans  occupied 
was  one  of  peculiar  strength.  It  was,  in  fact, 
a  mountain  gorge,  through  which  the  I*^a- 
tional  Road,  on  which  the  army  marched, 
wound  its  way  up  the  mountains.  The  left 
is  flanked  and  commanded,  for  two  miles 
before  reaching  the  hill  of  El  Telegrafo,  by 
an  almost  inaccessible  ridge,  rising  to  the 

'  Tliurber,  p.  565  ;  Ripley,  ii.  p.  55.— ^  MS.  Diary;  Gen. 
Scott  to  Sec.  of  War,  No.  22,  April  11.—'  Gen.  Scott  to 
Sec.  of  War,  No.  22,  April  11.—''  Notes  for  the  History, 
pp.  198,  199. 


ilAIOIlLita  ALLiuiJu  ^1  Mt^MiA.. 


tf      I 


Chap.  CVII.] 


THE  CAMPAIGN  UNDER  GENERAL  SCOTT. 


508 


height  of  nearly  eight  hundred  feet ;  while 
the  right,  also,  is  alternately  shut  in  by  the 
heights  and  skirted  by  what  was  considered, 
by  the  enemy,  an  impenetrable  chaparral. 
On  the  left  of  this  road,  and  nearly  at  right 
angles  with  it,  three  nearly  parallel  ridges 
presented  their  abrupt  fronts,  and  descended 
gradually,  to  the  rear,  into  rugged  ground, 
broken  into  rocky  ravines,  and  covered  by 
thick  chaparral.  These  three  bluffs,  as  they 
may  be  called,  were  the  first  line  of  de- 
fences; and  while  their  summits  were  crown- 
ed Avith  batteries  of  unusual  strength,  their 
sides,  in  front  and  flank,  were  defended  by 
abatis  '  and  other  obstructions,  which  had 
been  thrown  in  the  way  of  an  attacking 
party.^  They  had  been  strengthened  un- 
der the  direction  of  the  well-known  Lieu- 
tenant-colonel of  Engineers,  Robles ;  and  on 
the  southernmost  of  the  three — which  was 
flanked  on  the  right  by  the  precipitous 
banks  of  the  Rio  del  Plan — was  posted  Gen- 
eral Pinzon,  with  the  battalion  of  Atlixco 
and  the  Fifth  regiment  of  infantry,  more 
than  five  hundred  rank  and  file,  with  seven 
pieces  of  artillery.  The  next  work  on  its 
left — the  centre  of  the  right,  which  com- 
manded most  of  the  approaches  to  each  of 
the  three  works  on  the  right  of  the  enemj^'s 
line — was  manned  by  Captain  Araujo,  of 
the  navy,  with  the  battalion  Libertad  (four 
hundred  rank  and  file),  and  that  of  Zaca- 
poastla  (three  hundred  rank  and  file),  with 
eight  pieces  of  artillery.  The  northernmost 
of  the  three — next  to  the  road — was  occu- 
pied by  Colonel  Badillo,  with  two  hundred 
and  fifty  rank  and  file  of  the  companies  of 
the  ISTational  Guard  from  Jalapa,  Coatepec, 
and  Teusitlan,  with  nine  pieces  of  artillery. 
Besides  these  local  garrisons,  "  the  camp  of 
Matamoras"  was  posted  in  the  ravine,  be- 
tween the  northernmost  and  the  central  po- 
sitions ;  and  General  Jarero,— the  general 
commander  of  the  "  camp "  and  the  two 
posts  on  its  flanks — with  four  hundred  and 
fifty  men  from  the  battalion  vf  Matamoras 
and  Tepeaca,  and  an  eight-pounder,  was  in 


'  Maps  in  "Notes  for  the  History,"  "War  with  Mexi- 
co," and  Mansfield's  "  Scott,"  and  that  appended  to  Gen. 
Scott's  Dispatches  ;  Ripley,  ii.  p.  58. 


position  at  that  place.^  On  the  right  of  the 
IsTational  Road,  and  some  distance  in  the  rear 
of  the  line  of  defences  last  referred  to,  the 
heights  projected  so  far  to  the  southward 
that  but  a  very  limited  space  remained  for 
the  passage  of  the  road  between  the  foot  of 
the  heights  on  the  right  and  precipitous 
bank  of  the  Rio  del  Plan  on  its  left ;  and  at 
this  spot  —  sweeping  the  road,  on  either 
hand,  for  a  long  distance,  as  well  as  the 
paths  which  led  to  the  batteries  last  referred 
to^ — was  a  battery  of  seven  heavy  pieces, 
manned  with  the  Sixth  regiment  of  infantry, 
nine  hundred  rank  and  file,  under  General 
de  la  Yega,  under  whose  command,  also, 
was  the  reserve  of  the  grenadiers,  four  hun- 
dred and  sixty  rank  and  file,  which  had  been 
posted  for  this  and  the  battery  in  front, 
which  General  Pinzon  commanded.^  On 
the  left,  and  slightly  in  the  rear,  of  the  Pass 
of  Cerro  Gordo,  and  of  the  work  which  de- 
fended it,  rises  the  bald  and  abrupt  conical 
hill  known  to  the  Mexicans  as  El  Telegrafo, 
while  in  front  of  it,  as  abrupt  and  bare  a 
cone  as  the  other,  but  less  lofty,  rises  that 
known  as  El  Atalaya.*  On  the  stimmit  of 
El  Telegrafo,  a  thousand  feet  above  the  pass, 
— where  had  been  posted  the  Third  regiment 
of  infantry,  under  Generals  Yasquez  and 
Uraga,^ — was  a  strong  work,  mounting  six 
heavy  guns  ;  and  these  commanded  not  only 
the  pass,  but  all  the  works  in  front  of  it,  and 
rendered  the  possession  of  any  of  the  works 
in  front  exceedingly  hazardous,  even  should 
they  be  taken.^  In  the  rear  of  El  Telegrafo 
is  the  hacienda  of  Cerro  Gordo,  which  gives 
a  name  to  the  pass  and  the  action  which  oc- 
curred there;'  and  at  that  place  was  en- 
camped the  Mexican  General-in-chief,  with 
the  reserves  of  the  army,  embracing  the 
First,  Second,  Third,  and  Fourth  battalions 
of  light  troops,  seventeen  hundred  rank  and 
file,  the  Fourth  and  Eleventh  regiments  of 
infantry,  seven  hundred  and  eighty  rank  and 
file,  and  the  hospital,  baggage,  and  store 
trains ;  while  at  Corral  Falso  were  posted, 

'  Notes  for  the  History,  pp.  199-201 ;  Ripley,  ii.  pp.  58, 
59.-2  Ripley,  ii.  p.  59.—=  Notes  for  the  History,  pp.  201, 
202.— ■'Ibid.,  p.  199;  Ripley,  ii.  p.  59.—'  Notes  for  the 
History,  p.  202.— «  Ripley,  ii.  pp.  59,  60.—''  Map  by  Maj. 
Turnbull  and  the  Engineers  of  the  army. 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II, 


in  reserve,  tlie  cavalry  of  the  army, — in- 
cluding tlie  squadrons  of  Jalapa,  Huzares, 
Chalcliicomula,  and  Orizava,  the  regiments 
of  Morelia  and  Coraceros,  and  the  Fifth  and 
Ninth  regiments  of  the  line, — under  General 
Canalizo.^ 

Against  this  foi'ce,  thus  posted,  as  before 
stated,  Generals  Twiggs  and  Patterson  had 
moved  from  Yera  Cruz.  The  command  of 
the  former  embraced  the  regiment  of  Mount- 
ed Rifles,  under  Colonel  Harney,  the  First 
regiment  of  artillery,  under  Brevet-colonel 
Childs,  and  the  Seventh  regiment  of  infant- 
ry, under  Lieutenant-colonel  Plimpton  — 
forming  a  brigade,  under  Colonel  Harney ; 
and  the  Second  and  Third  regiments  of  in- 
fantry, under  Captains  Morris  and  Alexan- 
der, the  Fourth  regiment  of  artillery,  under 
Major  Gardner,  and  the  company  of  rocket- 
eers, under  Major  Talcott — the  whole  form- 
ing a  brigade,  ixnder  General  Riley :  that  of 
the  latter,  the  Third  and  Fourth  regiments 
of  Illinois  Volunteers,  under  Colonels  Baker 
and  Foreman,  and  the  Second  regiment  of 
New  York  Yolunteers,  under  Colonel  Bur- 
nett— the  whole  forming  a  brigade,  under 
General  Shields ;  the  First  and  Second  Ten- 
nessee regiments  of  Yolunteers,  one  compa- 
ny of  Kentucky  Mounted  Yolunteers,  under 
Captain  Williams,  one  of  Tennessee  horse, 
under  Captain  Caldwell,  and  the  First  and 
Second  regiments  of  Pennsylvania  Yolun- 
teers— the  whole  forming  a  brigade,  under 
General  Pillow.^ 

The  head  of  the  coliTmn  reached  the  Plan 
del  Rio — about  four  miles  from  the  Pass  of 
Cerro  Gordo — on  the  eleventh  of  April,  and 
at  that  place  the  enemy  first  showed  himself 
— Colonel  Harney  driving  from  it  a  body  of 
Mexican  Lancers,  before  the  division  en- 
camped for  the  night.  On  the  following 
day  {April  12),  General  Twiggs — who  com- 
manded the  advance — moved  forward  with 
his  entire  division  to  within  half  a  mile  from 
the  enemy's  line  of  batteries,  on  the  southern 
side  of  the  road,  for  the  purpose  of  covering 
a  thorough  reconnoissance  of  the  ground.^ 


•  Notes  for  the  History,  pp.  202-204. — =  Returns  ap- 
pended to  Gen.  Scott's  Dispatch. — ^  Gen.  Twiggs'  Report, 
April  19. 


During  this  movement,  his  Adjutant-gen- 
eral, Lieutenant  W.  T.  H.  Brooks,  discov- 
ered, and,  to  some  extent,  explored,  a  trail, 
which,  diverging  to  the  right,  from  the  road, 
lead  to  the  flank  and  rear  of  the  works  on 
El  Telegrafo  ; '  and  General  Twiggs  resolved 
to  move  forward,  on  the  following  morning 
{April  13),  and  to  assault  the  enemy's  lines. 
On  the  same  day  on  which  the  reconnois- 
sance was  made,  however,  two  brigades  of 
Yolunteers,  under  Generals  Pillow  and 
Shields,  reached  the  camp,  from  Yera  Cruz  ; 
and,  although  "  they  were  much  broken 
down  from  the  recent  march,"  they  urgently 
requested  permission  to  join  in  the  assault ; 
and,  for  the  purpose  of  gratifying  their  re- 
quest, and  in  order  to  give  them  a  short 
rest,  the  movement  was  postponed  until  the 
fourteenth.^ 

Major-general  Patterson,  of  the  Yolunteer 
service,  who  had  been  reported  sick,  and  who 
was  in  the  rear,  hearing  of  the  projected 
movement,  and  desiring,  also,  to  participate 
in  the  action,  on  the  evening  of  the  thir- 
teenth he  issued  an  order  to  suspend  all 
farther  off'ensive  operations  until  the  arrival 
of  the  General-in-chief,  or  until  ordered  by 
himself  {General  Pattersoii)^ 

On  the  fourteenth  of  April  General  Scott 
ai-rived  at  the  camp  at  Plan  del  Rio,  and  on 
the  evening  of  the  sixteenth  he  ordered  Gen- 
eral Twiggs  to  move  to  the  right  of  the 
enemy's  position,  for  the  purpose  of  turning 
the  left  of  his  lines,  agreeably  to  his  original 
plan  of  operations.^  At  eight  o'clock  on  the 
morning  of  the  seventeenth,  in  conformity 
with  this  order.  General  Twiggs  advanced 
with  his  division, — the  regiment  of  Mounted 
Rifles,  dismounted,  under  Major  Sumner, 
and  the  First  artillery,  under  Colonel  Thomas 
Childs,  being  at  the  head  of  the  column, — 
and  at  eleven  o'clock  he  occupied  the  posi- 
tion assigned  to  him,  his  right  resting  about 
seven  hundred  yards  from  the  enemy's  main 
work.  Soon  afterwards  Lieutenant  Gardner, 
of  the  Seventh  infantry,  was  ordered  to  move 
with  his  company  to  a  high  ground  on  the 


1  Semmes,  p.  177—''  Riple}',  ii.  p.  62.-3  Gen.  Twiggs' 
Report,  April  19  ;  Autobiog.  of  English  Soldier,  p.  175. 
<  Gen.  Twiggs'  Report,  April  19  ;  Ripley,  ii.  p.  63. 


Chap.  CVII.] 


THE  CAMPAIGN  UNDER  GENERAL  SCOTT. 


505 


left  of  the  route,  for  the  purpose  of  observ- 
ing tlie  enemy ;  and,  at  the  same  time,  evi- 
dently ignorant  of  the  nature  of  the  Ameri- 
can movement.  General  Alcorta,  with  a 
strong  party,  moved  from  the  Mexican  lines, 
to  the  same  place,  for  the  same  purpose. 
Tlie  heads  of  these  columns  came  in  contact, 
■ — ajjparently  the  first  intimation  either  party 
had  of  the  approach  of  the  other, — and  while 
Colonel  Harney  moved  to  support  Lieuten- 
ant Gardner,  with  the  Mounted  Rifles  (dis- 
mounted) and  the  First  artillery,  and,  subse- 
quently, with  the  Seventh  infantry,  General 
Santa  Anna  moved  the  Third  regiment  from 
El  Telegrafo  to  support  General  Alcorta ; 
while,  at  the  same  time,  he  sent  several 
corps  down  from  Cerro  Gordo,  after  order- 
ing the  reserve  column  to  form  on  the  road. 
"  He  subsequently  placed  the  several  light 
battalions  on  the  declivity  of  the  Telegrafo, 
in  several  linfes,  en  echelon,  from  the  centre 
of  that  position,  and  the  Fourth  regiment  of 
the  line  towards  the  left,  where  the  Ameri- 
cans were  advancing  with  great  resolution ; 
while  at  the  sximmit,  on  the  parapets,  re- 
mained a  portion  of  the  Third  regiment  of 
the  line  and  the  Eleventh  regiment  of  in- 
fantry ;  and  the  Sixth  regiment  of  infantry 
moved  to  the  right,  under  General  Yega,  to 
prevent  the  turning  of  the  position."  ^ 

Between  the  two  detachments  of  observa- 
tion and  their  respective  supporting  parties, 
therefore,  the  action  was  warmly  contested — • 
the  artillery  on  the  summit  of  El  Telegrafo, 
imder  Lieutenant  Olzinger,  on  the  one  side, 
doing  great  execution ;  while  a  portion  of 
the  First  Artillery,  under  Colonel  Childs,  on 
the  other,  swept  over  El  Atalaya  and  the  in- 
tervening valleys  to  the  foot  of  El  Telegrafo, 
driving  before  it  the  Mexican  troops,  and 
commenced,  without  any  supjDort,  to  ascend 
the  rugged  slope  of  the  latter,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  assaulting  the  main  works  of  the 
Mexicans  on  its  summit.  As  it  was  not  the 
purpose  of  the  General  to  attack  the  lines  at 
that  time,  these  troops  were  recalled,  and 
joined  the  main  body  under  General  Twiggs. 
The  remainder  of  the  detachment,  embracing 


'  Gen.  Twiggs'  Kepovt,  April  19  ;   Notes  for  tlie  His- 
tory, pp.  205,  206- ;  Col.  Harney's  Keport,  April  21,  1847. 
Voi.    TI.— 64 


the  Rifles  and  the  Seventh  regiment  of  in- 
fantry, bivouacked  on  El  Atalaya,  to  which 
position  were  brought,  in  the  night,  a  twen- 
ty-four-pounder and  two  twenty-foitr-pound 
howitzers ;  and,  under  the  direction  of  Cap- 
tain Lee,  of  the  Engineers,  and  Lieutenant 
Hagner,  of  the  Ordnance  Department,  they 
were  placed  in  battery  at  an  early  hour  in 
the  morning.^ 

In  the  mean  time,  the  Second  infantry 
moved  to  the  heights  in  front  of  El  Atalaya, 
and,  subsequently,  to  the  main  road  near 
the  batteries,  where  it  remained  all  night ; 
the  Fourth  artillery,  at  the  same  time,  cov- 
ering the  batteries  of  Captain  Tajdor  and 
Major  Talcott ;  the  Third  infantry  conduct- 
ing the  twenty-four-pounder  and  howitzer 
battery  over  the  rugged  trail  over  which  the 
division  had  moved ;  and  the  remainder  of 
the  forces  occupying  the  camp  at  Plan  del 
Rio.^ 

During  the  night  of  the  seventeenth,  as 
before  stated,  the  battery  was  jDlanted  on 
El  Atalaya ;  an  eight-inch  howitzer,  under 
Lieutenant  Towers,  of  the  Engineers,  and 
Laidley,  of  the  Ordnance  Department,  was 
put  in  position  on  the  south  bank  of  the 
Rio  del  Plan — opposite  to,  and  within  range 
of,  the  batteries  on  the  extreme  right  of  the 
Mexican  lines — by  companies  C,  F,  G,  and 
H,  of  the  ISTew  York  Volunteers,  under  Ma- 
jor James  C.  Burnham  ;^  General  Shields, 
with  the  Third  and  Fourth  regiments  of  Illi- 
nois Volunteers,  and  the  ITew  York  regi- 
ment of  Yolunteers,  was  sent  to  strengthen 
General  Twiggs  ;  *  and  four  companies  of  the 
First  regiment  of  artillery,  under  Colonel 
Childs,  and  six  companies  of  the  Third  regi- 
ment of  infantry,  under  Captain  Alexander, 
were  sent  by  General  Twiggs  to  strengthen 
Colonel  Harney  on  El  Atalaya.*^ 

General  Scott  had  issued  a  General  Order, 

i  Gen.  Scott's  Dispatch,  No.  24,  April  23  :  Gen.  Twiggs' 
Eeport,  April  19  ;  Semmes,  p.  177  ;  Autobiog.  of  English 
Soldier,  pp.  178-184  ;  Notes  for  the  History,  pp.  206,  207  ; 
Ripley,  ii.  pp.  64-66  ;  Col.  Harney's  Report,  April  21. 

2  Gen.  Twiggs'  Report,  April  19  ;  Col.  Riley's  Report, 
April  20.—''  Gen.  Twiggs'  Eeport,  April  19  ;  Gen.  Scott's 
Dispatch,  No.  24,  April  19  ;  Personal  information  from 
Col.  J.  C.  Burnham. — "  Gen.  Twiggs'  Report,  April  19  ; 
Gen.  Scott's  Dispatch,  No.  24,  April  23  ;  Ripley,  ii.  p.  66. 

^  Ripley,  ii.  pp.  66,  67  ;  Col.  Harney's  Report,  April  21. 


506 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


in  which,  while  the  great  features  of  the  pro- 
posed movemenfs  were  briefly  set  forth,  the 
details  were  left  to  the  discretion  of  his  sub- 
ordinates;^ and  the  result  proved  that  if 
tlie  army  had  an  able  Commander-in-chief, 
that  Commander  was  not  less  favored  in  the 
concentration  of  skill,  prudence,  energy,  and 
gallantry  which  his  subordinate  officers  dis- 
played, or  in  the  untiring  energy  and  the 
unflinching  firmness  which  were  displayed 
by  his  troops. 

At  an  early  hour  on  the  morning  of  the 
eighteenth,  the  troops  were  formed,  for  the 
purpose  of  storming  the  Mexican  batteries  ; 
while  the  battery  on  El  Atalaya  opened  its 
fire  on  tlie  Mexican  lines  with  good  effect, 
and  not  only  prepared  the  way  of  the  storm- 
ing party,  by  scattering  the  bodies  of  troops 
Avhich  were  thrown  out  to  oppose  its  ascent 
up  the  slopes  of  El  Telegrafo,  but,  at  the 
same  time,  it  appears  to  have  broken  the 
sjjirit  of  the  artillerists  at  the  summit  of  that 
hill,  and  to  have  produced  a  cessation  of 
tlieir  fire,  at  that  important  period.^  As 
already  stated.  Colonel  Harney  had  been  re- 
inforced du^i'ing  the  early  part  of  the  morn- 
ing; and  he  had  detached  the  regiment  of 
Mounted  Riflemen  (dismounted)  to  the  left, 
with  orders  to  dislodge  the  enemy  from  the 
ravine  in  that  quarter ;  while,  with  the  re- 
mainder of  his  force,  he  had  prepared  to 
move  against  the  front  of  the  position,  which 
was  the  stronghold  of  the  Mexican  lines, 
as  soon  as  the  Rifles  were  engaged.  Accord- 
ingly two  columns  were  formed, — the  Sev- 
enth regiment  of  infantry  on  the  right,  and 
the  Third  regiment  on  the  left, — while  the 
detachment  from  the  First  regiment  of  ar- 
tillery was  formed,  as  a  reserve,  in  the  rear, 
with  orders  to  support  the  infantry.  The 
movements  of  the  enemy  subsequently  led 
Colonel  Harney  to  change  his  plan  of  at- 
tack, so  far  as  to  charge  without  waiting  for 
the  co-operation  of  the  riflemen ;  and,  not- 
withstanding the  abruptness  of  the  ascent, 
the  intervening  lines  of  defence,  and  the 
warmth  of  the  Mexican  fire,  his  command 
moved  forward,  surmounting  all  obstacles 

1  General  Orders,  No.  Ill,  April  17,  1847. 

2  Col.  Harney's  Report,  April  21, 1847  ;  Semmes,  p.  180  ; 
Autobiography  of  an  English  Soldier,  p.  187. 


and  overcoming  all  enemies,  until  the  works 
on  the  summit  of  the  hill  had  been  taken, 
the  Mexican  colors  lowered,^  and  those  of 
the  Seventh  infantry  and  First  artillery 
raised  in  their  place — the  Rifles,  meanwhile, 
agreeably  to  instructions,  moving  to  the 
left,  and  engaging  with  "  a  succoring  force, 
which  they  held  in  check,  notwithstanding 
a  most  galling  fire  from  the  enemy's  in- 
trenchments  and  from  the  musketry  in 
front.^ 

In  the  mean  time,  while  Colonel  Harney 
advanced  against  the  front  of  El  Telegrafo, 
as  already  related,  the  Second  brigade,  under 
Colonel  Riley,  and  the  brigade  of  Volun- 
teers, under  General  Shields,  moved  to  the 
right,  around  the  foot  of  the  hill,  and  turned 
the  Mexican  left  flank  ;^  while,  at  the  same 
time.  General  Pillow,  with  his  brigade, 
moved  against  the  batteries  on  the  south 
side  of  the  road.* 

The  Second  brigade, — embracing  the  Sec- 
ond infantry  and  Fourth  artillery,  the  Third 
infantry  being  with  Colonel  Flarney's  com- 
mand,— under  the  guidance  of  Captain  Lee, 
of  the  Engineers,  was  moved  around  the 
northern  base  of  the  hill  El  Telegrafo,  under 
a  heavy  fire  from  the  enemy's  lines ;  and 
companies  A,  B,  H,  and  I,  of  the  Second  in- 
fantry,— and,  subsequently,  the  Fourth  artil- 
lery and  the  remaining  companies  of  the 
Second  infantry, — were  moved  against  the 
works  on  its  summit.  The  four  companies 
first  named  attacked  the  enemy  in  reverse, 
simultaneously  with  the  attack,  under  Col- 
onel Harney,  on  his  front ;  and,  with  the 
First  brigade,  were  participants  in  the  glory 
of  that  encounter.  The  supporting  parties 
which  Colonel  Riley  sent  out  subsequently, 
although  they  encountered  the  fire  of  the 
Mexicans,  reached  the  crest  of  the  hill  after 

1  "The  enemy's  flag  was  taken  down  by  the  intrepid 
and  gallant  Quartermaster-sergeant  Henry  {of  the  Seventh 
infantry),  and  the  flag  and  standard  of  the  Seventh  in- 
fantry were  raised  and  floated  in  its  place  by  the  brave 
Color-sergeants  Bradford,  Brady,  and  Murphy." — Lieut.- 
Col.  Plympton's  Report,  April  20,  1847. 

"  Col.  Harney's  Report,  April  21 ;  Maj.  Loring's  Report, 
April  23  ;  Col.  Childs'  Report,  April  20 ;  Lieut.-Col. 
Plympton's  Report,  April  20,  1847  ;  Semmes,  pp.  179-181. 

=  Col.  Riley's  Report,  April  20  ;  Col.  Baker's  Report, 
April  21,  1847  ;  Semmes,  p.  181.—*  Gen.  Pillow's  Report, 
April  18,  1847  ;  Semmes,  pp.  181,  182. ' 


Chap.  CVII.] 


THE  CAMPAIGN  UNDER  GENERAL  SCOTT. 


507 


r 


the  works  had  been  carried,  and  were  not 
among  the  victors  in  that  conflict.  Colonel 
Rilej  having  accompanied  his  command  np 
the  hill,  soon  discovered,  from  its  summit, 
that  tlie  enemy's  batteries,  on  the  plain  in  the 
rear  of  the  hill,  could  be  turned  on  the  right 
and  carried,  he  ordered  the  advance  of  the 
Second  infantrj,  guided  by  Assistant  Adju- 
tant-general Canby,  to  move  down,  attack, 
and  carry  them ;  while  the  entire  brigade  was 
moved  down  to  cover  the  movement.  Some 
delay  in  the  delivery  of  the  order,  and  in 
the  concentration  of  the  scattered  forces  of 
the  brigade,  led  to  the  loss  of  the  credit  of 
sharing  with  the  Yolimteers  in  the  capture 
of  the  works  referred  to,  although  one  of  the 
evacuated  batteries  was  first  occupied  by 
the  Second  infantry,  the  j)ursuit  was  main- 
tained by  company  D,  of  the  same  regiment, 
and  company  E  was  established  as  a  guard 
over  the  property  found  in  the  enemy's 
camp.^ 

The  Third  Volunteer  brigade,  under  Gen- 
eral Shields,  —  embracing  the  Third  and 
Fourth  Illinois  and  the  Second  New  York 
regiments  of  Volunteers, — as  already  stated, 
was  pushed  forward  around  the  northern 
base  of  El  Telegrafo,  for  the  purpose  of 
turning;  the  extreme  left  of  the  Mexican 
lines,  resting  upon  the  Jalapa  road.  This 
was  accomplished  with  great  spirit  and  suc- 
cess, notwithstanding  it  encountered  a  heavy 
battery  of  five  guns,  supported  by  a  large 
body  of  lancers,  in  which  General  Shields 
was  very  severely  wounded ;  and  the  rout 
of  the  enemy  being  complete,  his  camp,  with 
his  guns,  baggage,  a  large  amount  of  specie, 
and  his  stores,  were  taken  possession  of  and 
retained  by  this  brigade.'^ 

"While  the  movements,  just  related,  on  the 
north  side  of  the  road,  were  rapidly  throw-" 
ing,  not  only  the  enemy's  position,  but  his 
troops  and  his  appointments  into  the  hands 
of  the  Americans,  and  while  the  retreat  of 
the  forces  in  front  was  being  rapidly  cut  ofi" 
by  the  movement  of  Generals  Shields  and 
Riley,  and  their  occupation  of  the  Jalapa 
road  in  the  rear  of  the  pass,  General  Pillow, 

1  Col  Eiley's  Report,  April  20  ;  Maj.  Gardner's  Report, 
April  19  ;  Capt.  Morris'  Report,  April  20. — -  Col.  Baker's 
Report,  April  21, 1847  ;  Semmes,  p.  181 ;  Ripley,  ii.  p.  70. 


with  the  First  division  of  Yolunteers, — em- 
bracing the  First  and  Second  Tennessee  and 
First  and  Second  Pennsylvania  regiments, 
one  company  {Captain  CasvjeWs)  of  Tennes- 
see horse,  and  one  of  Kentucky  foot,  under 
Captain  Williams, — moved  against  the  right 
of  the  Mexican  lines — the  three  batteries  on 
the  south  side  of  the  road,  near  the  bank  of 
the  Rio  del  Plan.  The  serious  obstacles 
which  this  command  encountered,  both  from 
the  chaparral  and  the  weight  of  the  enemy's 
fire,  and  its  heavy  loss  of  men,  led  the  Gen- 
eral in  command  to  suspend  his  operations — 
after  part  of  his  division  had  been  compelled 
to  retire  from  before  one  of  the  batteries — 
nntil  the  capture  of  the  works  on  the  sum- 
mit of  the  hill  {El  Telegrafo)  rendered  farther 
movements  unnecessary.^ 

The  defeat  of  the  enemy  was  complete, 
and  the  cavalry,  with  Captains  Taylor  and 
Wall's  field-batteries,  followed  by  the  in- 
fantry, pushed  after  the  fugitives,  towards 
Jalapa,  killing  and  capturing  many,  "  before 
the  men  and  the  horses  were  exhausted  by 
the  heat  and  the  distance."  ^  General  Worth, 
with  the  First  division,  however,  did  not 
stop  until  not  only  Jalapa  and  La  Hoy  a, 
but  the  fortress  of  Perote, — second  only  to 
San  Juan  de  Ulloa, — with  an  armament  of 
sixty-six  guns  and  mortars,  and  large  sup- 
plies of  materiel,  had  fallea  into  his  hands.^ 

The  strength  of  the  Americans,  in  action 
and  in  reserve,  was  eight  thousand  five  hun- 
dred men;*  that  of  the  enemy  is  said  to 
have  been  "  estimated  at  twelve  thousand 
or  more."  ^  The  loss  of  the  former  was  three 
ofiicers  and  sixty  rank  and  file  hilled^  thirty 
officers  and  three  hundred  and  thirty-six 
rank  and  file  wounded^  and  one  private 
'missing  ;  ^  that  of  the  former  is  comjjuted 
at  from  one  thousand  to  one  thousand  two 
hundred,  besides  which,  about  three  thou- 
sand prisoners,  four  or  five  thousand  stands 

1  Gen.  Pillow's  Report,  April  18  ;  Autobiog.  of  English 
Soldier,  p.  187  ;  Ripley,  ii.  pp.  72,  73. 

2  Gen.  Scott's  Dispatch,  No.  24,  Jalapa,  April  23. 

3  Gen.  Worth's  Report,  April  23  ;  Ripley,  ii.  pp.  76,  77. 
*  Gen.  Scott's  Dispatch,  No.  24,  April  23.     Maj.  Rip- 
ley (ii.  p.  73)  says  it  "  did  not  exceed  9000  men." 

s  Gen.  Scott's  Dispatch,  No.  24,  April  23. 
«  Return  of  killed,  &c.,  appended  to  Gen.  Scott's  Dis- 
patch, No.  24,  April  23,  1847. 


508 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


of  arms,  and  forty-tliree  pieces  of  artillery 
were  taken.^ 

Immediately  after  the  action  at  Cerro 
Gordo,  General  Scott  moved  forward  and 
fixed  his  head-quarters  at  Jalapa;^  and  on 
the  eighth  of  May  General  Worth  advanced 
from  Perote,  followed,  on  the  ninth,  by 
General  Quitman.^  With  the  exception  of 
a  small,  bnt  interesting  affair  at  Amozoque, 
General  Worth  encountered  no  opposition ; 
and  on  the  fifteenth  of  JVTay  he  entered  and 
occupied  Puehla.* 

In  the  mean  time,  the  naval  forces  had 
moved  against  the  garrisoned  port  of  Tus- 
pan,  on  the  Gulf;  and  on  the  seventeenth  of 
Aj^ril  it  was  taken,  with  the  loss,  to  the  as- 
sailants, of  two  killed  and  eleven  wounded.^ 

On  the  twenty-first  of  May  General  Scott 
advanced  towards  Puebla ;  and  on  the  twen- 
ty-eighth, he  fixed  his  head-quarters  at  that 
place;"  while  General  Santa  Anna,  previous 
to  that  time,  had  returned  to  Mexico,  and 
soon  afterwards,  eneoiiraged  by  the  constant 
movement  of  small  detachments  between 
the  base  of  oj^erations  at  Vera  Cruz  and 
head-quarters  at  Puebla,  a  system  of  guer- 
rilla warfare  was  instituted,  for  the  purpose 
of  cutting  off  the  supplies  and  the  reinforce- 
ments of  the  Americans.''' 

One  of  these  detachments,  commanded  by 
Brevet-colonel  Mcintosh,  escorting  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty-eight  wagons,  laden  with 
specie  and  other  property  of  great  value, 
was  attacked  on  the  sixth  of  June,  near  El 
Paso  de  Ovejas,  and  twenty-four  soldiers, 
exclusive  of  teamsters,  were  killed  or  wound- 
ed.^ Reinforcements  of  the  escort  were  sent 
forward  from  Vera  Cruz,  on  the  requisition 
of  Colonel  Mcintosh,  and  the  train  moved 
forward  to  the  IS^ational  Bridge,-  where  it 
was  attacked  a  second  time,  and  thirty-two 
of  the  escort,  besides  a  large  number  of  the 

1  Gen.  Scott's  Dispatch,  No.  24,  April  23  ;  Same  to  Gen. 
Taylor,  April  24,  1847.—='  Ripley,  ii.  p.  76. 

3  Ibid.,  pp.  107,  108.—*  Gen.  Scott's  Dispatcb,  No.  28, 
May  20  ;  Gen.  "Worth's  Report,  May  15  ;  Ripley,  ii.  pp.  108- 
111.—'*  Com.  Perry  to  Sec.  of  Navy,  April  24,  1847  ;  Rip- 
ley, ii.  p.  88.— «  Gen,  Scott's  Dispatch,  No.  29,  June  4. 

'Ibid.,  No.  25,  April  28;  Jos^  Mariana  Salas  to  the 
Mexicans,  April  21 ;  Ripley,  ii.  pp.  104,  105  ;  Notes  for 
the  History,  pp.  439^42.— s  Col.  Mcintosh  to  Col.  Scott, 
July  9  ;  Ripley,  ii.  pp.  130-132. 


teamsters  and  other  employees,  were  killed 
or  wounded.!  When  the  train  reached  Ja- 
lapa  the  escort  was  strengthened  a  second 
time,  and  on  the  eighteenth  it  left  that 
place.  On  the  nineteenth,  when  it  had 
reached  La  Hoya,  it  was  attacked  a  third 
time,  and  suffered  severely ;  and  it  was  res- 
cued from  its  dangerous  situation  only  by 
great  exertions.^ 

About  this  time  the  squadron  proceeded 
to  the  port  of  Tobasco,  and  after  a  slight  op- 
position, in  which  two  men  were  killed  and 
seven  wounded,  on  the  fifteenth  of  June,  it 
was  taken  and  occupied  by  the  American 
forces.^ 

Soon  afterwards  another  detachment  of 
three  thousand  men,  under  General  Frank- 
lin Pierce,  left  Yera  Cruz  for  head-quarters  ; 
and  his  flanks  were  constantly  harassed  by 
the  irregular  troops  which  appeared  at 
every  turn  of  the  road.  The  substantial 
bridges,  which  spanned  the  several  streams 
on  his  route,  were  broken  down  by  the 
Mexicans,  and  he  was  obliged  either  to  ford 
the  streams  or  to  march  by  other  and  more 
difficiilt  routes.* 

In  order  to  assist  in  the  protection  of  this 
detachment,  General  Smith  was  detached 
from  Puebla  to  meet  General  Pierce  ;  and 
while  on  his  way,  on  the  thirtieth  of  July, 
when  near  the  hacienda  of  San  Juan  de  los 
Llanos,  about  midway  between  Ojo  del 
Agua  and  Tepeahualco,  he  encountered  a 
small  body  of  the  enemy.  A  brisk  engage- 
ment ensued,  notwithstanding  the  small 
force  of  the  enemy,  and  the  latter  Avas 
driven  off,  with'  a  reported  loss  of  forty 
killed  and  fifty  wounded,  and  on  the  sixth 
of  August  General  Pierce  entered  Puebla.^ 

A  considerable  time  was  spent  in  recon- 
noitring, and  it  was  not  until  the  seventh 
of  August  that  any  portion  of  the  main 
body  of  the  army  was  advanced  from 
Puebla.  On  that  day  Colonel  Harney's 
brigade  of  cavalry,  followed  by  the  Second 

'  Gen.  Cadwallader's  Report,  July  12  ;  Ripley,  ii.  pp. 
133-136.—=  Gen.  Cadwallader's  Report,  July  12  ;  Col. 
Child's  Report,  July  12. — ^  Com.  Perry  to  Sec.  of  Navy, 
June  24,  1847  ;  Notes  for  the  History,  pp.  443,  444. 

4  Gen.  Pierce  to  Gen.  Scott,  Aug.  1,  1847. 

'  Gen.  Smith  to  Capt.  Scott,  A.  A.  A.  G.,  Aug.  2,  1847. 


Chap.  CYIL] 


THE  CAIVIPAIGN  UNDER  GEXERAL  SCOTT. 


509 


division,  under  General  Tvriggs,  moved  for- 
^vard ;  on  the  eiglitla,  General  Quitman's  di- 
vision of  Volunteers  {the  Fourth),  and  a  de- 
tachment of  marines,  followed;  on  the 
ninth,  General  "Worth's  division  {the  First) 
was  moved  forward ;  and  on  the  tenth.  Gen- 
eral Pillow,  with  the  Third  division,  brought 
up  the  rear.  These  divisions  were  concen- 
trated in  the  valley  of  Mexico ;  and  on  the 
twelfth  and  thirteenth,  reconnoissances  were 
pushed  upon  the  Penon  and  upon  Mexical- 
cino-o — the  latter  within  eio^lit  miles  from 
the  city  of  Mexico.^ 

During  this  time  General  Scott's  head- 
quarters, with  those  of  General  Twiggs, 
were  at  Ayotla,  General  Quitman's  at  Buena 
Yista,  General  Worth's  at  Chalco,  and  Gen- 
eral Pillow's  at  Chimalpa ;  and  no  enemy 
liad  opposed  them.^  The  country  in  Iront 
was  but  imperfectly  known,  and  the  recon- 
noissances had  not  been  remarkably  success- 
ful, notwithstanding  the  daring  which  had 
been  displayed  in  carrying  them  on.  Two 
routes  to  the  capital  were  before  the  army, 
— each  possessing  peculiarities  of  access  or 
of  obstruction, — and  General  Scott  appeared 
to  have  selected  for  the  march  of  the  army 
that  on  the  eastern  side  of  Lake  Chalco, — 
the  National  road, — by  which  the  capital 
would  have  been  approached  on  its  eastern 
front ;  and  in  that  direction  all  the  recon- 
noissances of  the  engineers  appeared  to  have 
been  pushed.  It  appears,  however,  that  not- 
withstanding these  movements,  they  were 
o\\\x  feirds  ;  and  that  even  at  that  early  day, 
General  Scott  had  fully  determined  to  move 
on  the  southern  and  western  sides  of  Lake 
Chalco  ;  and  he  had  communicated  that  pur- 
pose, in  confidence,  to  his  military  family,  to 
General  Worth,  and  the  Chief  of  Engineers, 
with  the  most  stringent  injunctions  of  priva- 
cy. Although  the  appearances  indicated, 
both  to  the  enemy  and  to  his  own  army,  an 
intention  to  move  towards  El  Penon  or  Mes- 
icalcingo,  the  capabilities  of  the  route  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  lake  were  generally 
known  to  the  General  and  Captain  Lee,  of 


1  Gen.  Scott's  Dispatch,  No.  31,  Aug.  19,  1847  ;  Ripley, 
ii.  pp.  187-189:  Semmes,  pp.  320,  321. 

2  Kipley,  ii.  p.  187  ;  Semmes,  pp.  825,  326. 


the  Engineers,  and  that  was  the  route  which 
was  really  designated  for  the  movement  of 
the  army.^ 

TThile  the  troops  were  thus  resting  on 
their  arms,  almost  within  sight  of  the  city, 
one  of  the  most  remarkable  exploits  of  the 
war  was  performed  by  a  young  officer, — an 
aid-de-camp  of  the  General-in-chief, — Lieu- 
tenant Schuyler  Hamilton.^  It  has  been 
modestly  related  by  the  gallant  young  offi- 
cer himself;  and  no  language  can  be  used, 
with  more  propriety  than  his  own,  in  de- 
scribing it : 

"The  first  affair  between  the  Mexican 
and  American  forces  in  the  valley  of  the 
city  of  Mexico,  in  which  blood  was  shed  on 
both  sides,  was  that  of  Mira  Flores.  At  a 
convocation  of  officers,  August  13,  18iT,  at 
Chalco,  where  Genei'al  Worth's  head-cpiar- 
ters  were  then  established,  in  sight  of  the 
city  of  Mexico,  General  Scott,  while  '  think- 
ing aloud,'  as  he  termed  it,  expressed  a  re- 
gret that,  owing  to  the  want  of  a  larger  sup- 
ply of  shot  and  shell,  some  combinations 
which  might  be  made,  possibly  with  advan- 
tage to  the  army,  must,  owing  to  this  want, 
be  foregone.  At  this  point  in  the  conversa- 
tion. Lieutenant  Schuyler  Hamilton,  one  of 
the  aids  of  General  Scott,  sucfo-ested  to  the 

/  Co 

General-in-chief  that  the  foundry  of  San 
Raphael,  at  which  shot  and  shell  had  been 
cast  for  the  Mexicans,  the  calibres  of  whose 
great  guns  corresponded,  though  under  dif- 
ferent denominations,  with  those  of  the 
Americans,  was  only  three  leagues  distant ; 
that  possibly  the  moulds  used  by  the  Mexi- 
cans might  still  be  there ;  that  he  knew  a 
person  who  could  act  as  a  guide  to  that 
point,  and,  with  fifteen  dragoons,  would  un- 
dertake to  ascertain  if  the  moulds  were  still 
there,  and  the  state  of  the  roads. 

"  General  Worth  immediately  represented 
that  three  thousand  men  had  the  day  before 
retreated,  on  his  approach,  into  the  moun- 
tains towards  San  Raphael,  and  that  such 
an   attempt  would   be    certain   destruction. 

1  Gen.  E.  A.  Hitchcock  to  the  Author,  Jul.v  18,  1860. 

^  This  young  gentleman  is  a  son  of  John  C.  Hamilton, 
Esq.,  of  the  city  of  New  York,  grandson  of  Gen.  Alex- 
ander Hamilton,  and  great-grandson  of  Gen.  Philip 
Schuyler,  of  the  Eevolutionary  Army. 


510 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II., 


General  Scott,  however,  conceived  it  of  suf- 
ficient importance  to  give  the  order  that  the 
attempt  slionld  be  made,  and  the  necessary 
instructions,  and  directed  General  Worth  to 
detail  such  a  force  as  he  should  deem  proper 
for  the  success  of  the  expedition.  About 
fifty  dragoons,  with  a  supporting  force  of 
one  hundred  infantry,  under  Captain  (now 
Colonel)  Hofi'man,  Sixth  infantry,  were  de- 
tailed for  this  service.  The  infantry  halted 
at  three  leagues  from  Chalco — to  the  foundry 
it  was  nearly  three  leagues  more.  It  was, 
however,  reached,  the  moulds  were  found  to 
be  there,  and  all  the  needed  information  ob- 
tained. The  road  lay  through  a  narrow 
mountain  defile.  The  ravine,  forming  the 
bed  of  a  stream,  at  one  time  fell  oif  abruptly 
from  the  roadway,  dwg  out  of  the  face  of  the 
steep  hills ;  at  other  points  the  terrace  of  the 
roadway  widened  to  a  few  hundred  feet. 
The  sun  was  sinking  in  the  west,  and  al- 
ready the  tall  mountains  threw  their  shad- 
ows on  the  pathway  of  the  returning  caval- 
cade. At  a  turn  of  the  road,  near  Halma- 
nalco,  a  hamlet  near  the  factory  of  Mira 
Flores,  the  advanced  guard  reported  the 
enemy  in  force.  After  a  moment's  exami- 
nation of  the  ground,  it  was  determined  to 

The  bugle 
Lieutenant  George  W. 
Adde,  Third  dragoons,  gallantly  led  the  ad- 
vance, but  a  portion  of  his  men  were  thrown 
into  disorder,  and  retreated.  Rallied  by  the 
commander,  Lietitenant  Hamilton,  they  re- 
turned to  the  charge.  The  ranks  of  the  ene- 
my were  broken.  The  impression  made 
upon  them  being  gallantly  seconded  by 
Lieutenant  Lorimer  Graham,  they  fled  in 
disorder.  After  being  engaged  in  personal 
conflict  with  several  of  the  enemy,  by 
Avhom,  at  one  time,  he  was  surrounded,  the 
commander  was  fearfully  wounded  with  a 
lance,  which  traversed  his  chest  and  lungs. 
Lie,  however,  was  enabled  to  collect  tlie 
wounded  about  him,  after  directing  the  pur- 
suit of  the  enemy,  and  led  them  to  the  com- 
mand under  Colonel  Llofi'man,  who  men- 
tions, '  When  I  directed  Lieutenant  Hamil- 
ton, whose  condiict  is  spoken  of  in  the  highest 
terms,  to  be  assisted,  as  he  could  with  diffi- 
culty sustain  himself  on  his  horse,  he  gal- 


force  a  passage,  sword  in  hand, 
sounded  the  charge. 


lantly  said,'  "Don't  mind  me,  sir,  but  go  to 
the  assistance  of  my  party."  ' 

"  To  the  flfty  Americans  were  opposed 
some  two  hundred  and  fifty  of  the  enemy, 
whose  flag,  bearing  the  device  of  a  death's 
head  and  cross-bones,  and  the  motto,  '  l^o 
DOT  Quartel' — ^  J  give  no  quarter,^  was  cap- 
tured. The  flag  afterwards  attracted  much 
notice  in  the  ofiice  of  Mr.  Marcy,  Secretary 
of  War.  On  a  report,  intended  for  the  files 
of  the  War  Department,  Washington,  Gen- 
eral Scott  indorsed  :  '  The  within  report, 
made  by  my  desire  (long  after  the  event  to 
which  it  refers),  for  the  records  of  the  War 
Department,  modestly  describes  the  conduct 
of  the  Commander  (Brevet-captain  Schuyler 
Ilamilton)  in  an  aff'air  of  great  daring  and 
brilliancy.  It  won  for  him,  at  the  time, 
the  esteem  and  admiration  of  the  whole 
army.'  "^ 

Without  entering  into  the  unfortunate 
dispute  in  which  the  General-in-chief  and 
General  Worth  became  involved,  it  may  be 
remarked,  that  after  the  southern  and  west- 
ern route  had  been  examined  by  Colonel 
Duncan,  under  orders  from  General  Worth, 
and  after  the  report  of  that  reconnoissance 
had  been  sent  to  head-quarters  by  the  latter 
ofiicer, — Captain  Lee  having,  almost  at  the 
same  moment,  reported  the  impracticability 
of  the  route  by  way  of  Mexicalcingo,  which 
he  had  before  supposed  to  have  been  availa- 
ble for  a  movement  on  the  north  and  east  of 
Lake  Chalco, — orders  were  issued,  directing 
the  advance  by  the  opposite,  or  southern 
and  western,  route.^ 

Li  accordance  with  this  new  order  of  af- 
fairs, on  the  afternoon  of  the  fifteenth,  the 
army  moved — Colonel  Harney's  brigade  of 
cavalry  and  General  Worth's  division  lead- 
ing the  column,  followed  by  those  under 
Generals  Pillow  and  Quitman,  and,  on  the 
next  day,  by  that  of  General  Twiggs.*    The 


1  MS.  Narrative  to  the  Author.  See  also  Capt.  Hoff- 
man's Keport,  Aug.  14,  1847  ;  Gen.  Scott's  Dispatch,  No. 
32,  Aug.  28,  1847  ;  Ripley,  ii.  pp.  191-193. 

2  Gen.  Scott's  Dispatch,  No.  81,  Aug.  19,  1847  ;  Mr. 
Trist  to  Mr.  Buchanan,  Aug.  22,  1847  ;  Gen.  Worth  to 
Gen.  Scott,  Aug.  14,  1847  ;  Gen.  E.  A.  Hitchcock  to  the 
Author,  July  18,  I860.— a  Gen.  Scott's  Dispatch,  No.  31, 
Aug.  19  ;  Ripley,  ii.  p.  104  ;  Semmes,  pp.  370,  371. 


Chap.  CVII.] 


THE  CAMPAIGN  UNDER  GENERAL  SCOTT. 


511 


latter,  on  the  morning  of  the  sixteenth,  while 
moving  from  Ayotla,  had  been  threatened 
by  a  large  body  of  Mexican  troops,  under 
General  Alvarez,  posted  near  Oka  Lake. 
The  enemy  was  formed  in  order  of  battle, 
and  evidently  intended  to  fall  on  the  Ameri- 
can rear,  to  cut  it  off;  but  General  Twiggs 
promj)tly  formed  in  front  of  the  Mexicans 
and  moved  forward.  As  the  former  ap- 
proached, the  latter  retired ;  and  after  a 
brisk  cannonade,  in  which  several  were 
killed  and  wounded,  and  a  pursuit  of  two 
miles,  the  Americans  resumed  their  march.^ 

On  the  night  of  the  sixteenth,  General 
Worth  encamped  at  San  Gregorio ;  General 
Pillow,  at  Tulancingo,  some  four  miles  in 
the  rear  of  General  Woi-th ;  and  Generals 
Quitman  and  Twiggs,  at  Tetelco,  three  miles 
farther  in  the  rear ;  ^  and,  on  the  following 
day,  after  encountering  many  obstructions, 
which  the  enemy  had  thrown  in  the  road,^ 
General  Worth  occuj)ied  San  Augustine, 
which  had  been  selected  as  the  base  of  the 
new  line  of  operations.* 

In  the  mean  time.  General  Santa  Anna 
had  become  fully  acquainted  with  the  pur- 
poses of  General  Scott ;  and  he,  also,  had 
changed  his  plan  of  operations.  Leaving 
El  Penon  under  the  command  of  Generals 
Herrera  and  Leon,^  he  hastened  to  intercept 
the  progress  of  the  Americans  on  the  south- 
ern and  eastern  sides  of  the  lake ;  fixing  his 
head-quarters  at  the  hacienda  of  San  Anto- 
nio, and  laboring  with  great  zeal  to  finish 
the  several  lines  of  defence  in  that  vicinity.^ 
On  the  morning  of  the  eighteenth,  the  bri- 
gade of  General  Anaya  left  El  Peiion,  and 
took  post  at  Churubusco ;  and  on  the  nine- 
teenth, the  battalions  of  Victoria  and  Hi- 
dalgo were  advanced  to  San  Antonio;^ 
while,  at  the  same  time,  the  '•'■Army  of  the 
ISfoHh^''  —  the  shattered  fragments  of  the 
army  which  had  met  Generals  Taylor  and 

'  Gen.  Twiggs  to  Capt,  H.  L.  Scott,  Aug.  16, 1847  ;  Gen. 
Scott's  Dispatch,  No.  31,  Aug.  19,  1847. 

2  "G.  W.  K."  to  the  N.  0.  Picayune,  Aug.  22,  1847  ; 
Semmes,  pp.  373,  374.-3  G.  W.  K.  to  N.  0.  Picayune, 
Aug.  22,  1847;  Letter  from  Tacubaya  to  Washington 
Union,  Aug.  22,  1847  ;  Semmes,  p.  374  ;  Ripley,  ii.  p. 
206.—"  Mansfield,  p.  409;  Semmes,  p.  375. 

^  Notes  for  the  History,  p.  256.— «  Ripley,  ii.  p.  206. 

'  Notes  for  the  History,  p.  258. 


Wool  at  Buena  Yista — had  occupied  San 
Angel,  under  General  Valencia.^  Subse- 
quently, General  Yalencia  was  ordered  to 
fall  back  on  Coyoacan,  and  to  send  his  artil- 
lery to  Churubusco,  whence  he  might  move 
to  check  the  advance  of  the  Americans, 
whether  they  moved  by  way  of  San  Angel 
or  San  Antonio." 

While  the  enemy  was  thus  arraying  his 
forces  for  the  defence  of  the  capital,  General 
Pillow  advanced  to  San  Augustine,  and 
General  Twiggs  and  Quitman  approached 
it ;  and  on  the  eighteenth,  General  Scott 
moved  his  head-quarters  to  the  same  town.* 
Immediately  afterwards  General  Worth's  di- 
vision and  Colonel  Harney's  cavalry  were 
pushed  forward,  about  a  league,  to  recon- 
noitre,* when  that  gallant  General  seized  on 
a  hacienda  named  Coapa, — about  fifteen 
hundred  yards  in  front  of  San  Antonio, — 
and  established  his  head-quarters  there.® 

While  this  reconnoissance  was  being  made, 
the  enemy  opened  his  fire  on  the  covering 
party, — the  first  fire  in  the  valley  of  Mexico, 
• — and,  by  a  singular  coincidence,  the  first 
shot  killed  Captain  Thornton,  of  the  Second 
dragoons® — he  who  first  felt  the  weight  of. 
the  Mexican  opposition  in  the  valley  of  the 
Rio  Grande.'' 

While  the  reconnoissance  in  front  of  San 
Antonio  was  progressing,  others  were  made 
on  the  left  of  San  Augustine,  towards  Con- 
treras,  under  Major  Smith,  Captain  Lee,  and 
Lieutenants  Beauregard  and  Tower ;  and  on 
the  nineteenth.  Generals  Pillow  and  Twiggs 
were  thrown  forward  to  open  a  road  for 
heavy  artillery. 

At  this  time  the  main  body  of  the  Ameri- 
can army  was  at  San  Augttstine,  north  from 
which  place,  and  in  a  direct  line  with  the 
city  of  Mexico,  was  a  large  Pedregal,  or 
field  of  lava — an  impassable  bed  of  volcanic 
matter,  which  extended,  to  the  eastward,  as 
far  as  the  mountains.  From  this  place,  on 
either  hand,  extended  a  road^that  on  the 

1  Notes  for  the  History,  p.  267.—'  Ibid.,  p.  272  ;  Rip- 
ley, ii.  p.  208.-3  Gen.  Scott's  Dispatch,  No.  31,  Aug.  19  ; 
Ripley,  ii.  p.  210. — *  Gen.  Scott's  Dispatch,  No.  31,  Aug. 
19;  Semmes,  p.  377. — *  Semmes,  p.  377  ;  Gen.  Worth's 
Report,  Aug.  23,  1847.—^  Gen.  Scott's  Dispatch,  No.  31, 
Aug.  19  ;  Ripley,  ii.  pp.  210,  211.—'  Vide  Chap.  XCIX. 


512 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


left  only  to  tlie  edge  of  the  Pedregal, 
whence,  by  a  mere  trail,  it  wound  its  way 
among  the  irregularities  of  that  remarkable 
plain  into  the  village  of  Contreras,  near 
Adiich  it  debouched  into  a  well-beaten  road, 
which,  by  way  of  San  Angel,  Coyoacan,  and 
Churubusco,  led  to  the  city  of  Mexico.^  On 
this  road  had  been  advanced  the  divisions 
of  Generals  Twiggs  and  Pillow,  as  already 
stated,  for  the  purpose  of  opening  a  road 
towards  the  main  road  at  Contreras.^  To 
the  right  of  San  Augustine  extended  a  cause- 
way, by  way  of  San  Antonio  and  Churubus- 
co,— where  the  road  from  Contreras,  before 
referred  to,  united  with  it, — to  the  city  of 
Mexico;^  and,  advanced  on  this  road,  to 
Cuapa,  was  the  splendid  division  under 
General  Worth.* 

Opposed  to  these  operations  General  Santa 
Anna  had  made  a  skilful  disposition  of  his 
forces.  On  the  heights  of  Contreras — or  of 
Pelon  Cuanlititla,  as  the  Mexicans  call  them 
■ — were  twenty -two  pieces  of  artillery ;  sup- 
porting which,  on  the  left,  was  the  corps  of 
San  Luis  de  Potosi,  and  on  the  right  were 
"the  auxiliaries  and  the  actives  of  Celaya, 
Guanjuato,  and  Queretaro,  under  Lieuten- 
ant-colonel Cabrera."  A  second  line  em- 
braced the  Tenth  and  Twelfth  battalions, 
and  those  known  as  the  "i^yo  of  Mexico^'' 
and  the  "  Costa  Guarda  of  Tam.jpico.''''  Li 
front  of  this  force,  near  the  rancho  of  Padi- 
erna, — at  the  edge  of  the  Pedregal, — were 
two  regiments  of  infantry  and  one  of  caval- 
ry ;  supporting  the  right  of  the  position 
were  the  Seventh  regiment  of  the  line  and 
that  of  San  Luis ;  while,  near  Anzaldo,  un- 
der General  Salas,  was  the  reserve,  embra- 
cing the  regiment  of  sappers,  those  known 
as  the  Mixto  de  Santa  Anna  and  Aguascali- 
entes,  the  Second,  Third,  and  Eighth  regi- 
ments of  cavalry,  and  the  active  of  Guana- 
juato. A  heavy  force  was  also  stationed  for 
the   defence   of  San   Antonio,    and   of  the 


'  Map  of  the  Line  of  Operations,  by  Maj .  TiunbuU  and 
the  Engineers  of  the  army. — ^  Gen.  Scott's  Dispatch,  No. 
31,  Aug.  19,  1847;  Gens.  Twiggs  and  Smith's  Report, 
Aug.  23,  1847. 

3  Map  of  the  Line,  &c.;  Semmes,  p.  377. 

"  Gen.  Scott's  Dispatch,  No.  31,  Aug.  19,  1847  ;  Gen. 
Worth's  Eeport,  Aug.  23,  1847  ;  Semmes,  p.  377. 


bridge  of  Churubusco,  while  General  Santa 
Anna,  with  twelve  thousand  men,  occupied 
the  high  ground  between  Anzaldo  and  San 
Angel. ^ 

In  the  prosecution  of  his  assigned  duty, — 
that  of  opening  the  road, — General  Pillow 
moved,  on  the  morning  of  the  nineteenth ; 
and,  notwithstanding  the  menaces  of  the 
enemy,  he  pushed  forward  into  the  mass  of 
lava ;  but  he  was  quickly  opposed  by  the 
enemy's  pickets  and  advanced  parties,  and 
he  was  compelled  to  throw  forward  the  rifle 
regiment,  commanded  by  Major  Loring,  to 
clear  the  ground,  while  the  batteries  under 
Captain  Magruder  and  Lieutenant  Callender 
were,  soon  afterwards,  pushed  forward  and 
placed  in  position,  within  three  hundred 
yards  of  the  enemy's  works. ^ 

General  Pillow — the  senior  in  rank — had 
ordered  General  Twiggs,  with  his  finely- 
disciplined  division,  to  advance  and  give  the 
enemy  battle  ;  and  that  veteran  commander 
had  pushed  forward,  in  advance  of  the  work- 
ing parties,  for  that  purpose.  Ordering 
General  Persifer  F.  Smith,  with  his  brigade, 
to  assault  the  front  of  the  enemy's  position, 
and  Colonel  Piley,  with  his  brigade,  by  in- 
clining to  the  right,  to  turn  the  enemy's  left, 
flank,  and  gain  his  rear,  the  General  moved 
steadily  onward  in  the  execution  of  his  or- 
ders. Colonel  Riley's  path  was  difficult  and 
tedious,  —  having  to  "pass  over  volcanic 
rocks  and  crossing  large  fissures,  barely  nar- 
row enough  to  permit  the  men  to  get  over 
by  leaping," — besides '  which,  he  was  o|)- 
posed,  first,  by  a  large  body  of  the  enemy's 
lancers,  who  were  driven  back,  and  after- 
wards by  two  other  bodies  of  Mexicans, — 
one  of  them  ten  or  twelve  thousand  in  num- 
ber, on  his  rear;  the  other,  two  or  three 
thousand  in  number,  on  his  right  flank, — 
both  of  which  he  withstood  and  held  in 
check.  General  Twiggs  immediately  or- 
dered General  Smith  to  support  Colonel 
Riley ;  while  the  brigades  of  Generals 
Pierce,  Shields,  and  Cadwallader,  and,  sub- 
sequently, the  Fifteenth  infantry,  under  Col- 


'  Notes  for  the  History,  p.  273. 

"■  Gen.  Scott's  Dispatch,  No.  31,  Aug.  19,  1847;   Gen. 
Twiggs'  Report,  Aug.  23,  1847. 


Chap.  CVII.] 


THE  CAMPAIGN"  UNDER  GENERAL  SCOTT. 


513 


onel  Morgan,  were  sent  forward,  for  the 
same  purpose,  by  General  Scott.^ 

The  battle  raged  furiousl}",  and  for  more 
than  three  hours  the  entire  force  was  under 
a  heavy  fire  of  artillery  and  musketry  along 
the  almost  impassable  ravine  in  front  and 
on  the  right  of  the  Mexican  position.  Night 
at  length  put  an  end  to  the  conflict ;  and  a 
cold  rain  which,  soon  afterwards,  began  to 
fall  in  torrents  upon  the  unsheltered  and 
unfed  troops,  rendered  their  repose,  during 
the  night,  an.  unsatisfactory  one,  notwith- 
standing the  village  of  Anzaldo  was  occu- 
pied by  the  American  forces.^ 

At  this  time  the  relative  positions  of  the 
two  armies  were  as  follows : — On  the  ex- 
treme right  of  the  Mexican  lines — on  the 
heights  of  Contreras — was  General  Yalencia 
and  the  troops  composing  "  the  army  of  the 
JSTorth,"  as  before  described.  On  his  left 
flank,  separating  him  from  the  great  body 
of  the  Mexican,  army,  under  General  Santa 
Anna,  were  the  brigades  of  Generals  Smith, 
Cadwallader,  and  Riley.  On  his  front  were 
General  Pierce's  brigade  and  the  American 
light  batteries  ;  and  still  farther  in  front,  at 
the  foot  of  the  hill  of  Zacatepec,  was  the 
cavalry  under  Colonel  Harney.  General 
Santa  Anna  still  occupied  the  high  ground 
in  the  vicinity  of  Anzaldo, — the  hill  of  the 
Olivar  of  the  Carmelites, — with  his  reserve, 
and  Churubusco.  General  Quitman,  with 
the  remainder  of  his  division,  was  held  in  re- 
serve at  San  Augustine ;  and  General  Worth, 
Avith  his  division,  was  on  the  extreme  right 
of  the  American  line  at  San  Antonio. 

As  will  be  seen,  the  American  troops  at 
Anzaldo  were  detached  from  the  main  body, 
and  were  between  the  enemy's  main  body, 
under  General  Santa  Anna,  in  their  rear, 
and  his  veteran  '■'■Army  of  the  North^''  under 
General  Yalencia,  on  their  front ;  and  it  was 
well  considered,  both  by  General  Scott  and 
by  themselves,  a  position  of  great  hazard. 
They  had  in  their  front  and  on  their  left 
flank,  eighteen  thousand  Mexicans,  with  be- 
tween twenty-five  and  thirty  guns.     Among 

1  Gen.  Scott's  Dispatch,  No.  31,  Aug.  19  ;  Gen.  PUlow's 
Report,  Aug.  24;  Gen.  Twiggs'  Report,  Aug.  23. 

2  Gen.  Scott's  Dispatch,  No.  31,  Aug.  19  ;  Gen.  Twiggs' 
Report,  Aug.  23. 

Vol.  it.— 65 


the  troops,  six  or  seven  thousand  were  cav- 
alry. They  were,  at  most,  three  thousand 
three  hundred  strong,  without  cavalry  or 
artillery ;  and  as  it  was  evident  that  they 
could  maintain  their  position  only  by  the 
most  prompt  and  energetic  measures.  Gen- 
eral Smith — to  whom  the  command  was 
given  by  his  associates,  in  command  of  other 
brigades — decided  to  assault  the  heights  of 
Contreras  during  the  night.^ 

As  a  preliminary  to  this  movement.  Cap- 
tain Lee  was  sent  to  General  Scott  to  inform 
him  of  the  position  of  the  troops,  and  of  the 
purpose  of  General  Smith,  with  a  request 
that  the  former  would  favor  the  attack  with 
any  movement  which  he  might  consider  ex- 
pedient; and,  at  about  the  same  time.  Gen- 
eral Shields,  with  the  ]^ew  York  and  South 
Carolina  Yolunteers,- — who  had  been  sent 
by  General  Scott,  while  the  action  was  still 
pending,  during  the  afternoon,  to  strengthen 
the  Americans  who  were  in  action, — arrived 
in  the  village,  and  reported  to  General 
Smith.2 

After  ordering  General  Shields  to  hold 
Anzaldo,  "  and  cut  ofi"  the  retreat  of  the 
troops  from  Contreras  {General  Yalencia^ s) 
or  take  his  large  reserve  {General  Santa 
Anna)  in  flank,  if  it  changed  front  to  the 
right  to  attack  him,"  General  Smith,  at  pre- 
cisely three  o'clock  in  the  morning,  moved 
against  the  enemy's  intrenched  camp  on  the 
heights  of  Contreras.  The  men  had  laid  in 
the  mud,  exposed  to  a  pelting  rain,  without 
flre,  all  night,  and  were  sufiering  from  cold  ; 
and  as  they  gi-oped  their  way,  unable  to  see 
any  object  which  might  be  six  feet  from 
them,  —  the  several  files  keeping  within 
touch  of  each  other,  to  prevent  the  rear 
from"  going  astray, — the  duty  of  surprising 
the  enemy's  lines  appeared  to  be  a  hopeless 
one.  Lieutenant  Tower,  of  the  Engineers, 
led  the  column,  where  Colonel  Riley's  bri- 
gade had  been  placed ;  Lieutenants  Brooks 
and  Beauregard,  also  of  the  Engineers,  led 
General  Cadwallader's  brigade,  which  form- 
ed the  centre  of  the  column  of  attack ;  and 
Lieutenant  G.  "W.  Smith  led  General  Smith's 


1  Gen.  Smith's  Report,  Aug.  23  ;  Ripley,  ii.  p.  236. 

2  Gen.  Shields'  Report,  Aug.  24 ;  Ripley,  ii.  p.  241. 


514 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED   STATES. 


[Book  II. 


brigade,  commanded  by  Major  Dimmick, 
which  brought  up  the  rear.  The  narroAV 
path,  obstructed  by  rocks  and  mud,  aflbrded 
but  a  sorry  route  for  the  long  line  of  assail- 
ants ;  and  it  was  full  daylight  when  Colonel 
Kiley — at  a  sixfficient  distance  up  the  ravine, 
along  which  the  troops  had  filed,  to  turn  the 
enemy's  position — had  formed  his  brigade 
into  two  columns,  and  prepared  for  the  des- 
perate charge.  Advancing  but  little  farther 
up  the  ravine,  he  turned  to  his  left  and 
mounted  the  high  bank  of  the  mountain- 
stream  which  runs  at  the  bottom  of  the 
gully,  and  stood  fronting  the  rear  of  the 
work,  but  somewhat  sheltered  by  a  high 
ground  in  his  front.  Here  he  reformed  his 
ranks,  and  ascended  the  slope  which  com- 
manded the  enemy's  intrenchments,  when 
the  Mexicans  opened  a  heavy  fire,  not  only 
from  their  works  in  front,  but  from  a  cover- 
ing party  on  his  right  flank.  With  as  little 
delay  as  possible,  therefore.  Colonel  Riley 
threw  out  his  first  two  divisions  as  skirmish- 
ers ;  and,  after  a  single  noisy  fire,  and  a 
shout,  with  his  entire  strength,  he  rushed 
down  the  slope  to  the  works  which  were 
occupied  by  the  enemy.  General  Cadwalla- 
der  followed  closely  after  Colonel  Riley, 
and,  as  fast  as  his  men  came  up,  he  formed 
his  columns  and  pushed  forward  for  the 
support  of  the  leading  brigade ;  while  Major 
Dimmick,  with  General  Smith's  brigade,  was 
directed  into  a  foot-path  on  his  left,  and 
moving  along  that  to  the  heights,  attacked 
a  large  body  of  Mexicans  which  was  posted 
on  the  north  side  of  the  intrenchments,  just 
as  Colonel  Riley's  brigade  was  pouring  into 
the  works  themselves.' 

Thus  suddenly  assailed,  both  in  front  and 
rear,  by  an  €nemy  whom  they  supposed  to 
be  still  in  the  hamlet  of  Anzaldo  and  its 
neighborhood,  the  Mexicans  appeared  to 
have  been  seized  with  the  most  unaccounta- 
ble terror,  and,  led  by  their  General  {Va- 
lencia),  they  fled  in  the  wildest  disorder. 
Colonel  Riley  quickly  cleared  the  work,  and 
planted  his  regimental  colors  on  it ;   and. 


>  Gen.  Smith's  Report,  Aug.  23  ;  Col.  Eiley's  Report, 
Aug.  24;  Gen.  Cadwallader's  Report,  Aug.  22;  Maj. 
Dimmick's  Report,  Aug.  23. 


strange  to  say,  the  first  pieces  of  artillery 
which  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  victors — 
among  whom  was  the  Fourth  artillery — 
were  the  two  gunS  which  were  lost  by  Lieu- 
teiiant  O'Brian,  of  that  regiment,  with  so 
much  honor,  at  Buena  Vista.' 

The  fugitives,  harassed  by  Colonel  Ran- 
som,— who,  with  the  N'inth  and  Twelfth  in- 
fantry, had  occupied  a  position  at  the  edge 
of  the  Pedregal, — -broke  and  fled  in  all  di- 
rections. The  greater  part  of  them,  how- 
ever, fled  down  the  road  towards  San  Angel, 
and  were  intercepted  by  Major  Dimmick, 
with  General  Smith's  brigade,  and  were 
roughly  handled ;  while  those  who  passed 
through  this  second  ordeal  were  again  inter- 
cepted by  General  Shields,  who,  with  his 
brigade,  had  moved  from  Anzaldo  for  that 
purpose.  Here  they  threw  down  their  arms  ; 
and,  after  the  series  of  disasters,  in  the  I^^orth 
and  in  the  centre,  the  celebrated  '■^  Army  of 
the  North^''  ceased  to  exist.  Near  two  thou- 
sand of  its  number,  it  is  said,  fell  on  this 
eventful  morning ;  Generals  Valencia  and 
Torrejon  fled,  and  were  lost  to  their  country  ; 
and  Generals  Salas,  Blanco,  Garcia,  and 
Mendoza,  eighty-four  other  officers,  and  sev- 
en hundred  and  twenty-five  privates,  several 
stands  of  colors,  twenty-two  pieces  of  brass 
artillery,  the  military  chest,  thousands  of 
small  arms  and  accoutrements,  an  immense 
quantity  of  shot,  shells,  powder,  and  car- 
tridges, seven  hundred  pack-mules,  a  num- 
ber of  horses,  &c.,  were  among  the  trophies 
of  the  victors.  Not  more  than  sixty  were 
killed  or  wounded  in  this  gallant  exploit.^ 

Leaving  a  small  force  to  guard  the  cap- 
tured ordnance.  General  Smith  prepared  to 
press  forward  after  the  fugitives  ;  and  was 
forming  his  men,  when  General  Twiggs 
came  on  the  heights  and  assumed  the  com- 
mand. Under  this  veteran's  directions, 
therefore,  the  victors  of  Contreras  moved 
forward ;  and  as  he  advanced  towards  San 
Angel,  General  Santa  Anna  broke  up  his 
encampment  and  fell  back  on  his  works  at 


'  Gen.  Scott's  Dispatch,  No.  32,  Aug.  28  ;  Gen.  Smith's 
Report,  Aug.  23  ;  Col.  Riley's  Report,  Aug.  24. 

2  Gen.  Scott's  Dispatch,  No.  32,  Aug.  28  ;  Gen.  Shield's 
Report,  Aug.  24. 


^••'5^3 


^ 


1^ 


pu 


i^ 


1^ 
-I 


§       ^ 


^ 


Chap.  CVll.] 


THE  CAMPAIGN  UNDER  GENERAL  SCOTT. 


515 


Cliurubusco,  with  tlie  Americans  at  liis 
lieels.^ 

While  these  important  operations  were 
going  on  at  Coutreras,  General  Scott — to 
whom  the  purpose  of  General  Smith  was 
known — had  ordered  General  Pillow  to  go 
over  to  the  scene  of  action  and  take  the  com- 
mand ;  while  General  Worth  Avas  ordered 
to  move  from  Cuapa  with  one  of  his  bri- 
gades, and  General  Quitman,  with  his  divi- 
sion, from  San  Augustine,  both  for  the  pur- 
pose of  supporting  the  assault.  "When  Gen- 
eral Pillow  had  reached  the  hill  of  Zaeate- 
pec  he  was  informed  of  the  result  of  the 
engagement ;  and,  after  sending  word  back 
to  General  Scott, — who,  in  turn,  ordered 
Generals  Worth  and  Quitman  to  resume 
their  former  positions,  —  General  Pillow 
pushed  forward,  and,  at  San  Angel,  he 
came  up  with  the  victorious  columns  and 
assumed  the  chief  command.^ 

The  design  of  General  Pillow  was  to  push 
around  the  Pedregal,  and  by  way  of  Ayoacan, 
to  turn  the  Mexican  position  of  San  Anto- 
nio, advancing  against  that  post  in  reserve ; 
but  General  Scott,  after  sending  orders  for 
a  halt,  joined  the  columns  at  the  former 
place,  and  ordered  Captain  Lee  to  recon- 
noitre San  Antonio,  and  Lieutenant  Stevens 
to  reconnoitre  the  fortified  convent  of  San 
Pablo,  near  the  bridge  of  Churubusco.  Im- 
mediately afterwards  General  Pillow,  with 
General  Cadwallader's  brigade,  was  ordered 
to  move  against  the  rear  of  San  Antonio  ; 
General  Twiggs,  Avith  General  Smith's  and 
Colonel  Eiley's  brigades,  against  the  eon- 
vent  of  San  Pablo  ;  General  Pierce,  with 
his  brigade,  farther  to  the  left,  also  against 
the  convent,  and  to  cut  off  the  enemy's  re- 
treat to  the  capital ;  and  General  Shields, 
with  his  command, — the  'New  York  and 
South  Carolina  Volunteers,  —  to  support 
General  Pierce  and  take  command  of  the 
left  wing ;  and  "  the  battle  now  raged  from 
the  rie-ht  to  the  left  of  our  whole  line."^ 


'  Gen.  Smith's  Report,  Aug.  23  ;  Gen.  Twiggs'  Report, 
Aug  23.—'  Gen.  Scott's  Dispatch,  No.  32.  Aug.  28  ;  Gen. 
Pillow's  Report,  Aug.  24  ;  Gen.  Worth's  Report,  Aug.  23. 

'  Gen.  Scott's  Dispatch,  No.  32,  Aug.  28  ;  Gen.  Pillow's 
Report,  Aug.  24  ;  Gen.  Twigg's  Report,  Aug.  23  ;  Gen. 
Shield's  Report,  Aug.  24. 


In  the  mean  time.  General  Worth,  by  a 
series  of  skilful  and  daring  movements  upon 
the  front  and  right  of  the  position,  had 
turned  and  forced  San  Antonio — its  garri- 
son being  either  driven  to  Dolores  or  join- 
ing the  great  body  of  the  enemy,  concen- 
trated at  Cliurubusco.^ 

Having  thus  secured  the  post  of  San 
Antonio,  and  opened  another  road  to  the 
city  of  Mexico,  without  the  aid  of  General 
Pillow,  General  Worth  pressed,  by  way  of 
the  causeway,  towards  Churubusco.  On  his 
approach  the  head  of  his  column  was  re- 
ceived with  a  heavy  discharge  of  artillery, 
by  the  Mexicans,  and  "  The  Battle  of  Chu- 
rubusco''^  commenced.^ 

The  positions  of  the  respective  armies,  at 
this  time,  may  be  thus  defined.  The  ham- 
let of  Churubusco,  which  is  intersected  by 
the  causeway  which  leads  from  San  Anto- 
nio to  the  city  of  Mexico,  is  composed  of  a 
small  cluster  of  adobe  houses,  and  the  mas- 
sive stone  convent  and  church,  known  as 
San  Pablo,  and  it  is  situated  on  the  south 
bank  of  the  Rio  de  Churubusco,  over  which 
the  great  road  is  carried  on  a  fine  stone 
bridge.  This  bridge  is  defended  by  a  field- 
work,  known  as  a  tete-de-jpont ;  and  it  had 
been  constructed  with  great  care,  with  bas- 
tions, curtains,  and  a  Avet  ditch — four  guns, 
two  in  front  and  tAvo  on  the  left  fiank,  hav- 
ing been  placed  in  battery  for  its  defence. 
The  convent  of  San  Pablo  was  a  strong 
stone  edifice,  and  had  been  strengthened 
with  two  walls,  one  Avithin  the  other,  and  of 
great  strength.  The  outer  wall  was  a  regu- 
lar field-Avork,  pierced  with  embrasures,  and 
defended  with  five  guns,  although  it  Avas 
still  incomplete.  In  these  two  works,  behind 
the  Pio  de  Churubusco, — sheltered  by  its 
high  banks,  on  the  causeway  still  nearer  to 
the  capital,  or  within  supporting  distance  of 
some  portion  of  the  works, — were  not  only 
the  reserve  of  the  army,  under  General  Santa 
Anna ;  the  garrisons  of  San  Antonio,  El 
Peiion,  and  Mexicalciugo,  the  fragments  from 
Contreras ;    and  the  floating  forces   of  the 

1  Gen.  Scott's  Dispatch,  No.  32,  Aug.  28  ;  Gen.  AVorth's 
Report,  Aug.  23  ;  Semmes,  pp.  393-395  ;  Ripley,  ii.  pp. 
252-255.—'  Gen.  Scott's  Dispatch,  No.  32,  Aug.  28  ;  Gen. 
Worth's  Report,  Aug.  23;  Semmes,  p.  398. 


516 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


I^ational  Guard ;  but  the  reserves  from  tlie 
city  of  Mexico — not  less  than  from  twenty- 
seven  to  thirty  thousand  in  the  aggregate. 
In  the  convent  were  Generals  Eincon  and 
Anaya,  with  the  E^ational  Guard,  the  Inde- 
pendencia,  and  the  Bravos.  In  the  bridge- 
head were  the  battalions  of  San  Patricio 
and  of  Tlapa,  to  which  was  subsequently 
added  the  First  light  battalion.  On  the  left 
of  the  bridge  were  posted  the  Third,  Fourth, 
and  Eleventh  battalions  ;  while  under  cover 
of  the  northern  bank  or  levee  of  the  Eio  de 
Churubusco,  was  the  main  body  of  the  army 
of  Mexico.^ 

In  front  of  the  tete-de-joont  were  Generals 
Worth  and  Pillow,  with  the  First  division 
and  General  Cadwallader's  brigade ;  in  front, 
or  on  the  right  flank  of  the  convent,  were 
General  Twiggs,  with  his  division.  General 
Pierce,  Avith  his  brigade,  and  General  Shields, 
with  his  brigade  ;  and  at  San  Augustin, — far 
in  the  rear, — was  General  Quitman,  keeping 
guard  over  the  trains. 

When  General  Worth  had  come  within 
gunshot  of  the  tete-de-pont,  Colonel  Garland, 
with  his  brigade,  was  thrown  out  to  the 
right  of,  and  in  line  of  colunms  obliquely 
to,  the  causeway,  the  light  battalion,  under 
Colonel  Smith,  covering  his  right ;  the  Sec- 
ond brigade,  except  the  Sixth  infantry,  Avas 
also  ordered  to  move  to  the  right,  and  by  a 
flank  parallel  with  the  causeway ;  and  the 
Sixth  infantry,  in  front,  moved  steadily  along 
the  causeway,  for  the  purpose  of  storming 
the  tete-de-pont  in  front.  Colonels  Garland 
and  Clarke,  with  their  brigades,  moved 
through  fields  of  standing  corn,  sufl^'ering 
very  severely  in  their  march ;  and  Lieuten- 
ant-colonel Duncan's  noble  battery,  in  con- 
sequence of  the  difficiilties  of  the  march,  was 
withdrawn  and  held  in  reserve. 

It  was  not  long  before  the  Mexican  flank- 
ing parties,  on  the  left  of  the  bridge, — the 
Third,  Fourth,  and  Eleventh  battalions, — 
fell  back  to  and  strengthened  the  bridge- 
head ;  and  General  Worth's  command  was 
quickly  engaged  with  them.  The  fire  of  the 
enemy  was  very  warm,  and  the  Sixth  in- 
fantry was  momentarily  checked  in  its  ad- 

'  Semmes,  pp.  396,  397  ;  Ripley,  ii.  pp.  255-257. 


vance  upon  the  tete-depont  •  but  the  other 
regiments  of  Colonel  Clarke's  brigade — the 
Fifth  and  Eighth  infantry — "  more  favorably 
situated  to  effect  results,  but  under  a  terrible 
fire,  dashed  past  the  deep  and  wet  ditch  that 
entirely  surrounded  the  work,  carried  it  hy 
the  hayonet,  and  as  quick  as  thought,  turned 
the  captured  cannon  uj^on  that  portion  of 
enemy  stationed  in  the  town,  and  which  was 
combating  our  troops  approaching  from  the 
direction  of  Contreras,  occasionally  reversing 
their  fire  upon  oiir  left  flank."  When  it  is 
remembered  that  this  bridge-head  was  the 
key  of  the  position ;  that  the  loss  of  it  dis- 
pirited the  masses  of  the  Mexicans,  and  filled 
their  oflicers  with  "  horror ; "  and  that  it  was 
captured  by  the  Americans,  at  the  point  of 
the  bayonet,  with  only  two  regiments,  the 
character  of  the  exploit  will  be  fully  under- 
stood.' 

While  Generals  Worth  and  Pillow  were 
thus  employed,  at  the  tete-depont,  General 
Twiggs  was  engaged  with  the  convent,  and 
Generals  Shields  and  Pierce  with  the  re- 
serves on  the  opposite  bank  of  the  river. 
The  former  had  suflered  very  severely,  when 
the  loss  of  the  bridge-head  enabled  Captain 
Smith  and  Lieutenant  Snelling,  of  the  Eighth 
infantry,  to  turn  one  of  its  guns  on  the  con- 
vent, with  great  success  ;  and  General  Worth 
to  bring  up  Lieutenant-colonel  Duncan's 
battery,  with  his  usual  efifect,  forcing  the 
enemy  to  hasten  his  desu:e  for  quarters  by 
surrendering  his  post.^ 

General  Shields  having  suff'ered  very  se- 
verely, the  Rifles  (General  Twiggs'  reserve) 
and  Captain  Sibley's  troops  of  the  Second 
dragoons,  had  been  sent  by  General  Scott  to 
reinforce  him.  Having  four  thousand  Mex- 
ican infantry  and  three  thousand  cavalry  as 
its  opponents,  this  small  party — embracing 
the  fragments  of  the  ISTinth,  Twelfth,  and 
Fifteenth  regiments  of  infantry,  the  New 
York  and  South  Carolina  regiments  of  Vol- 
unteers, and  the  mountain-howitzer  battery, 
under  Lieutenant  Peno — had  been  most  se- 

'  Gen.  Scott's  Dispatch,  No.  32,  Aug.  28  ;  Gen.  Worth's  ' 
Report,  Aug.  23  ;   Semmes,  pp.  399,  400 ;   Ripley,  ii.  pp. 
267-273.—'  Gen.  Scott's  Dispatch,  No.  32,  Aug.  28  ;  Gen. 
Worth's  Report,  Aug.  23  ;  Gen.  Twiggs'  Report,  Aug.  23; 
Gen.  Shields'  Report,  Aug.  24. 


Chap.  CVII.] 


THE  CAMPAIGN  UNDER  GENERAL  SCOTT. 


61 Y 


verely  handled  ;  and  the  battle  was  long, 
hot,  and  varied.  When  the  tete-de-pont  had 
been  taken,  however,  and  the  enemy's  main 
body  had  given  way,  victory  crowned  its 
labors,  and  its  shattered  platoons  joined  with 
the  gallant  Worth  in  his  pursuit  of  the  fugi- 
tives towards  the  gates  of  Mexico.^ 

Thus  ended  the  operations  of  this  eventful 
day.  Five  several  actions  had  heen  fought 
and  won,  and  the  American  troops,  siirfeit- 
ed  with  victory,  sought  repose.  Thirty-two 
thousand  men  had  been  met  and  defeated ; 
three  thousand  prisoners  had  been  taken — 
eight  of  the  number  being  generals  and  two 
hundred  and  five  other  ofiicers ;  about  four 
thousand  had  been  killed  or  wounded — be- 
sides whole  armies  dissolved  and  dispersed ; 
thirty-seven  pieces  of  artillery  had  also  been 
taken,  with  large  numbers  of  small  arms,  a 
full  supply  of  ammunition  of  every  kind, 
&c.,  &e.^ 

Of  the  American  army,  sixteen  ofiicers 
and  one  hundred  and  twenty-three  men  had 
been  hilled,  and  sixty  officers  and  eight  hun- 
dred and  sixteen  men  wounded.  Of  the 
Mexicans,  it  is  said  that  upwards  of  four 
thousand  men  were  killed  or  wounded,  three 
thousand  more  were  prisoners,  and  six  thou- 
sand one  hundred  and  fifty  were  "missing."^ 

On  the  day  after  the  battle  {August  21) 
the  army  moved  to  Tacubaya,  whence  ad- 
vances were  made  by  General  Scott  for  a 
suspension  of  hostilities;''  both  he  and  Mr. 
Trist — the  latter  a  civil  officer,  who  had  been 
sent  out  to  Mexico  as  a  floating,  contingent 
representative  of  the  Federal  government, 
to  catch  and  preserve  the  first  symptoms  of 
a  desire  for  peace  which  the  enemy  might 
manifest  ^ — having  been  beguiled  into  the 
error  of  desiring  such  an  armistice,  under 
a  profession  of  a  desire  for  peace,  which  was 
conveyed  to  them  by  several  "  intellige7it 
neutrals^''  who  were  tools  of  Gezieral  Santa 
Anna,  and  who  favored  the  desire  of  that 
wily  but  talented  officer  "  to  give  his  troops 
rest,  re-establish  their  mmule,  and   enable 

1  Gen.  Scott's  Dispatch,  No.  32,  Aug,  28  ;  Gen.  Worth's 
Keport,  Aug.  23  ;  Gen.  Shields'  Report,  Aug.  24. 

2  Gen.  Scott's  Dispatch,  No.  32,  Aug.  28  ;  Eipley,  ii. 
pp.  282,  283.—=  Gen.  Scott's  Dispatch,  No.  32,  Aug.  28. 

^  Gen.  Scott  to  Gen.  Santa  Anna,  Aug.  21,  1847. 


him  to  collect  the  dispersed,  and  adopt  other 
measures  to  insure  a  reaction."^ 

Strange  as  it  may  appear  the  victorious 
march  of  the  army  of  the  United  States — 
before  whom  no  serious  obstacle  was  inter- 
posed to  prevent  its  triumphant  entry  into 
the  city  of  Mexico — was  arrested  by  its  own 
Q-eneral-in-chief,  at  the  instance  of  known 
instruments  of  the  enemy ;  and  that  Gen- 
eral, at  the  head  of  his  veteran  and  vic- 
torious troops,  became  a  suppliant  for  peace. 
The  difi^erences  between  the  two  belligerent 
nations — with  the  evident  hope  of  concil- 
iating the  prostrate  enemy  and  of  favoring 
the  suit  of  the  supj^liant  victor — were  de- 
clared by  General  Scott  to  be  "  unnatural ;  " 
and,  in  his  "impatience"  for  peace,  regard- 
less of  the  declarations  of  his  country, 
through  her  official  authorities,  at  every 
period  of  the  war,  he  acquiesced  in  the 
declaration  of  the  enemy  that  the  shedding 
of  blood  in  this  war  was  "in  consequence  of 
the  disregard  of  the  rights  of  the  Mexican 
re]3ublic"  by  the  United  States. 

Desiring  only  to  secure  the  repose  which 
his  armies  required,  and  the  opportunity  for 
repairing  the  mischief,  among  the  people, 
which  the  disasters  of  the  preceding  day  had 
produced,  General  Santa  Anna  assented  to 
the  armistice,  and  nominally  observed  it 
during  a  very  short  period.  A  series  of  in- 
fractions, on  the  part  of  the  enemy,  however, 
soon  led  General  Scott  to  declare  this  armis- 
tice at  an  end,  and  at  noon,  on  the  seventh 
of  September,  hostilities  were  renewed.^ 

About  the  same  time  information  was  re- 
ceived that  the  enemy  was  busily  employed 
in  the  manufacture  of  cannon  at  a  foundry 
which  was  said  to  have  been  within  the 
King's  Mill  {Molino  del  Bey),  and  the 
bells  of  the  churches  within  the  city,  it 
was  also  said,  had  been  taken  to  supply 
the  material  for  that  purpose.  This  foun- 
dry— if  such  an  establishment  existed  — 
was  covered  by  the  batteries  at  Chapulte- 
pec,  and  was  not  more  than  three-quar- 
ters of  a  mile  from  the  Bishop's  Palace,  at 
Tacubaya,  where  General  Scott  had  taken 

1  Gen.  Santa  Anna,  cited  by  Semmes.  p.  423. 

2  Gen.  Scott  to  Gen.  Santa  Anna,  Sept.  6,  1847. 


518 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II; 


up  his  quarters.  Proceeding  to  the  top  of 
the  building,  the  General  was  no  longer  in 
doubt  on  the  subject  of  the  communication 
— as  from  the  spot  where  he  then  stood, 
even  to  the  naked  eye  the  evidence  of  there 
being  some  kind  of  a  furnace  in  the  "  Mill," 
was  distinctly  visible  in  the  bright  red  flame 
which  rose  above  its  roof.  Tliis  was  regard- 
ed by  General  Scott  as  a  full  confirmation  of 
what  he  had  heard.  After  looking  some  little 
time  towards  the  "  Mill,"  he  stepped  dowm 
upon  a  sort  of  hanqueta,  on  which  he  had 
been  standing,  and,  as  he  folded  up  his  glass, 
he  remarked,  '■^  I  must  destroy  that  place.'''' ^ 

In  accordance  with  this  determination, 
General  Worth  was  ordered  to  hold  himself 
in  readiness  with  the  division  under  his  com- 
mand ;  and  as  the  enemy  was  covering  the 
position  with  a  heavy  force,  at  General 
Worth's  request,  a  strong  reinforcement — 
embracing  three  squadrons  of  dragoons  and 
one  company  of  mounted  riflemen,  under 
Major  Sumner ;  a  battery  of  three  field- 
pieces,  under  Captain  Drum  ;  two  twenty- 
four-pound  battering-guns,  under  Captain 
Huger;  and  the  regiment  of  Voltigeurs,  and 
the  Eleventh  and  Fourteenth  regiments  of 
infantry,  under  General  Cadwallader — was 
added  to  the  attacking  force.^ 

The  King's  Mill  is  a  long  range  of  stone 
buildings,  which  forms  the  western  front  of 
the  inclosure,  within  which  are  the  groves, 
rocks,  and  castle  of  Chapultepec  ;  and,  as  be- 
fore stated,  they  are  covered  by  the  batteries 
of  the  latter.  This  range  is  some  fifteen  hun- 
dred feet  in  length  ;  and  it  is  subdivided  in- 
to various  subdivisions,  among  which  are  a 
flour-mill  and  the  old  powder-mill,  from 
which  it  derives  its  name.  JSTearly  five  hun- 
dred yards  distant  from  the  northern  ex- 
tremity of  the  Mills  is  another  strong  stone 
building, — which,  at  the  period  in  question, 
had  been  very  carefully  strengthened,  — 
originally  designed  for  a  storehouse,  or  mag- 
azine for  the  gunpowder  manufactured  at 
Molino  del  Rey,  and  known   as  the  Gasa 

'  Gen.  Hitchcock's  MS.  Keminiscenees,  folio  93.  See 
also  Ripley,  ii.  pp.  357,  358.  It  is  proper  to  remark  that 
pjme  have  denied  that  there  was  any  evidence,  what- 
ever, of  the  existence  of  a  foundry  at  that  place. 

=  Geu.  Worth's  Report,  Sept.  10. 


Mata.  Westward  from  the  Casa  Mata, 
about  three  hundred  yards  distant,  is  a  ra- 
vine of  considerable  depth  and  width,  be- 
yond which  is  the  hacienda  of  Morales. 
This  range  of  grotmd — from  the  King's  Mill, 
on  the  left,  to  the  high  ground  west  from  the 
ravine,  on  the  right — was  the  position  occu- 
pied by  the  Mexican  forces.^ 

In  the  Mills,  on  the  extreme  left  of 'their 
line,  were  the  National  Guards  of  Liberty, 
Union,  Queretaro,  and  Mina,  under  General 
Leon,  and  the  brigade  of  troops  command- 
ed by  General  Rangel ;  betAveen  the  Mills 
and  the  Casa  Mata  were  the  Second  light 
battalion,  that  of  the  Fijo  de  Mejico,  and 
the  First  and  Second  regiments  of  the  line, 
with  six  pieces  of  artillery,  under  General 
Ramirez  ;  in  the  Casa  Mata  were  the  Fourth 
light  battalion  and  the  Eleventh  regiment  of 
the  line,  under  General  Perez  ;  in  the  grove 
of  Chapultepec,  in  the  rear  of  the  Mills,  as  a 
reserve,  were  the  First  and  Third  light  bat- 
talions ;  and  west  of  the  ravine,  towards 
Morales,  were  four  thousand  cavalry.  Gen- 
eral Santa  Anna  was  confident  of  victory  ; 
and  his  troops  were  equally  sanguine  of  suc- 
cess. During  the  night  of  the  seventh  some 
slight  alterations  were  made  in  this  arrange- 
ment, it  is  said,  but  the  strength  remained 
about  the  same.^ 

Against  this  force,  at  three  o'clock  in  the 
morning  of  the  eig-hth,  General  Worth 
moved  with  the  troops  under  his  command. 
Colonel  Garland's  brigade  (!!/i6  First),  with 
two  field-pieces,  moved  against  the  extreme 
left  of  the  Mills ;  on  his  left  were  Captain 
Huger,  wdth  two  heavy  guns,  and  Major 
Wright,  with  a  storming  party  of  five  hun- 
dred picked  men,  moving  against  the  centre 
of  the  Mills  ;  the  Second  brigade,  under 
Colonel  Mcintosh,  and  Duncan's  battery, 
in  the  rear  of  the  storming  party,  also 
moved  against  the  enemy's  centre  —  the 
space  between  the  Mills  and  the  Casa  Mata  ; 
General  Cadwallader's  brigade  was  left  in 
reserve,  in  the  rear  of  the  line ;  and  the  cav- 
alry, under  Major  Sumner,  was  posted  on 


'  Ripley,  ii.  pp.  359-361 ;   Semmes,  p.  436  ;    Notes  for 
the  History,  pp.  333-335. 
■"  Notes  for  the  History,  pp.  335,  336. 


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Chap.  CVIL] 


THE  CAMPAIGN  UNDER  GENERAL  SCOTT. 


519 


the  extreme  left,  to  act  as  circumstances 
might  require.^ 

The  action  commenced  with  the  heavy 
guns,  imder  Captain  Huger,  Avhich  opened  a 
fire  on  the  Mills  ;  and  it  was  thus  continued 
until  this  point  of  the  enemy's  line  became 
sensibly  shaken,  when  Major  Wright  dashed 
forward,  with  the  storming  party,  at  a  charge. 
The  Mexican  artillery, — which  had  taken  a 
position  on  the  flank  of  the  column, — and 
the  infantry  on  the  flat  roof  of  the  Mills, 
also  in  flank,  as  well  as  in  front,  threw  in  a 
terrible  fire  on  the  little  party,  killing  or 
wounding  eleven  out  of  fourteen  ofiicers 
who  were  with  it,  and  scattering  destruction 
among  the  gallant  party  of  which  it  was 
composed.  With  an  almost  unparalleled 
degree  of  bravery,  however,  it  kept  its  face 
to  the  enemy,  driving  him  from  his  guns ; 
and  the  light  battalion  {0.  F.  Smith'' s)  and 
the  right  wing  of  General  Cadwallader's  di- 
vision moving  forward  to  the  support  of  the 
storming  party,  the  triumph  of  the  latter 
was  established,  and  that  portion  of  the  ene- 
my's line  was  occupied  by  the  assailants.^ 

While  the  centre  of  the  American  line 
was  thus  adding  fresh  laurels  to  the  trophies 
of  the  army  in  Mexico,  Colonel  Garland  and 
the  First  brigade  on  the  right  were  gallantly 
seconding  it.  In  conjunction  with  Captain 
Drum's  battery,  they  also  drove  the  enemy 
from  his  position,  and  occupied  it,  notwith- 
standing the  guns  of  Chapultepec  were  im- 
mediately over  them.^ 

On  the  left.  Colonel  Mcintosh  led  his  bri- 
gade gallantly  up  to  the  Casa  Mata,  under  a 
most  murderous  fire  from  that  work ;  and, 
at  one  time,  it  was  compelled  to  fall  back 
on  Duncan's  battery  for  support ;  when  that 
noble  ofiicer  and  his  unsurpassed  command 
opened  their  fire,  scattering  the  heavy  col- 
umns of  Mexicans  which  were  moving  down 
to  support  those  who  were  engaged,  and, 
finally,  compelling  the   occupants  of  Casa 


1  Gen.  Worth's  Report,  Sept.  10  ;  Reports  of  Garland, 
Huger,  Duncan,  Mcintosh,  Drum,  Cadwallader,  and 
Wright.—"  Gen.  Worth's  Report,  Sept.  10  ;  Reports  of 
Capt.  Huger,  Maj.  Wright,  Gen.  Cadwallader,  Maj.  Hun- 
ter, and  Capt.  Reeve. — ^  Gen.  Worth's  Report,  Sept.  10  ; 
Reports  of  Col.  Garland,  Capts.  Drum,  McKenzie,  and 
Burke,  Maj.  Lee,  Lieut. -Col.  Belton,  and  Col.  Andrews. 


Mata  to  retire  from  the  work,  when  the  en- 
tire line  of  the  enemy's  position  was  at  the 
will  of  the  victors.^ 

After  blowing  up  the  Casa  Mata,  and  de- 
stroying the  moulds  and  other  property  in 
the  Mills,  the  assailants  returned  to  Tacu- 
baya,  carrying  with  them  three  of  the  ene- 
my's guns,  large  quantities  of  small  arms 
and  ammunition,  and  eight  hundred  prison- 
ers.^ 

In  this  sanguinary  conflict — the  bloodiest 
of  the  war — the  enemy  numbered  upwards 
of  fourteen  thousand  men,  under  General 
Santa  Anna  in  person ;  the  Americans,  all 
told,  numbered  only  three  thousand  one 
hundred.  The  loss  of  the  former  was  Gen- 
erals Yaldarez  and  Leon,  and  upwards  of 
three  thousand  men  ;  that  of  the  latter  was 
Lieutenant-colonel  Scott,  Major  Graham, 
Captains  Merrill  and  Ayres,  Lieutenants 
Johnston,  Armstrong,  Strong,  Burwell,  and 
Farry,  Mlled,  forty-nine  ofiicers  wounded, 
and  seven  hundred  and  twenty-nine  men 
hilled  and  wounded} 

It  will  thus  be  seen  that,  "  with  three 
thousand  one  hundred  men,  General  Worth 
advanced  against  a  position  selected  by  the 
enemy,  commanded  by  the  fortress  of  Cha- 
pultepec, defended  by  twelve  thousand 
troops,  protected  behind  stone  walls  and 
ditches,  the  ground  swept  by  artillery,  on  a 
dead  level  with  the  American  line,  and 
threatened  with  a  charge  of  four  thousand 
cavalry.  It  was  the  most  decisive  victory 
ever  gained  in  Mexico,  or  on  the  continent 
of  America;  but  it  is  a  picture  too  blood- 
stained for  any  portion  of  the  American 
army  or  people  yet  to  look  upon,  except  in 
grief  and  sorrow."  * 

Immediately  after  the  close  of  the  engage- 
ment such  articles  as  served  for  the  purposes 
of  a  foundry  were  broken  up,  and  the  gun- 
powder which  was  in  the  Casa  Mata  was 
either  carried  away  or  destroyed;^   when, 


1  Gen.  Worth's  Report,  Sept.  10 ;  Reports  of  Col.  Mc- 
intosh, Capt.  Chapman,  Maj.  Bonneville,  Capt.  Hoffman, 
and  Maj.  Montgomery. — =  Gen.  Worth's  Report,  Sept.  10. 

'  Ibid.;  Report  of  casualties,  &c.,  appended  to  the  lat- 
ter report. — *  Col.  Ramsay,  11th  infantry,  U.  S.  A.. 

^  Gen.  Worth's  Report,  Sept.  10 ;  Ripley,  ii.  pp. 
378-380. 


520 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  IL 


having  collected  Ms  killed  and  wounded, 
and  the  trophies  of  his  victory,  General 
"Worth  then  returned  to  Tacubaya,  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  commands  of  the  General- 
in-chief.^ 

During  the  afternoon  of  the  eighth,  and 
on  the  ninth  and  tenth  of  September,  Cap- 
tain Lee  and  his  associates,  of  the  Engineers, 
made  daring  reconnoissances,  which  were  di- 
rected mainly  against  the  gates  of  Piedad, 
San  Angel,  San  Antonio,  and  the  Paseo  de 
la  Yiga ;  and  on  the  eleventh  General  Scott 
"  determined  to  avoid  the  network  of  obsta- 
cles" which  the  southern  front  of  the  city 
presented,  and  to  turn  his  attention  against 
the  southwestern  and  western  fronts,  where 
less  difficulties  intervened.  For  this  purpose 
measures  were  taken  to  deceive  the  enemy ; 
and  while  Generals  Pillow  and  Quitman 
were  ordered  to  move,  hy  daylight,  towards 
the  southern  gates  of  the  city,  they  were 
ordered,  at  the  same  time,  to  return  to  Tacu- 
baya hy  night  —  leaving  General  Twiggs, 
with  Colonel  Piley's  brigade  and  two  bat- 
teries, "  in  front  of  those  gates  to  manoeuvre, 
to  threaten,  or  to  make  false  attacks,  in  order 
to  occupy  and  deceive  the  enemy;"  while 
General  Smith's  brigade  was  at  supporting 
distance  in  the  rear,  covering,  at  the  same 
time,  the  general  depot  at  Mixcoac.^ 

During  the  eleventh,  twelfth,  and  part  of 
the  thirteenth,  the  masking  operations  of  the 
army  were  continued ;  while,  during  the  night 
of  the  eleventh,  four  heavy  batteries  were  in 
course  of  construction ;  and,  on  the  following 
morning,  they  opened  their  fire  on  the  castle 
of  Chapultepec.  "With  the  demonstrations, 
imder  General  Twiggs,  before  the  gates  of 
the  city,  on  the  one  hand ;  and  the  cannon- 
ade of  the  castle  on  the  other,  many  of  the 
Mexicans  were  entirely  deceived  respecting 
the  purposes  of  the  assailants.  It  was  not  so, 
however,  with  the  able  General-in-chief  of  the 
Mexican  army  ;  and  while  he  exercised  prop- 
er care  of  that  portion  of  his  lines  in  front  of 
General  Twiggs,  he  carefully  concentrated 
his  strength  in  front  of  General  Scott. 


'  G-en.  Worth's  Kepovt,  Sept.  10 ;  Semmes,  pp.  442,  443  ; 
Ripley,  ii.  p.  380. — -  Gen.  Scott's  Dispatch,  No.  34,  Sept. 
18;  Kipley,  ii.  pp.  391,  392. 


The  fire  continued  steadily  until  evening ; 
while  the  most  active  preparations  were 
made  for  assaulting  the  works,  by  the  col- 
lection of  ladders,  fascines,  and  other  mate- 
riel necessary  for  that  purpose.  The  divi- 
sions of  Generals  Pillow  and  Quitman  hav- 
ing been  in  position  since  the  preceding 
evening.  General  "Worth  was  ordered  to  hold 
his  division  in  readiness  near  El  Molino  del 
Eey,  to  support  General  Pillow ;  and  Gen- 
eral Smith,  with  the  brigade  under  his  com- 
mand,— the  heroes  of  Contreras, — was  moved 
from  Piedad  to  support  General  Quitman  ; 
the  former,  at  the  same  time,  supplying  a 
storming  party  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  men, 
under  Captain  McKenzie,  to  lead  General 
Pillow's  column  ;  while  the  latter  supplied  a 
similar  party,  under  Captain  Casey,  to  the 
column  under  General  Quitman.^ 

The  castle  and  rock  of  Chapultepec — the 
objects  of  the  intended  attack — are  at  the 
head  of  one  of  the  causeways  which  extend 
across  the  marsh  by  which  the  city  of  Mex- 
ico is  surrounded,  and  within  range  of  the 
American  artillery  at  Tacubaya.  The  rock 
rises  abruptly  from  the  level  "  valley  of 
Mexico"  to  the  height  of  a  hundred  and 
fifty  feet ;  and  while  its  western  and  south- 
western fronts — towards  the  Molino  del  Key 
and  Tacubaya — although  "  savagely  rugged 
and  precipitous,"  were  yet  practicable  for 
infantry,  the  northern,  eastern,  and  south- 
eastern fronts  were  so  precipitous  as  to  be 
inaccessible.  On  the  summit  of  this  preci- 
pice is  the  "  castle,"  surrounded  by  defensive 
works — the  northern  front  being  defended 
by  a  ]3arapet  wall' of  heavy  masonry,  with  a 
semicircular  bastion,  on  which  were  mount- 
ed several  pieces  of  artillery;  the  eastern 
front  had  no  defensive  work,  the  perjDcndicu- 
lar  rock  in  its  front  rendering  such  a  defence 
unnecessary ;  on  the  southern  front  a  para- 
pet, with  bastions,  was  presented  to  the  as- 
sailants ;  and  on  the  narrow  western  front, 
besides  the  parapet,  it  was  also  defended 
with  a  ditch.  Within  this  line  of  defences 
was  the  "  castle," — a  strong  stone  building, 
used  as  a  military  college,  the  West  Point 


'  Gen.  Scott's  Dispatch,  No.  34,  Sept.  18  ;   Keports  of 
Gens.  Pillow,  Smith,  and  Quitman. 


Chap.  CVII.] 


THE  CAMPAIGN  IJNDEK  GENERAL  SCOTT. 


521 


of  Mexico, — wliich.  liad  been  streBgthened. 
witli  great  care ;  and  supplied  with  sand- 
bags on  its  asotea,  for  the  purpose  of  en- 
abling its  garrison  to  defend  itself  with 
musketry,  as  a  last  resort.^ 

Eleven  pieces  of  artillery  and  a  strong 
garrison,  under  Generals  Bravo,  Monterde, 
Xorrega,  Dosamantes,  and  Perez,  defended 
these  works ;  besides  which,  the  declivity  of 
the  rock,  on  its  southern  and  western  fronts, 
was  abimdantly  protected  with  breastworks, 
redans,  mines,  &c.,  where  also  were  large 
bodies  of  troops  under  Generals  Barragan 
and  Eangel.^ 

At  about  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning  of 
the  thirteenth,  notice  was  given  to  both  Gen- 
erals Quitman  and  Pillow  that  the  signal  for 
the  attack  was  about  to  be  given,  and  both 
columns  "pressed  forwai'd  with  an  alacrity 
Avhich  gave  assurance  of  prompt  success" — 
General  Pillow  moving  against  the  western 
front  of  the  rock,  and  General  Quitman  on 
its  southern  and  southeastern  front.^ 

The  former  having  thrown  forward  eight 
companies  of  Voltigeurs,  under  Colonel  An- 
drews and  Lieutenant-colonel  Johnstone,  and 
Lieutenant  Eeno,  with  the  mountain  how- 
itzer-battery, for  the  purpose  of  brushing  the 
enemy's  light  troops  from  the  grove  which 
is  at  the  foot  of  the  rock  of  Chapultepec,  he 
followed  closely  after  them  with  Captain 
McKenzie's  storming  party,  and  the  ISTinth 
and  Fifteenth  regiments  of  infantry,  as  a 
support,  and  by  the  Fifth,  Sixth,  and  Eighth 
regiments  of  infantry,  which  General  Worth 
had  detached  as  a  cover  to  the  column  of 
assault.  At  the  same  time  the  Eleventh 
and  Fourteenth  regiments  of  infantry,  under 
Colonel  Trousdale,  and  one  section  of  Cap- 
tain Magruder's  battery,  under  Lieutenant 
Jackson,  were  posted  on  the  road  leading  to 
the  left  of  Chapidtepec, — near  the  north- 
western angle  of  El  MoMno  del  Pey, — for 
the  purpose  of  observing  General  Alvarez, 
who  had  moved  from  Morales  towards  Cha- 
pultepec with  a  heavy  body  of  cavahy,  and 

>  Pdpley,  ii.  pp.  398-400  ;  Semmes,  p.  450  ;  Mansfield's 
Scott,  pp.  446,  447. 

^  Notes  for  the  Histor}',  pp.  355,  356. 

3  Gen.  Scott's  Dispatch,  No.  34,  Sept.  18  ;    Eeports   of 
Gens  Pillow  and  Quitman. 
Vol.   n.— 66 


General  Barragan,  who  was  posted  on  the 
road  which  leads  to  the  north  fi-om  Chapul- 
tepec, to  hold  them  in  check ;  and  to  give 
battle  in  case  a  movement  should  be  made 
to  throw  in  succors  to  the  garrison.^ 

The  grove  was  quickly  cleared ;  and  the 
storming  party  under  Captain  McKenzie, 
the  Voltigeurs,  and  the  infantry, — forlorn- 
hope,  light-infantry,  and  supporting  party, 
— apparently  intermingled,  pushed  forward 
up  the  rugged  slope,  "  over  rocks,  chasms, 
and  mines,  and  under  the  hottest  fire  of  can- 
non and  musketry."  Their  progress  was 
necessarily  slow ;  and  the  officers  cheered 
on  their  men,  as  they  approached  one  of  the 
advanced  redoubts,  while  the  Mexicans  who 
occupied  it  were  brushed  away  by  the  as- 
cending column  in  its  steady  progress  to- 
wards the  crest  of  the  hill.  As  the  assail- 
ants approached  the  summit  the  artillery  on 
the  parapet  of  the  castle,  and  the  infantry 
on  the  roof  of  the  buildings,  hurled  destruc- 
tion into  their  ranks.  The  storming  party, 
however,  is  said  to  have  been  left  behind  in 
the  general  rush  ;  and  these,  inspirited  by 
the  example  of  their  supporting  parties,  had 
thrown  down  the  scaling-ladders  on  the 
slope  and  hastened  after  those  who  had 
passed  them  in  the  race  for  glory.  The 
delay  which  was  occasioned  by  this  circum- 
stance afi'orded  the  enemy  an  opportunity  to 
commit  serious  havoc  in  the  exposed  ranks 
of  the  assailants ;  while  it  also  afibrded  an 
opportunity  for  portions  of  the  reserve, 
which  General  Worth  had  ordered  to  the 
support  of  the  assaidting  column,  together 
with  a  detachment  of  fifty  men  from  the 
ISTew  York  Yolunteers,  under  Captain  Sam- 
uel S.  Gallagher,  and  a  company  of  marines, 
— both  belonging  to  General  Quitman's 
command, — to  join  the  column  and  partici- 
pate in  the  honors  and  dangers  of  the 
assault.^ 


1  Keports   of  Gen.  Pillow,  Col.  Andrews,  Lieut.-Col. 

Johnstone,  Capt.  McKenzie,  Maj.  Seymour,  Lieut.-Col. 

Howard,   Capt.  Chapman,  Majs.  Bonneville  and  Mont- 

gomerj'.  Col.  Trousdale,  Lieut.-Col.  Hehert,  and  Capt. 
Magruder. 

"-  Gen.  Scott's  Dispatch,  No.  34,  Sept.  18  ;  Reports  of 

Gen.  Pillow,  Capt.  McKenzie,  Col.  Andrews,  Lieut.-Col. 
Johnstone,  and  Gens.  Qnitman  and  Shields. 


522 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


At  length  the  ladders  were  brought  up, 
and  some  of  all  parties  dashed  forward  to 
scale  the  walls  of  the  fortress.  Lieutenant 
Selden  is  said  to  have  been  the  first  to  mount 
the  parapet,  but  with  a  few  soldiers  who  im- 
mediately followed  him,  he  was  stricken 
down.  Captain  Howard,  of  the  Yoltigeurs, 
and  Lieutenant  Mayne  Reid,  of  the  New 
York  Volunteers,  each  with  the  colors  of  his 
regiment,  were  among  the  first  who  succeed- 
ed in  establishing  their  foothold ;  and  it  is 
claimed  by  each  that  his  colors  first  bowed 
the  tricolor  of  Mexico  into  retirement,  as  one 
was  raised  and  the  other  lowered  from  the 
flag-staif  of  Chapultepee.^ 

"While  part  of  the  Yoltigeurs  were  thus 
struggling  with  their  fellows  for  the  honors, 
as  well  as  the  rewards  of  victory,  on  the 
western  front.  Lieutenant-colonel  Johnstone 
led  another  portion  around  the  southern 
front  of  the  castle,  expelled  the  Mexicans 
who  opposed  him,  and  cleared  the  lower 
works,  in  that  direction,  of  the  enemy  who 
occupied  them.^ 

In  the  mean  time  the  second  column  of 
assault,  under  General  Quitman,  was  actively 
employed.  After  adding  a  select  party  to 
the  original  storming-party,  and  ordering 
General  Smith,  with  his  covering  brigade, 
to  move  on  the  right  flank  of  the  column  of 
assault,  the  order  to  advance  was  given. 
With  great  enthusiasm  this  order  was  obeyed 
in  the  face  of  a  terribly  destructive  cross-fire 
from  the  castle  and  from  a  battery  on  the 
Tacubaya  road ;  and  the  column  sought 
shelter  under  cover  of  some  old  buildings 
and  of  the  low  meadow  which  extended  on 
the  flank  of  its  line  of  march.^ 

At  this  time  General  Shields,  with  the 
New  York  and  South  Carolina  regiments, 
was  directed  to  move  obliquely  to  the  left, 
towards  the  castle ;  and  it  was  while  thus 
employed  that  Lieutenant-colonel  Charles 
Baxter  and  Captain  Yan  O'Linda,  of  the 
New  York  Yolunteers,  fell  at  the  head  of 
their  respective  commands.* 

»  Keports  of  Gens.  Pillow,  Quitman,  and  Shields,  and 
Col.  Andrews. — =  Reports  of  Gen.  Pillow  and  Lieut.-Col. 
Johnstone. — '  Gen.  Scott's  Dispatch,  No.  34,  Sept.  18; 
Reports  of  Gens.  Quitman,  Smith,  and  Shields. — ■"  Reports 
of  Gens.  Quitman  and  Shields  ;  Ripley,  ii.  p.  425. 


As  the  assailants  approached  the  works 
the  covering  brigade  drove  back  the  light 
troops  of  the  enemy ;  while  Lieutenant  ELunt, 
with  a  section  of  Captain  Duncan's  battery, 
having  obtained  a  commanding  position  in 
the  rear  of  the  storming  parties,  "  threw  shells 
and  shrapnell-shot  into  the  works  with  good 
efl^ect ; "  and  a  short  struggle  ensued  in  this 
part  of  the  field.  Part  of  this  division,  as  al- 
ready seen,  by  moving  farther  to  the  left,  was 
enabled  to  unite  with  General  Pillow's  com- 
mand and  to  be  among  the  first  of  those  who 
entered  the  castle— the  early  display  of  the 
colors  of  the  New  York  regiment  on  the 
castle,  and  the  surrender  of  General  Bravo, 
the  commander  of  the  castle,  to  Lieutenant 
Charles  Brower,  of  the  same  regiment,  show- 
ing, conclusively,  the  activity,  no  less  than 
the  bravery,  of  that  portion  of  General  Quit- 
man's command.  At  the  same  time  the  bat- 
teries on  the  Tacubaya  road  were  stormed 
and  carried,  after  desperate  opposition,  by 
other  portions  of  the  division.^ 

"While  the  divisions  of  Generals  Quitman 
and  Pillow  were  thus  engaged,  the  single 
brigade  commanded  by  Colonel  Garland, 
the  light  battalion,  under  Lieutenant-colonel 
Smith,  Captain  Duncan's  light  battery,  and 
three  squadrons  of  dragoons,  under  Major 
Sumner — the  whole  under  General  Worth, 
were  du-ected  "  to  turn  Chapultepec  and  pro- 
ceed cautiously  by  the  road  at  its  northern 
base,  in  order,  if  not  met  by  very  superior 
numbers,  to  threaten  or  to  attack  in  rear,"  a 
large  body  of  troops  which  had  been  sent 
out  from  the  city,  and  which  had  formed 
with  their  right  on  the  Tacubaya  road, 
threatening  General  Quitman's  flank.  Li 
accordance  with  this  order,  they  were  j)ut 
in  motion  aroxmd  the  northeastern  base  of 
the  hill  of  Chapultepec,  and  moved,  in  oj)- 
eration,  upon  the  San  Cosme  causeway  and 
aqueduct — one  of  the  routes  to  the  city  from 
the  rock  of  Chapultepec.^ 

In  the  execution  of  this  order.  General 
Worth  soon  came  to  and  assisted  in  the  cap- 

'  Reports  of  Gens.  Quitman  and  Smith,  and  Lieut. 
Hunt ;  Ripley,  ii.  pp.  424-427. 

*  Gen.  Scott's  Dispatch,  No.  34,  Sept.  18  ;  Reports  of 
Gen.  Worth,  Cols.  Garland,  Trousdale,  and  Duncan,  and 
Maj.  Sumner. 


Chap.  CVII.] 


THE  CAMPAIGN  UNDER  GENERAL  SCOTT. 


523 


tiire  of  tlie  Ijattery  before  which.  General 
Quitman's  column  had  battled  with  such 
heavy  loss ;  and  he  also  fell  on  the  right  of 
the  enemy's  line,  where  the  reinforcements 
from  the  city  were  opposing  the  progress  of 
General  Quitman,  scattering  that  body  also, 
and  greatly  facilitating  the  operations  of  the 
day.; 

After  the  capture  of  the  castle,  both  Gen- 
eral Worth  and  General  Quitman  pressed 
forward  towards  the  city — the  former,  over 
the  causeway  of  Veronica,  by  way  of  Campo 
Santo  and  the  San  Cosme  gate ;  the  latter 
by  way  of  the  causeway  of  Belen  and  the 
Belen  Gate.- 

The  former  had  not  proceeded  more  than 
three-quarters  of  a  mile  when  he  discovered 
an  arched  passage  through  the  aqueduct, 
on  which  he  was  mo'ving  towards  Campo 
Santo,  with  a  cross-road,  practicable  for  ar- 
tillery, for  a  considei-able  distance,  over  the 
meadows  which  flanked  his  line  of  march ; 
and  he  immediately  detached  a  section  of 
Lieutenant-colonel  Duncan's  battery  and  the 
light  battalion  commanded  by  Lieutenant- 
colonel  Smith,  to  his  right,  for  the  purpose 
of  assisting  General  Quitman,  who  had  been 
'■'■hauling  and  advancing''''  on  the  causeway 
in  that  direction ;  and  whose  progress  was, 
at  that  moment,  opposed  by  the  battalion 
of  Morelia,  which  was  posted  in  a  battery 
which  intersected  his  route,  and  by  another 
battery,  in  the  meadows,  which  commanded 
his  left  flank.  The  gallant  ofiicers  who  com- 
manded the  detachment  advanced  to  a  point 
within  four  hundred  yards  of  the  enemy's 
positions,  and  from  that  place  opened  an 
eflective  fire  on  the  enemy's  flank,  driving 
him  from  his  position,  under  an  equally 
eflective  fire  from  Duncan's  battery,  which 
cut  down  great  numbers  of  the  terror-stricken 
fugitives  in  their  hurried  flight  towards  the 
city.^    _ 

Having  thus  cleared  the  front  of  General 
Quitman's  column,  and,  to  this  extent,  facil- 

'  Reports  of  Gens.  Worth  and  Quitman  ;  Semmes,  p.  456. 

2  Gen.  Scott's  Dispatch,  No.  34,  Sept.  18;  Reports  of 
Gens.  Worth  and  Quitman  ;  Notes  for  the  History,  p.  368. 

3  Reports  of  Gens.  Worth  and  Quitraan,  Cols.  Duncan 
and  Smith  ;  Semmes,  p.  457;  Ripley,  ii.  p.  433;  Notes 
for  the  Histor)-,  p.  368. 


itated  his  advance  towards  the  gate  of  the 
city.  General  "Worth  withdrew  his  detach- 
ment ;  and  having  been  joined  by  his  Second 
brigade  {Colonel  ClarTc's), — which  had  been 
detached  to  support  General  Pillow's  column 
of  attack  on  the  western  front  of  Chapulte- 
pec, — he  continued  his  march  towards  Campo 
Santo.  Two  strong  batteries,  each  enfilading 
the  line  of  march,  were  successively  attacked 
and  carried ;  and  he  reached  Campo  Santo 
soon  afterwards,  without  material  opposi- 
tion.^ 

At  this  place  the  causewa;y  and  aqueduct, 
along  which  General  Worth  had  moved, 
connected  with  the  great  road  from  Western 
Mexico  ;  here  General  Scott  and  his  suite 
joined  the  column ;  and  here,  also,  soon 
afterwards,  by  order  of  the  General-in-chief, 
General  Cadwallader,  with  his  brigade,  came 
up  to  suj)port  the  veterans  which  General 
Worth  was  thus  triumphantly  leading  to- 
wards the  city.^ 

Leaving  General  Cadwallader  at  Campo 
Santo  to  maintain  that  very  important  posi- 
tion, and  to  keep  open  a  communication  with 
the  other  portions  of  the  army.  General 
Worth  pressed  forward  towards  the  city ; 
and  fully  and  entu*ely  sympathizing  with 
their  General  in  his  anxiety  to  win  the 
glorious  prize  which  was  before  him, — the 
honor  of  taking  the  JSTational  Palace  in  the 
city  of  Mexico, — the  battle-scathed  veterans, 
whom  he  had  led  over  so  many  fields  of  car- 
nage, hastened  to  accomplish  his  wishes  and 
to  share  with  him  the  honors  which  were  in 
reserve  for  the  victors.^ 

The  causeway,  between  Campo  Santo  and 
the  city  of  Mexico, — the  route  which  laid 
before  General  Worth, — passes  through  the 
once  celebrated  suburb  of  Tlaletolco ;  and 
the  houses  and  churches  along  the  margin  of 
the  roadway  were  filled  with  troojDs,  for  the 
j)urpose  of  harassing  the  troops  with  small- 
arms,  and  of  resisting  their  progress,  inch  by 
inch.  In  addition  to  this  means  of  defence, 
a  battery  had  been  erected  across  the  cause- 

'  Gen.  Scott's  Dispatch,  No.  34,  Sept.  18  ;  Reports  of 
Gen.  Worth  and  Col.  Clark  ;  Ripley,  ii.  pp.  436,  437  ; 
Semmes,  pp.  457,  458. — ^  Qen.  Scott's  Dispatch,  No,  34, 
Sept.  18  ;  Gen.  Worth's  Report. — ^  Reports  of  Gens. 
Worth  and  Cadwallader  ;  Semmes,  p.  458. 


524 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


way,  at  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards 
distant  from  Campo  Santo  ;  while  at  the 
gate  of  San  Cosme, — two  hundred  and  fifty 
yards  in  the  rear  of  the  latter,  and  sustain- 
ing it, — a  heavy  gun  and  howitzer  had  been 
put  in  battery,  and  literally  swept  the  line 
of  march  with  grape,  canister,  and  shells.^ 

In  consequence  of  the  unusual  character  of 
the  opposition,  General  Worth  immediately 
adapted  his  plan  of  operations  to  suit  the  cir- 
cumstances. Two  mountain-howitzers,  from 
General  Cadwallader's  brigade,  were  ordered 
to  the  front,  and  mounted  on  the  tops  of  two 
high  huildings, — one  on  the  roof  of  the 
church  of  San  Cosme,  on  the  right  of  the 
causeway,  and  the  other  on  the  roof  of  a 
commanding  building  on  the  opjDosite  side 
of  the  way, — and  from  their  elevated  posi- 
tions each  poured  dowii  upon  the  heads  of 
those  who  occupied  the  roofs  of  the  houses 
by  the  road-side,  and  upon  those  who  were 
on  the  road  itself,  an  unexpected,  but  terrible 
and  efii'ective  fire.  At  the  same  time  the 
First  brigade  {Colonel  Garland's)  was  sup- 
plied with  crow-bars  and  pickaxes,  and 
thrown  into,  the  buildings  on  the  right  of 
the  roadway,  with  orders  to  force  through 
the  side-walls  of  the  houses ;  and,  hy  hur- 
rowing,  as  had  been  done  so  successfully  at 
Monterey,  to  approach  the  enemy's  batteries 
under  cover  of  his  own  defences.  Colonel 
Clark,  with  the  Second  brigade,  Avas  thrown 
out  to  the  left,  with  similar  orders.^ 

Slowly,  but  surely,  the  assailants  thus  in- 
sidiously approached  the  gate — the  enemy, 
meanwhile,  abandoning  the  battery  on  his 
front,  and  concentrating  his  forces  behind 
the  defences  of  San  Cosme.  At  five  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon  the  sappers  had  reached 
those  points  on  either  fiank  of  the  gate,  from 
Avhich,  it  was  seen,  the  gate  itself  would  be 
commanded,  and  (while  Lieutenant  Hunt, 
with  a  field-piece,  gallantly  pushed  forward 
and  occupied  the  deserted  battery — losing 
five  men  out  of  nine  who  accompanied  him 
in  the  movement)  the  men  "  sprang,  as  if  by 

1  Keport  of  Gen.  Worth  ;  Semmes,  p.  458  ;  Kipley,  ii. 
pp.  438,  489.—"  Gen.  Scott's  Dispatch,  No.  34,  Sept.  18 ; 
Eeports  of  Gen.  Worth,  Cols.  Clark,  Garland,  and  Dun- 
can ;  Semmes,  pp.  458,  459  ;  Ripley,  il.  p.  440  ;  Notes  for 
the  History,  p.  370. 


magic,  to  the  tops  of  the  hovises,  into  which 
they  had  patiently  and  quietly  made  their 
way  with  the  bar  and  pick,  and,  to  the  utter 
surprise  and  consternation  of  the  enemy, 
opened  on  him,  within  easy  range,  a  de- 
structive fire  of  musketry."  At  the  same 
time.  Lieutenant  Hmit,  in  front,  opened  a 
fire  from  his  battery ;  and  it  was  apparent 
to  all  that  the  moment  had  come  when  the 
question  was  to  be  solved  whether  the  in- 
vaders or  the  Mexicans  should  occupy  the 
capital  of  the  Mexican  republic.^ 

General  Santa  Anna,  in  person,  appeared 
on  the  ground  to  direct  and  encourage  his 
troops  in  their  hopeless  duty  of  defending 
the  gate ;  while  the  latter, — demoralized  by 
the  series  of  disasters  to  which  they  had  been 
subjected,  by  the  sudden  appearance  of  the 
Americans  on  the  roofs  of  the  buildings  on 
either  flank,  and  by  the  fall  of  many  of  their 
comrades,  from  the  American  small-arms, 
while  serving  their  guns  within  the  gate, — 
were  thrown  into  hopeless  confusion  before 
a  second  fire  could  be  made.^ 

The  moment  had  now  arrived  for  a  final 
and  combined  attack  upon  the  last  strong- 
hold of  the  enemy  which  stood  between 
General  Worth  and  the  city ;  and,  at  about 
sunset,  as  the  enemy  retreated  from  the 
gate,  the  shouts  of  the  veterans  on  the  road- 
way, and  on  the  housetops,  announced  to  the 
General-in-chief,  and  to  their  comrades  in 
the  rear,  that  the  garita  of  San  Cosme  had 
been  carried,  and  that  the  city  of  Mexico 
was  already  within  reach  of  the  victors.^ 

Among  the  prisoners  who  were  taken  at 
this  post  were  Captain  Castanara — Aid-de- 
camp of  General  Santa  Anna — and  several 
other  prominent  officers  ;  and  "  a  well-pre- 
pared supper,"  which  awaited  the  presence 
of  that  General  himself,  fell  into  the  hands 
of,  and  was  enjoyed  by,  "  one  of  the  most 
gallant  and  leading  subalterns  "  of  the  Amer- 
ican army.* 

Immediately  afterwards  the  entire  division, 

1  Gen.  Scott's  Dispatch,  No.  34,  Sept.  18  ;  Eeports  of 
Gen.  Worth,  Cols.  Garland  and  Clark  ;  Semmes,  pp.  459, 
460.—'  Gen.  Worth's  Report ;  Semmes,  p.  469  ;  Notes  for 
the  History,  p.  370.—"  Gen.  Worth's  Report ;  Semmes,  p. 
460  ;  Ripley,  ii.  p.  440  ;  Notes  for  the  History,  p.  370. 

*  Gen.  Worth's  Report. 


Chap.  CVII.] 


TI-IE  CAMPAIGN  UNDER  GENERAL  SCOTT. 


525 


with  Colonel  Riley's  brigade, — which  had 
been  sent  forward  by  General  Scott  to  sup- 
port Greneral  Worth,  should  it  be  necessary, 
— was  marched  into  the  city ;  and  Captain 
Huger  was  ordered  to  advance  a  twenty-four- 
pounder  and  a  ten-inch  mortar,  place  them  in 
battery  at  the  gate,  obtain  the  direction,  and 
0|)en  a  few  shot  and  shells  upon  the  grand 
plaza  and  palace — about  sixteen  hundred 
yards  distant.  At  nine  o'clock  this  fire  was 
opened,  and  five  shells  and  three  shot  were 
thrown,  with  such  admirable  efi'ect  that,  as 
will  be  seen  hereafter,  the  Mexican  troops 
were  withdrawn  from  the  city ;  the  Mayor — 
Don  Leandro  Estrada — and  the  Regidors 
Fonseca  and  Zaldivar,  in  the  name  of  the 
Ayuntamiento,^  sought  the  quarters  of  Gen- 
eral Worth,  to  ask  security,  and  were  sent  to 
the  rear,  where  General  Scott  was  quartered; 
and  the  enemy's  capital — the  city  of  Mexico 
— was  added  to  the  tropJdes  which  then  in- 
creased the  previously  well-earned  fame  of 
the  First  division  and  of  General  Worth,  its 
gallant  commander.- 

While  General  Worth  was  thus  nobly  sus- 
taining the  honor  of  the  army  on  the  cause- 
way of  Veronica  and  the  San  Cosme,  General 
Quitman  and  his  command  were  as  gallantly 
sustaining  it  on  the  Belen  causeway  and  at 
the  garita  Belen. 

The  movement,  by  General  Worth,  of 
Duncan's  battery  and  the  light  battalion,  to 
open  the  route  of  General  Quitman  at  "the 
Bridge  of  the  Insurgents,"  where  the  enemy 
had  thrown  up  two  batteries,  has  been  al- 
ready referred  to  ;  and  at  the  same  time  that 
General  Cadwallader  had  been  sent  on  a  sim- 
ilar errand  after  General  Worth,  as  already 
related,  General  Pierce  had  been  ordered  to 
the  support  of  General  Quitman,  on  the 
causeway  of  Belen.-'^ 

Knowing  the  difiiculties  which  the  latter 
route  presented,  General  Scott  had  intended 
that  General  Quitman  should  only  manoeu- 
vre and  threaten  the  Belen  gate,  in  order  to 
favor  the  main  attack  by  General  Worth ; 

1  The  Council  of  the  city. — =  Reports  of  Gen.  Wortli, 
Col.  Riley,  Capt.  Huger ;  Semmes,  p.  463  ;  liipley,  ii.  pp. 
442,  443  ;  Notes  for  the  History,  pp.  373,  375. 

2  G-en.  Scott's  Dispatch,  No.  34  Sept.  18  ;  Report  of 
Gens.  Pierce  and  Quitman. 


and  he  had  repeatedly  communicated  those 
views,  in  the  course  of  the  day,  to  General 
Quitman;  but  the  impetuosity  of  both  offi- 
cers and  men,  and  the  flattering  prospect  of 
success  which  was  presented  to  them,  lured 
them  forward,  and  induced  them  to  take  a 
more  important  part  in  the  great  drama  of 
that  eventful  day.^ 

After  passing  "the  Bridge  of  the  Insur- 
gents,"— where  the  batteries  were, — General 
Quitman  reorganized  his  column  for  an  as- 
sault on  the  gate,  from  whence,  and  from 
the  Piedad  road  on  the  right,  a  steady  and 
galling  fire  was  maintained.  He  advanced 
the  regiment  of  Rifies  and  the  South  Caro- 
lina Volunteers  in  advance, — three  rifles  and 
three  volunteers  imder  each  arch  of  the  aque- 
duct,— and  stipported  them  with  the  remain- 
der of  his  command.  In  this  order  the  col- 
umn resolutely  advanced  from  arch  to  arch 
of  the  aqueduct,  under  a  tremendous  flre  of 
artillery  and  small-a]-ms  from  the  batteries 
at  the  gate,  the  Paseo,  and  a  large  body  of 
the  enemy  on  the  Piedad  road,  to  the  right 
of  his  line  of  march,  extending  from  the  left 
of  the  gate.  At  the  same  time  Captain 
Drum  and  Lieutenant  Benjamin  had  kept 
up  a  constant  and  destructive  fire  from  a 
sixteen-pound  field-piece  and  an  eight-inch 
howitzer ;  and  a  few  rounds  of  canister  from 
these  soon  afterwards  scattered  the  troops 
which  had  occupied  the  Piedad  road.^ 

ISTotwithstanding  the  severity  of  the  oppo- 
sition, the  whole  column  moved  forward 
steadily  and  firmly  ;  and  at  twenty  minutes 
past  one  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  the  gate 
was  carried  by  assault.  In  a  few  minutes 
afterwards  nearly  the  whole  command  was 
within  the  gate,  and  the  city  of  Mexico,  for 
the  first  time.,  had  teen  entered,  hy  the  hostile 
forces  of  the  United  States? 

Although  General  Quitman  and  his  com- 
mand were  really  the  first  to  enter  the  limits 
of  the  city  of  Mexico,  the  citadel  of  the  city 
was  between  them  and  the  city  proper,  and 
checked  their  progress.     From  that  defence, 

1  Gen.  Scott's  Dispatch,  No.  34,  Sept.  18. 

2  Reports  of  Gens.  Quitman,  Smith,  and  Shields  ;  Rip- 
ley, ii.  p.  434.-5  Q-en,  Scott's  Dispatch,  No.  34,  Sept.  18; 
Reports  of  Gens.  Quitman  and  Shields  ;  Ripley,  ii.  p.  434 ; 
Notes  for  the  History,  pp.  368,  369. 


526 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  IL 


from  tlie  batteries  on  the  Paseo,  and  from 
the  houses  on  their  right  and  front,  "  an 
iron  shower  swept  the  road  on  both  sides  of 
tlie  aqueduct,  and  rendered  it  impossible  to 
bring  forward  ammunition  for  tlieir  artil- 
lery ; "  and  several  times  the  enemy  sallied 
from  the  citadel  and  from  the  buildings  in 
front  of  it,  and  endeavored,  unsuccessfully, 
to  drive  the  assailants  from  their  position. 
Notwithstanding  this  serious  and  nusur- 
mountable  opposition,  which  held  General 
Quitman  in  a  mortifying  and  useless  posi- 
tion within  the  gate,  but  without  the  city, 
the  enemy  was  unable  to  expel  him  /  and 
when  night  closed  the  efforts  of  the  Mexi- 
cans, he  was  still  within  the  gate  and  before 
the  citadel.  During  the  night,  "  by  the  in- 
defatigable energy  of  his  Aeting-assistant- 
adjutant-general  Lieutenant  Mansfield  Lov- 
ell,  his  volunteer  aid.  Captain  Davis,  and 
Lieutenant  Brown,  of  the  Third  artillery," 
sand-bags  and  ammunition  were  brought 
forward;  and,  "by  the  persevering  exertions 
of  Captains  Morton  Fairchild  and  Jay  P. 
Taylor,  of  the  ISTew  York  Yolunteers,^ — who 
directed  the  working  parties,"^ — two  batteries 
were  constructed  for  his  heavy  guns,  on 
which,  before  the  morning  of  the  fourteenth. 
Captain  Steptoe  had  mounted  a  twenty-four- 
jiounder,  an  eighteen-pounder,  and  an  eight- 
inch  howitzer.^  The  spirited  preparation  for 
battering  the  citadel,  which  these  works  indi- 
cated, was  gallantly  seconded  by  the  entire 
body  of  General  Quitman's  command  ;  and 
General  Pierce  is  especially  mentioned  in 
the  dispatches  for  "his  prompt  attention" 
to  the  important  duties  of  that  eventful 
night.^ 

While  the  night  was  thus  spent,  with  two 
columns  of  the  American  army  within  the 
gates  of  the  city,  the  General-in-chief  of  the 
Mexican  army,  with  his  officers,  and  many 
members  of  the  civil  government  of  the  city, 
were  sitting  in  council  in  "  the  pavilion  of 
the  citadel ; "  and  they  determined  to  with- 
di'aw  the  troops  from  the  city,  and  to  throw 
the  municipality  at  the  feet  of  the  victor. 
With  this  intent,  as  before  stated,  the  civil 


'  Eepovts  of  Gens.  Quitman  and  Shields  ;  Ripley,  ii.  pp. 
435,  436.-2  Report  of  Gen.  Quitman. 


officers,  headed  by  the  Mayor,  sought  the 
quarters  of  General  Worth,  and  tendered 
their  submission  ;  and,  at  the  same  time. 
General  Lombardini  —  to  whom  General 
Santa  Anna  had  surrendered  the  command 
of  the  fragments  of  the  army — led  the  troops 
from  the  city,  by  way  of  the  gate  of  Peral- 
villo,  towards  the  villa  of  Guadalupe,  to 
which  place  General  Santa  Anna  had  re- 
tired earlier  in  the  night.^ 

At  the  break  of  day,  on  the  .fourteenth, 
General  Quitman'  was  surprised  with  the 
sight  of  a  white  flag,  which  came  from  the 
citadel,  with  intelligence  of  the  surrender  of 
the  city  and  the  Avithdrawal  of  the  Mexican 
forces ;  and  immediately  afterwards  the  col- 
umn moved  forward — the  South  Carolina 
Volunteers  occupying  the  works  at  the  gate, 
and  the  Second  Pennsylvania  regiment  those 
at  the  citadel,  while  the  remainder  of  the 
command  entered  the  city.^ 

Soon  after  daylight — after  the  withdrawal 
of  the  deputation  from  the  Ayuntamiento — 
General  Scott  sent  orders  to  both  Generals 
Worth  and  Quitman  to  advance  slowly  and 
cautiously  towards  the  heart  of  the  city,  and 
to  occupy  its  stronger  and  more  command- 
ing points.  At  the  same  time,  however,  for 
some  strange  and  unexplained  reason — sa- 
voring strongly  of  injustice,  and  boldly  and 
continually  declared  to  be  such,  by  General 
Worth  and  those  who  enjoyed  his  confi- 
dence, as  well  as  by  those  who  had  strug- 
gled, with  him,  for  the  honors  of  which  they 
were  thus  deprived — "express  orders"  were 
sent  to  the  latter  officer,  from  the  General- 
in-chief,  "  halting"  the  column  which  he  had 
led  into  the  city,  and  at  the  head  of  which 
he  had  received  the  tenders  of  its  submission 
from  its  municipal  authorities,  "  at  the  head 
of  the  Alameda  (a  green  park),  within  three 
squares  of  that  goal  of  general  ambition," 
the  National  Palace  of  Mexico.  By  this 
means  "  the  grateful  service "  of  "  planting 
guards  and  hoisting  the  colors  of  the  United 
States  on  the  JSTational  Palace — containing 
the  halls  of  Congress  and  executive  apart- 
ments of  federal  Mexico" — was  thrown,  un- 


Notes  for  tlie  History,  pp.  371-375,  383-385. 
'  Gen.  Quitm<an's  Report. 


Chap.  CVII.] 


THE  CAMPAIGN  UNDER  GENERAL  SCOTT. 


527 


solicited,  and  witli  apparent  injustice,  into 
tlie  hands  of  General  Quitman  and  his  gal- 
lant division ;  while  the  officers  and  the 
men  to  whom,  by  military  usage  and  justice, 
that  "grateful  service"  belonged,  were  com- 
pelled to  occupy  a  position  "  three  squares 
from  that  goal  of  general  ambition,"  and  to 
witness — at  a  distance,  and  under  the  iron 
rod  of  military  law — the  wrong  to  which 
they  had  been  subjected  by  the  General 
whose  crowning  -  glory  they  had  secured  for 
him  only  a  few  hours  before.^ 

As  has  been  said.  General  Quitman  and 
his  command  occupied  the  palace ;  and  to 
Captain  Roberts,  of  the  Rifles,  who  com- 
manded the  advance,  was  assigned  the  agree- 
able duty  of  raising  the  "  star-spangled  ban- 
ner of  his  country"  on  the  flag-stafi"  of  that 
building.  At  aboirt  eight  o'clock  General 
Scott,  escorted  by  Colonel  Harney's  dra- 
goons, entered  the  Grand  Plaza  amidst  the 
cheers  of  the  troops  by  whom  he  was  sur- 
rounded.^ 

Immediately  afterwards  a  shot,  aimed  at 
General  Woi-th,  was  fired  from  the  store  of 
one  Lopez,  on  the  Plaza  ;^  and,  although  it 
failed  to  reach  the  officer  against  whom  it 
had  been  aimed.  Colonel  Garland  received 
it  in  his  leg,  and  suffered  severely.  This 
appears  to  have  been  a  signal  for  the  com- 
mencement of  a  series  of  similar  assassin- 
like attempts,  extending  through  two  days 
and  over  the  entire  city ;  and  the  free  use  of 
heavy  battering-guns  upon  every  building 
from  which  such  a  fire  jwoceeded,  together 
with  musketry  from  some  of  our  men,  thrown 
out  as  skirmishers,  were  found  necessary  to 
secure  the  lives  of  the  troops  and  the  quiet 
of  the  city.* 

The  strength  of  the  American  force,  with 
which  the  last  series  of  exploits  was  accom- 
plished, exclusive  of  those  who  were  in  the 
rear,  protecting  the  stores,  &c.,  did  not  ex- 
ceed, in  the  aggregate,  seven  thousand  one 
hundred  and  eighty  men  ;^  and  when  it  is 
boi"ne  in  mind  that  even  this  small  force  was 

1  Gen,  Scott's  Dispatch,  No.  34,  Sept.  18.— ^  Gen.  Quit- 
man's Report. — '  Notes  for  the  History,  pp.  375,  376. 

4  Gen.  Worth's  Report ;  Semmes,  pp.  464-466  ;  Ripley, 
ii.  pp.  444,  445  ;  Notes  for  the  History,  pp.  375-381. 

6  Gen,  Scott's  Dispatch,  No.  34,  Sept.  18. 


divided  between  General  Twiggs — at  the 
southern  gates,  General  Worth — on  the  east 
and  north  of  Chapultepec,  General  Quitman 
— south  and  west  of  it,  and  General  Pillow 
— on  its  rocky  front,  the  result  was  truly 
wonderful. 

The  loss  of  the  Americans,  during  the 
same  eventful  period  {Sept.  12,  13,  and  14), 
was  ten  officers  and  one  hundred  and  twenty 
men  hilled.,  sixty-eight  officers  and  six  hun- 
dred and  thirty-five  men  wounded,  and  twen- 
ty-nine men  missing — making  a  total  of  eight 
hundred  and  sixty-two.^ 

The  strength  and  the  loss  of  the  enemy  are 
equally  unknown. 

With  the  fall  of  the  city  of  Mexico  a  new 
and  not  less  determined  line  of  j^oliey  ap- 
pears to  have  been  adopted  by  General 
Santa  Anna  and  the  Mexican  authorities. 
Dividing  the  forces  which  remained  under 
his  command,  General  Santa  Anna  moved 
down  to  Puebla,  where  had  been  left  a  small 
garrison  of  two  hundred  and  forty-seven  men, 
under  Colonel  Thomas  Childs,  of  the  First 
artillery,  to  keep  open  the  communication 
and  to  protect  a  hospital,  filled  Avith  eigh- 
teen hundred  sick  or  disabled  soldiers,  which 
had  been  established  in  that  city.  With- 
drawing the  hospitals  within  a  tenable  j^osi- 
tion  {San  Jose),  when  the  first  appearance  of 
hostilities  was  manifested.  Colonel  Childs 
was  enabled  to  defend  his  interesting  charge 
with  greater  success,  and  to  resist  every  con- 
ceivable attempt  which  was  made  by  the  in- 
habitants of  the  city,  from  the  thirteenth  of 
September  to  the  twenty-second  of  the  same 
month,  when  General  Santa  Anna  arrived, 
with  a  heavy  reinforcement,  and  was  greeted 
with  the  ringing  of  bells  and  every  manifes- 
tation of  delight  by  the  inhabitants.  On  the 
twenty-fifth  Colonel  Childs  was  summoned 
to  surrender,  but  refused  to  do  so ;  and  on 
the  twenty-seventh  the  operations  were  re- 
sumed by  the  Mexicans,  under  the  directions 
of  their  General-in-chief.  On  the  first  of 
October,  General  Santa  Anna  withdrew, 
with  four  thousand  men ;  yet  the  siege  was 
actively  sustained  by  the  town's-people  and 


I  Returns  appended  to  Gen.  Scott's  Disoatch.  No.  34, 
Sept.  18. 


528 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II. 


the  remainder  of  the  troops  until  the  eleventh 
of  October,  when  the  enemy's  fire  ceased,  and 
on  the  following  day  he  decamped.^ 

When  the  ardor  of  the  besiegers  and  their 
overpowering  n^^mbers  are  considered,  to- 
gether with  the  Aveakness  of  the  garrison  and 
the  disadvantages  nnder  which  it  labored, 
this  siege — extending  through  twenty-eight 
days — will  be  acknowledged  to  have  been 
one  of  the  most  remarkable  on  record  ;  and 
the  honors  which  everywhere  awaited  the 
gallant  Colonel  and  his  command  will  be" 
fully  ajjproved.  Nineteen  of  the  garrison 
had  been  killed  and  fifty-three  wounded 
during  the  period  of  the  investiture.  The 
loss  of  the  enemy  is  not  known.^ 

While  the  series  of  movements  in  "  the 
valley  of  Mexico"  and  at  Puebla,  to  which 
reference  has  been  made,  was  prostrating  the 
power  of  Mexico,  recruits  from  the  United 
States,  and  reinforcements  frohi  the  army 
under  General  Taylor,  were  sent  forward  to 
take  the  places  of  those  who  had  fallen,  and 
were  landed  at  Yera  Cruz  during  the  sum- 
mer of  1847.  Of  the  first  of  these,  eleven 
companies  of  infantry  and  tAvo  of  cavalry, 
under  the  command  of  Major  Lally,  moved 
from  Yera  Cruz  on  the  sixth  of  August ; 
and  he  Avas  not  interrupted  until  he  reached 
the  Paso  de  Ovejas,  four  days  afterwards. 
When  near  that  place  the  column  Avas  at- 
tacked by  General  Soto  and  two  thousand 
men,  posted  among  the  ruins  of  a  strong 
stone  house ;  while,  at  the  same  moment, 
strong  parties  attacked  the  rear  of  the  col- 
umn. An  efieetive  fire  from  the  field-pieces, 
followed  by  a  disorderly,  but  well-intended 
and  successful  charge,  repulsed  the  enemy, 
— two  ofiicers  and  nine  men  having  been 
wounded  in  the  operation, — and  the  march 
was  resumed  until  the  column  reached  the 
Paso,  where  it  halted.* 

On  the  tAvelfth  of  August,  when  Major 
Lally  had  reached  the  National  Bridge,  he 
found  that  important  pass  in  possession  of 

>  Col.  Childs'  Report,  Oct.  13  ;  Reports  of  Lieut. -Col. 
Black,  Maj.  Gwynne,  and  Capt.  Moorehead. 

^  Returns,  &c..  inclo.sed  in  Col.  Childs'  Report  of  Sept.  18. 

'  Maj.  Lally's  Dispatch  to  the  Adj. -Gen.  of  the  Army, 
Aug.  27,  1847  ;  Reports  of  Lieuts.  Sears  and  Ridgely  ; 
Ripley,  ii.  pp.  499,  500. 


the  enemy ;  and  it  was  only  after  a  Avarm 
engagement — in  Avhich  one  ofiicer  and  ten 
men  were  hilled,  and  fotir  ofiicers  and  thirty- 
six  men  were  wounded — that  the  passage 
was  effected.^ 

Reinforcements  having  been  asked  for,  the 
progress  was  a  slow  one  ;  and  it  was  not  un- 
til the  fifteenth  that  Major  Lally  reached 
Cerro  Gordo.  This  difiicult  j)ass  had  also 
been  occupied  by  the  enemy,  who  had  fallen 
back  from  Paso  de  OA^ejas  and  the  National 
Bridge  ;  and  a  third  time  the  raAV  troops, 
composing  the  Major's  command,  were  com- 
pelled to  force  their  way  through  their  per- 
severing opposers.  A  judicious  disposition 
of  the  troops,  and  an  energetic  and  simulta- 
neous charge  on  both  sides  of  the  road, 
brushed  away  the  opposition, — three  Ameri- 
cans having  been  killed  and  ten  wounded  in 
the  operation, — and  on  the  nineteenth  the 
column  reached  Jalapa.^ 

Soon  afterwards  the  detachment  from  the 
northern  army,  already  referred  to,  reached 
Yera  Cruz ;  and  General  Lane,  at  the  head 
of  one  regiment  of  Lidiana  and  one  of  Ohio 
Yolunteers,  two  battalions  of  recruits,  five 
companies  of  volunteer  horse,  and  two  pieces 
of  artillery, — in  all  about  tAvo  thousand  five 
hundred  men, — marched  from  that  city  on 
the  tAventieth  of  September.  The  column 
Avas  considerably  harassed  on  its  march,  and 
several  minor  afli"airs  Avith  the  guerillas  added 
to  the  interest  of  the  otherwise  monotonous 
jotirney  to  Jalapa  ;  at  which  place  a  junction 
Avas  formed  with  the  command  of  Major 
Lally.3 

In  the  mean  time  reports  had  reached 
Jalapa  of  the  troubles  at  Puebla;  and  the 
entire  force,  after  a  very  short  halt,  Avas 
moved  forward  towards  that  place.  Reports 
had  also  been  received  of  the  movement  of 
General  Santa  Anna  to  arrest  the  progress 
of  the  column,  and  of  the  concentration  of 
his  force  near  the  pass  of  El  Pinal ;  and  the 
force  had  been  increased  by  the  addition  of 
a  company  of  mounted  rifles  and  four  of  in- 

1  Maj.  Lally's  Dispatch  to  the  Adj. -Gen.  of  the  Army, 
Aug.  27,  1847  ;  Reports  of  Lieuts.  Sears  and  Ridgely  ; 
Ripley,  ii.  pp.  499,  500.— =  Ibid. 

3  Gen.  Lane  to  Adj. -Gen.,  Oct.  18,  1847 ;  Ripley,  ii. 
pp.  504,  505. 


Chap.  CVIL] 


THE  CAMPAIGN  UNDER  GENERAL  SCOTT. 


529 


fantrj,  with  three  field-pieces,  from  the  castle 
of  Perote.^ 

As  General  Lane  advanced  he  ascertained 
that  the  enemy,  instead  of  occuj^ying  the 
pass  of  El  Pinal,  as  had  been  reported,  had 
taken  post  at  Huamantla, — a  town  some 
miles  north  of  the  line  of  march,  and  east 
from  it, — evidently  with  the  intention  of 
falling  on  the  rear  of  the  column  while  it 
passed  through  the  defile.  To  prevent  this, 
General  Lane  resolved  to  move  against  and 
attack  him  in  his  position,  before  his  forces 
could  be  formed  for  battle.  Accordingly, 
after  parking  his  train,  and  mounting  an 
ample  guard  for  its  protection,  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  ninth  of  October,  General  Lane 
moved  towards  Huamantla ;  and  his  ap- 
proach was  not  discovered  by  the  enemy 
until  the  head  of  his  column  had  arrived 
within  three  miles  of  the  town.  At  this 
moment  several  parties  of  horsemen  were 
seen  making  their  way  across  the  fields  to 
the  city  ;  and  Captain  Walker,  with  his 
company  of  mounted  rifles,  and  the  volun- 
teer cavalry,  was  sent  in  pursuit  of  them. 
With  that  reckless  daring  which  too  fre- 
quently characterized  the  cavalry  of  the 
American  army,  the  Captain  pressed  for- 
ward at  a  gallop ;  and,  without  waiting  for 
a  support,  he  entered  the  town  with  his 
little  party ;  attacked  a  body  of  five  hundred 
lances,  which  was  posted,  with  two  pieces  of 
artillery,  in  the  Plaza  ;  drove  it  from  the  po- 
sition it  occupied,  and  dispersed  the  greater 
part  of  the  force.  As  might  have  been  ex- 
pected, however,  the  enemy  was  reinforced, 
and  rallied  before  the  infantry  could  come 
up  to  the  support  of  the  Captain  and  his 
party  ;  and  the  assailants  were  driven  back 
with  heavy  loss — the  Captain  and  thirteen 
men  having  been  hilled,  and  eleven  men 
been  wounded.  Soon  afterwards  the  main 
body  came  up,  and  General  Lane  so  dis- 
posed his  troops  that  the  town  would  be 
assaulted  at  three  points,  at  the  same  time, 
while  Major  Lally  and  his  recruits  were  held 
in  reserve.^ 

By  a  judicious  disposition  of  his  troops, 
General    Lane    secured    the    town    without 

1  Gen.  Lane  to  Adj. -Gen.,  Oct.  18.— '^  Ibid. 
Vol.  II.— 67 


much  eff'ort,  and  the  enemy  fell  back  upon 
Atlixco,  the  temporary  seat  of  the  State 
government.'  Thither  General  Lane  pur- 
sued him  ;  and  on  the  nineteenth  of  October 
an  action  took  place  near  that  town,  in 
which  the  enemy,  after  siifi'ering  severely, 
again  fell  back,  with  his  artillery  and  equip- 
ments, as  far  as  Matamoras,  a  small  village, 
eleven  leagues  in  his  rear.^ 

With  the  exception  of  some  minor  opera- 
tions, in  the  course  of  which  skirmishes 
were  fought  at  Matamoras  and  Galaxara,^  at 
Orizaba  and  Cordova,^  at  Sequalteplan,^  at 
San  Jose  and  La  Paz,®  and  at  Santa  Cruz  de 
Rosales,^ — for  a  description  of  which  our 
space  is  too  limited, — the  military  opera- 
tions of  the  w^ar  ended. 

A  treaty  of  peace,  so  called,  was  accepted 
as  such  by  the  President  and  the  Senate  of 
the  United  States,  and  the  peaceful  relations 
of  the  two  countries  were  restored. 

Originating  in  dishonor,  in  violation  of 
the  law  of  nations,  this  war  had  been  thrown 
upon  the  United  States,  by  their  Executive, 
without  the  formalities  of  legislation,  re- 
quired by  the  Federal  Constitution  ;  and  it 
had  been  acquiesced  in,  as  a  necessity,  by 
the  Congress  and  the  people.  The  fine  dis- 
cipline of  the  army  then  in  the  field,  directed 
by  a  body  of  the  most  accomplished  and 
gallant  subordinate  ofiicers,  had  secured  for 
the  Commanding-general,  and  for  the  war, 
a  degree  of  popularity,  immediately  after- 
wards, which  the  negative  qualities  of  the 
former,  and  the  positive  injustice  of  the 
latter,  could  not  otherwise  have  secured  ; 
and  that  popularity — renewed,  and  subse- 
quently increased,  by  the  genius  of  liim 
who  had  planned  and  principally  conducted 
the  defence  of  the  pass  of  Angostura  and  the 
rugged  field  of  Buena  Yista — bore  the  Gen- 

1  Gen.  Lane  to  Adj. -Gen.,  Oct.  18,  1817  ;  Ripley,  ii.  pp. 
506,  507.— 2  Gen.  Lane  to  Adj. -Gen.,  Oct.  22,  1847  ;  Rip- 
ley, ii.  pp.  508,  509. — '  Gen.  Lane  to  Adj. -Gen.,  Dec.  1, 
1847.— ■•  Gen.  Lane  to  Gen.  Scott.  Feb.  10,  1848. 

5  Gen.  Lane  to  Adj. -Gen.,  March  2,  1848;  Reports  of 
Col.  John  C.  Hays  and  Majors  Polk  and  Turett. 

«  Col,  Mason  to  Adj. -Gen.,  April  12,  1848  ;  Lieut. -Col. 
Burton's  and  Lieut.  Heyvvood's  Reports. 

^  Gen.  Pierce  to  Adj. -Gen.,  March  31.  1848  ;  Reports  of 
Lieut-Col.  Lane,  Majors  Beale  and  Walker,  Capt.  Has- 
sendeibel,  and  Lieut.  Love. 


-530 


BATTLES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


[Book  II.. 


eral-in-cliief  in  safety,  from  Vera  Cruz  to 
Mexico,  notwithstanding  tlie  discordant  ele- 
ments with  which  he  had  surrounded  him- 
self. 

Dreading  the  effects  of  that  reaction,  in 
the  Congress  and  among  the  people, — that 
"  sober  second  thought,"  which  politicians 
seldom  feel  willing  to  encounter, — the  Exec- 
utive gladly  availed  itself  of  the  unauthor- 
ized agreement  of  a  degraded  former  secret 
agent  of  its  Department  of  State, — no  longer 
a  representative  of  the  United  States,  in  any 
capacity,  —  with  the  equally  questionable 
representatives  of  as  questionable  a  govern- 
ment of  the  Mexican  republic ;  and  with  a 
degree  of  effrontery  which  fully  became  the 
author  of  the  surreptitious  war,  it  became  the 
abettor  of  equally  as  surreptitious  a  peace. 

Amity  was  thus  restored  between  the  na- 
tions,; the  troops  of  the  United  States — reg- 
ulars and  volunteers — returned  to  their  bar- 


honored  graves 

us,  and  with  tottering 


^^^   among 
and  emaciated 


racks  or  to  the  frontier  posts,  or  to  their  re- 
spective homes  among  the  people,  with 
shattered  frames  or  with  the  seeds  of  disease 
or  premature  decay  I'ooted  in  their  systems. 
Many  of  them  have  already  sunk  into  un- 
others  still  lin2;er 
steps 

forms,  bear  mournful  testimony  to  the  hard- 
ships they  have  endured,  and  to  the  insidi- 
ous enemy  they  have  encountered  in  every 
breeze.  Others,  few  in  number,  have  been 
spared,  in  the  Providence  of  God,  in  appar- 
ent health, — as  monuments  of  the  past, — to 
whom  we  may  also  turn  to  refresh  our  recol- 
lections, and  to  receive  lessons  of  the  solemn 
realities  of  war  ;  and  may  the  day  be  far  dis- 
tant when  our  children  may  not  be  taught, 
from  the  lips  of  the  living  witness,  the  ines- 
timable value  of  peace,  and  the  equally  in- 
estimable evil  of  an  "unnatural"  and  an 
unrighteous  war. 


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